Newbury Ladies Football
Match Report -- Season 2011-12
Southern Region Women's Football League Division 1 South
11th Sept 2011
Locks Heath 3 Newbury 0
Kendall Gilmore was captaining the side for the first time, following the earlier withdrawal due to injury of midfield lynch-pin, Caroline Harkness. Goalkeeper Gilmore was called into action early on, with some swift clearances behind her defence and making a number of routine saves from the Lock Heath attack.

As Newbury began to settle into the first half, possession between the two teams was very evenly shared. Newbury forced their first opening when a long ball caused panic in the Lock Heath penalty area, with Ellie Reed and Bex Walker both just unable to latch onto the bobbling ball. The clearance fell to Newbury’s Ruby Oliver on the edge of the box, who shot just wide.

Then approaching the half hour mark, Lock Heath got in behind the Newbury defence and a cross from the left wing resulted in the home side’s striker heading onto the bar, with the ball bouncing down and somehow out of Gilmour’s goal. Lock Heath’s follow up effort was blazed well over. The score line remaining 0-0.

Newbury’s Gemma Povey then made a great tackle to thwart another Lock Heath attack and with possession won, she proceeded to drive forward, before releasing a superb pass down the right hand channel to Leanne Crease. She in turn linked up well with Bex Walker, before Crease sent over a cross from which Newbury almost scored, but for a good save from the Lock Heath goalkeeper. Newbury then forced three corners in quick succession, with the third producing a fine headed attempt by Ruby Oliver, following another great delivery from Crease far right. Unfortunately the Lock Heath keeper was in fine form, diving down to her left hand corner to keep the effort out.

In the last 5 minutes of the first half, Newbury’s Ruby Oliver was sent clear through the Lock Heath defence, with only the goalkeeper to beat. But again the home side’s No.1 was able to smother the shot and get the ball the clear. Racing immediately down the other end of the pitch, Lock Heath’s main striking threat also found herself one on one with the Newbury goalkeeper in an almost identical situation. And again Gilmour came racing off her line to superbly block the effort. This brought a very evenly matched first half to a close, with the game remaining goal less at the break.

Lock Heath started the second half with real attacking purpose and within just 2 minutes, Newbury fell a goal behind, as their defence was static and did not react inside the penalty area. The Lock Heath forward stabbing home a loose ball to open the scoring.

Inside another 2 minutes the game slipped further out of Newbury’s reach, when an uncharacteristic goalkeeping error from Gilmour allowed an awkward crossed ball to slip under her kicking leg and into the open Newbury net. Lock Heath were now 2 nil ahead.

The bit was really between Lock Heath’s teeth now, with a further attack 5 minutes later producing a fine save onto the bar and over from Gilmour, who was doing everything she could to redeem herself. Unfortunately she could not prevent Lock Heath cruising into a 3 nil lead on the hour mark, with Newbury Ladies looking quite shell shocked at how the opening period of the second half was panning out.

Despite several tactical Newbury changes and the introduction of Leanne Saunders and Lily Chubb from the bench, Newbury were unable to force a clear cut opening until the 80th minute. Saunders released Bex Walker just inside the Lock Heath half, who went on a strong run before beating a defender to send over a cross, which Chubb connected with 12 yards out. But yet again the Lock Heath goalkeeper was equal to the effort and Newbury were unable to grab any form of consolation.

The match ended 3-0 to Lock Heath, with Newbury feeling a little hard done by, as for long, long periods in the game it was a more closely matched encounter than the score line would suggest. All in all a frustrating afternoon, leaving Newbury to rue a disappointing 15 minute spell after half time that ultimately cost them the match.

Players: Kendall Gilmour, Sophie Self (sub Leanne Saunders 70 mins), Gemma Povey, Sam McConnon (sub Lily Chubb 75 mins), Naomi Purvis, Leanne Creese, Jenny Petrylak, Lorna Parr, Becky Walker, Elli Reed, Ruby Oliver.
Referee:
Goal scorers
Player of the match
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Southern Region Premier

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