Winsford Ladies visited their nearest rivals, 5th place Buxton Ladies on Sunday, knowing that they needed to come away with all three points to ensure that they kept Buxton at arms length and the Ladies didn't disappoint.
On a freezing cold Sunday afternoon in Chapel-En-Le-Frith, Winsford Ladies were ready to do battle, and battle they did on a pitch that had obviously been played on the previous day.
The Ladies team were up for it from the first whistle and didn't give the Buxton side a moments peace when they had the ball. The Winsford midfield of Kathryn Hulme, Danielle Lydiate, Kylie Kettle and Vicky Jones, all got stuck in by not only playing some fantastic football, but by making tackle after tackle to win the ball back.
Winsford's strike force of Sarah Lee and Natasha Handy were in fantastic form and ran the Buxton defence ragged, with chance after chance being saved or intercepted by the Buxton keeper. In fact the Buxton keeper did her team proud and certainly kept them in the game, by ensuring the scoreline remained a little more respectable.
Both Hulme and Jones caused the Buxton defence major problems out on the wings, with both players creating chances for themselves and for Lee and Handy. But yet again, the Buxton keeper kept them at bay.
It took Winsford 25 minutes before they broke the deadlock, when a beautifully weighted through ball from Lydiate, found Handy's perfectly timed run. The Buxton defence were caught cold and all'S that Handy had to do was beat the keeper, which she did expertly.
The Winsford back four of Leanne Hudson, Hanna Hewiton, Emma Johnson and Catherine Southern, all put in a solid performance
As the half time whistle blew, Winsford went into the break 1 goal up, but knowing that they could have had a sack full of goals
The second half kicked off, with Winsford in a determined mood, as they took the game to Buxton. They gave the Buxton defence and keeper no rest. But it was Buxton who scored next, following yet another a failed Winsford attack, from which Buxton broke quickly into the Winsford half. The Winsford back four stood their ground and held their line, but as Winsford made the challenge and tried to clear the ball, it rebounded off the Buxton player, past the defender and straight into the path of the Buxton striker, who ran into the Winsford box and slotted the ball into the net, past the Winsford keeper to level the score.
This spurred Winsford into action and the Ladies stepped into over drive and pressed for another goal, which didn't take long. Lydiate and Kettle, who were dominating the midfield action, played some lovely one touch football in the build up to the Winsford's next goal. Another perfectly weighted pass from Kettle found Lee in space, who then broke through into the box. However, her shot hit the post. But it was Jones who collected the rebound and tried again to put the ball away, but the Buxton keeper was equal to the shot. Unfortunately, the keeper's save rebounded off one of the Buxton defenders and went in to restore the lead that Winsford deserved.
Winsford now had the bit between their teeth and pressed even harder, pushing Buxton back into their own half and keeping them there. The Ladies didn't give in their search for another goal and it was Handy, who found the net again. It was Lydiate who provided the through ball for Handy to run on to, which she slid expertly past the Buxton keeper.
Winsford's fourth and final goal of the afternoon, came again from some brilliant midfield work and interlinking play with the Winsford strikers and it was Handy who was on hand to score her third goal, to complete her first hat-trick for the Ladies team, not to mention her first player of the match.
Jessica Moore, the Winsford keeper was in good form again. The goal that Buxton did manage to score, followed an uncharacteristic mistake by the Winsford defence and was also only the second of three shots that Buxton were allowed throughout the match, one went wide of the post and the other was superbly saved by Moore. However, Moore wasn't just a spectator on this cold Sunday afternoon. The 17 year old Winsford keeper, who's confidence is still growing, ensured that any ball that breached the Winsford defence was gathered up or cleared before the Buxton strikers could reach it.
The Ladies team also saw the return of Rachel Robbins to the squad on Sunday, which is a big boost to the team, to have her back and available for selection following the birth of her baby girl, Grace, only 8 weeks ago.
Winsford are at home to Denton Town Ladies this Sunday in the league. 2pm kick off.