Mixed Emotions

The Ladies’ 1s paid their first visit to Cheltenham on Saturday hoping to build on a good performance the previous week but knowing that they were missing several key players. It was possible to make a good case beforehand for the match to end in a draw but no one could really have expected the chain of events which unfolded, particularly during a bizarre first half.

Sophia Barclay, Alicia Caillard, Izzy Austin, Katie Paxman and Sarah Brimyard were all missing from the line up that played so well at Trojans. Anya Middleton and Miranda Caillard returned to the side and Hayley McDermott made her debut in goal. It was a small squad of just 14 but in reality it was much worse as Aimee Timms and Alice Lander did not arrive until just before half time (after an earlier school match) and Sian Edwards aggravated an injury and came off after five minutes, although she was able to return in the second half.

It wasn’t only the visitors who had problems though as the 4pm start was delayed nearly ten minutes due to the Cheltenham keeper suffering a bad injury in the warm up. The home side opted to play the entire game with eleven outfield players which had a huge impact on the way the match was played. It presented a great opportunity to get a first win but also posed the difficulty of playing against a side with an extra outfield player.

Play began in very blustery conditions, accompanied by light rain. Cheltenham had the first opportunity in the opening minute after Emily Hobbs dispossessed a Fareham player and shot across goal but Hayley McDermott was on hand to make the first of several saves in a busy first half.

The home side undoubtedly began the game better as Fareham initially struggled to deal with the unusual circumstances. Cheltenham’s first penalty corner came in the 4th minute and almost brought the opening goal for their captain, Alice Shea, who shot narrowly wide as a brave challenge from Sian Edwards just did enough to make it difficult.

Three minutes later Hayley had to save a near post shot from Rosie Stranack before Fareham started to win a little more possession and probe for an opening. Nevertheless the hosts still looked the more dangerous of the sides and they won another PC in the 13th minute after possession was lost by Fareham on the edge of their area. A shot across goal from the corner just evaded a touch at the far post.

Having weathered the early onslaught, the visitors finally managed to pin Cheltenham deeper into their own territory and they were rewarded with a goal out of nothing, seconds before half time. Centre Back Rose Mutimer was hurried into playing a pass across the back which was picked off by SARAH ATKINSON who fired it straight back into the far corner to make it 1-0. It was the first time we have led in a game this season.

Boosted by taking the lead, the visitors won their first PC and another Sarah Atkinson shot was charged down by Alice Shea and deflected over the bar. It was to be a rare foray into Cheltenham territory though as the 2nd quarter became rather one sided with the home side pressing hard and the visitors unable to make any substitutions.

Cheltenham came close to an equalizer in the 25th minute after intercepting a pass across the edge of the ‘D’ but Hayley made two stops in quick succession to preserve the lead. Four minutes later the hosts took advantage of the extra player to set up another chance for Emily Hobbs but once again the keeper blocked the shot for a long corner.

With six minutes to go before the half time break, Aimee and Alice finally arrived to bring much needed fresh legs. However the onslaught continued as Hayley pulled off a point blank save from Rosie Stranack at the far post after another shot across goal.

Unfortunately the respite was brief as the home side drew level in the 34th minute. Two close range shots were saved from a penalty corner but the ball eventually fell to JEMMA JONES who threaded a shot through a gap to make it 1-1 at half-time.

The interval gave Fareham an opportunity to make much needed adjustments and the second half was a more even and calmer period of play than the manic opening thirty five minutes.

The first chance of the 3rd quarter fell to Fareham in the 40th minute. Poppy Roddis intercepted a pass in the opposition half and although the ball briefly ran loose Libby Jones won it back and set up a chance in the packed ‘D’ but unfortunately space was at a premium and although Gracie Coleman was able to have a shot it was wide of the target.

Fareham had a good spell of possession for most of this period as they were able to settle down and move the ball better. However they could not find a way through a packed defence to carve out any good chances and in the final couple of minutes the home side came back into the contest.

Most of the 4th quarter was stalemate with Cheltenham edging the possession but seemingly unwilling to push too hard, perhaps because of the perceived vulnerability at the back if they over committed and lost possession.

Both sides would have one more chance to grab the winner. Fareham came back into contention and could have snatched a second goal with five minutes remaining. There had been a couple of nervous moments when Cheltenham played it across the back and on this occasion the hurried pass was almost intercepted again by Sarah Atkinson who was inches away from getting a decisive touch in front of goal.

The home side could have got a winner themselves in the last couple of minutes. A quick break finished with Hayley blocking another shot for a long corner and from the final PC of the game in the 68th minute Abbey Carroll hooked a goalbound shot away from danger.

A draw was probably a fair result. We did not play as well as at Trojans and it was disappointing that we did not do more to put Cheltenham under pressure and create better opportunities. However, in hindsight we did well to withstand a great deal of Cheltenham pressure in the first half when we were hampered by the inability to make any substitutions against a larger squad who always had a free player.

We return home for the final two matches before Christmas, starting with a game against Exeter next Saturday (13.30 at Henry Cort). It is another new opponent for us and a new name after Exe Ladies merged with East Devon at the end of last season to form the new club.