Newbury Ladies Football
Match Report -- Season 2017-18
Friendly
Sunday 18th February 2018
Newbury Ladies Reds 2 Newbury Ladies Whites 4
With no scheduled league fixtures for either the First Team or Development Team of Newbury Ladies Football Club, a Club Friendly Match was instead held at the Donnington Recreation Ground, with mixed teams of Newbury Ladies players, playing against each other.

Although Newbury ‘Red’ kicked off the match, it was Newbury ‘White’ that seized the possession and who went onto the attack straight away. A cross from Ayala Truelove was deflected for the game’s first corner. A very well struck delivery from Lauren Hanson, saw Caz Harkness with a shot on target. But for Newbury ‘Red’, Lauren Sheldon cleared well on the goal-line.

There were to be goals aplenty in this contest and the scoring was opened on 14 minutes, when Ellie Reed collected a pass from Tracey Beales. With Reed some 25 yards out, she struck a looping shot that was perfectly placed and the ball sailed into the top right corner. No keeper would have got anywhere near it and so Newbury ‘Red’ took a one nil lead.

Within eight minutes, Newbury ‘White’ had a very well taken equaliser. Harkness was starting to pull the strings in midfield and she picked out a pin-point through ball that split the defence, for Alice Hill to run onto for a one-on-one chance. Drawing the keeper out, Hill coolly slotted home into the bottom left corner for 1-1.

Just after the half hour mark, a quick Newbury ‘White’ attack saw Maria Rodrigues played in by Nicole Beesley, with Rodrigues finishing well to give Newbury ‘White’ a 2-1 lead. Newbury ‘Red’ then went on the attack after the re-start, going in search of an equaliser before half time. Kendall Gilmour had a shot from distance, but it was straight at the keeper. Becky Anderson then beat the full back, to cross well from the right. But just as Amy McNab was due to pounce, Leanne Saunders intercepted brilliantly to clear. The Newbury ‘White’ defence was definitely on top, and looked organised and solid. They maintained their 2-1 lead through to the half time break.

The opening period of the second half, saw plenty of attacking pressure from Newbury ‘Red’. An early chance came after good work by Jana Penazova. She picked out the run of Beales, who had evaded her marker. But unopposed, she sent her shot the wrong side of the upright and it was a let-off for Newbury ‘White’.

Moments later, stand-in goalkeeper, Beesley, was called upon to save a mis-hit clearance by Newbury ‘White’. She was alert to the danger and got down well to gather, just ahead of the goal-line. In a fast paced match, the next chance came after a Harkness cross into the box for Newbury ‘White’. With the ‘Red’ defence static, the only player that had read the flight of the ball was Jazz Bird. She ghosted into the penalty area and connected first time to get a solid shot away. Unfortunately for Bird, goalkeeper Kat Brown had also sensed the danger and she was out quickly to make an excellent blocked save.

After great work in defence by Saide Gulliver, she won the ball and then strode forward to play to the feet of the Newbury ‘Red’ attacker, McNab. McNab was able to turn and play in Bec Walker, who’s shot across goal came very close to sneaking in at the far post, only for the fingertips of the keeper to tip around the post for a corner. With the resultant corner only half cleared, McNab’s persistence saw her dispatch a shot that tore into the net for 2-2 after 67 minutes.

Further ‘Red’ pressure came to no avail and then a quick ‘White’ breakaway, saw the combination of Harkness and Hill be so clinical. It was almost a repeat of the Newbury ‘White’s’ first goal in the first half, as Harkness played in Hill to go one-on-one. Again, Hill’s composure in front of goal was faultless and she converted with ease to take a 3-2 lead.

As the clocked ticked down, Newbury ‘Red’ almost scored from a corner, when full back, Marie Prout, connected well from close range, only to see Rodrigues clear on the goal-line to deny her. Newbury ‘Red’ were again camped in the ‘White’s half, but they were unable to break down a stubborn defence. The ‘White’ team were then at their most dangerous, as another quick break saw the ‘White’s’ score their fourth of the game, turning defence into attack with deadly effect. Penazova broke quickly down the left, reaching the by-line, before crossing at the second attempt. Rodrigues had advanced in support and she had the easiest of tap-ins on 83 minutes. 4-2 now the score-line in favour of Newbury ‘White’.

No further goals were added and so the players of Newbury ‘White’ came out on top, in what was a highly competitive and positive fixture.

Match report by Sue Hewett

Players:

Newbury Ladies ‘Red Team’ Squad: Kat Brown, Saide Gulliver, Lauren Sheldon, Sam McConnon, Jana Penazova, Kendall Gilmour (Capt), Ellie Reed, Becky Anderson, Bec Walker, Tracey Beales, Amy McNab, Marie Prout.

Newbury Ladies ‘White Team’ Squad: Nicky Isted, Lauren Hanson, Leanne Saunders, Sam Atkins, Ayala Truelove,Caz Harkness (Capt), Maria Rodrigues, Nicole Beesley, Issy Cording, Alice Hill, Jasmine Bird, Alex Kovacsova.

Referee: Steve Annetts
Goal scorers
Whites: Alice (2), Maria (2)
Reds: Ellie, Amy M.
Player of the match
Next fixture

Southern Region Premier

League season closed
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