The Ladies hosted the Quarter Final Cheshire County FA Cup match against Crewe Alexandra Ladies on Sunday and it turned out to be a titanic battle between the two teams.
The game kicked off on a beautiful, sunny afternoon which is a little different from the weather we have been having. The first half was used by both teams to test each other and to feel their way into the game, because to date the two teams had never met in a competitive match before. Although the first half ended nil nil, it was Crewe who had the better half, with Winsford's keeper Jessica Moore making some fantastic saves.
The Winsford back four of Rachel Robbins, Emma Johnson, Hanna Hewitson and Leanne Hudson were kept very busy by the Crewe wingers, but they held their own and put in a gutsy performance.
But Winsford weren't out of it and nor were they being out played, considering that Crewe are at least two divisions above Winsford within the Women's football league pyramid.
The half time team talk was positive and gave the management something to build on in the second half. The only change made at half time was to switch Hewitson from centre half to the right wing, where Kathryn Hulme had played during first half.
The Ladies came out with a positive attitude and got stuck in from the kick off. But it was Crewe who gained the upper hand early on in the second half, with a lovely passing move the Crewe winger broke through the Winsford defence and struck the ball beautifully past the Winsford keeper to the far post and in to make it 1 nil the Crewe.
It was at this point that Winsford closed ranks and the Mid-Field of Vicky Jones, Kylie Kettle, Danielle Lydiate and Hewitson did what they did best and put in tackle after tackle, winning the ball back and giving them another opportunity to test the Crewe defence. The Winsford back four pushed up and held a high line, which gave more support to the mid-field and also frustrated the Crewe strikers, as they were caught in the off-side trap several times. This allowed both Winsford strikers of Sarah Lee and Natasha Handy more opportunities to have a go at the Crewe defence.
Winsford made their only substitute, when they brought Jay Anderson on to replace Hudson at right back. This gave Winsford a pair of fresh legs to chase down the unrelenting attacks from the Crewe wingers.
With the game coming to an end, it was Lydiate who scored a sensational goal from long range, to give Winsford a life line. Winsford won the ball back from the visitors, with an interception by Robbins, just inside their own half. Robbins played the ball forward to Lydiate who ran at and past several Crewe players, but then met a wall of Crewe defenders. But with 1 minute to go to full time, Lydiate carried the ball across the front of the Crewe defence and then unleashed an unstoppable strike from a good 25 yards, which beat the Crewe keeper and dipped just under the bar.
The final whistle blew for full time, but the game wasn't over yet, as there was Extra Time still to play.
The Extra Time was just as exciting as normal time, with both teams trying to gain the upper hand. However, it was Winsford who looked tired and it was this, that was their undoing. The Ladies gave a determined and gutsy performance
But yet again, it was Crewe who broke the dead lock and Winsford's hearts with another lovely passing move, which swept past the Winsford defence and allowed the Crewe striker to shoot and score, to put them a goal up.
The final score was even for the effort put in by both teams, but Crewe pipped Winsford to the post, with a 2 - 1 win, to go through to the Semi Finals.
As much as the result is disappointing to all the team, the management believe that all twelve players on the day, gave everything they had and can hold their heads high, knowing they gave Crewe Alexandra Ladies a rude awakening and a game to remember.