Newbury Ladies Football
Match Report -- Season 2019-20
Southern Region Women's Football League Premier Division
Sunday 8 September 2019
Oxford City Ladies 2 Newbury Ladies FC First Team 2
Newbury defended brilliantly first half and frustrated their opponents. Debutant Erin Davis-Donne making one excellent save in the Newbury goal.

But then Newbury could have opened the scoring in the 41st minute after Gabriely Da Silva was upended for a free kick just outside the Oxford City penalty area. She took the set play herself and rocketed a shot back off the far post, with the Oxford goalkeeper helpless.

It remained goal-less at half time, but it was an enthralling encounter, between two good teams.

Oxford City started strongly for the first five minutes of the second half, but Newbury weathered the storm and then they did score in a counter attacking move. Lauren Hanson playing the ball out of defence and sending Da Silva away. She raced into the penalty box and slotted coolly past the keeper to give Newbury a one nil lead on 52 minutes.

Newbury then had a second goal after 60 minutes, when it was Da Silva again who was fouled. She again stepped up to take the free kick that she had earned, but this time she was further out, nearly 30 yards from goal. But with another thunderous shot, she beat the goalkeeper easily and fired into the roof of the net. It had been some impact from the Newbury substitute.

Oxford City's players were stung into life however and the next 30 minutes would seem like an eternity for Newbury Ladies. Oxford thought they had scored in the 68th minute, only for another very timely intervention from Newbury substitute, Jo Walsh-Perks, who somehow managed to clear a rebounded shot off the goal-line.

But then Oxford were given a life-line in the 83rd minute, when they were awarded a penalty, after a challenge by Charlotte Hull. The Oxford Captain took the spot kick and sent the Newbury keeper the wrong way, to make the score 2-1 with just 7 minutes and stoppage time to play.

Cruelly for Newbury, they just couldn't hold on for the victory, with a free kick conceded in the 91st minute right on the edge of the Newbury area. Whilst not as pleasing on the eye as Da Silva's earlier free kick for Newbury, this set piece was no less effective, as it found the roof of the net and this levelled the contest for the home side, Oxford City.

It finished 2 goals apiece and was a very hard fought point for Newbury's players in their opening league game of the Premier Division season.

Match Report by Sue Hewett

Players: Erin Davis-Donne, Lauren Hanson, Becky Anderson (Capt), Leanne Saunders, Sam Atkins, Shelley Forster, Charlotte Hull, Ayala Truelove (replaced by Jo Walsh-Perks, 65 mins), Rachel Allwright, Noella Rodricks, Amy McNab (replaced by Gabriely Da Silva, 35 mins).
Referee:
Goal scorers
Gabriely Da Silva (2)
Player of the match
Gabriely Da Silva
Rachel Allwright
Next fixture

Southern Region Premier

League season closed
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