Barton Stadium, home to the Winsford Ladies Team saw
its first home win against a very resilient Airbus side.
The Ladies set their stall out with a view to ensuring
that after 90 minutes, they had all 3 points, which they did.
The match kicked off and Winsford went straight to work,
passing the ball around between the mid-field of Jay
Anderson, Kathryn Hulme, Danielle Lydiate, Hanna Hewitson
and their strikers Sarah Lee and Amy Hughes.
The Ladies back four of Rachel Robbins, Emma Johnson,
Anna Watt and Leanne Hudson worked like a well oiled machine
this week and kept the Airbus striker, who was very very tall,
at bay and away from the goal for virtually all of the first
half.
It was Winsford that were on top during the first half, as
they pushed Airbus back into their own half and pressed for
the goal that would break the deadlock. Both Hughes and
Hewitson could both have had hat-tricks in the first half, but
for the Airbus keeper, who was undoubtably on form, pulling
off save after save to keep Winsford out.
It was Winsford who eventually broke the deadlock with
a perfectly placed pass through the Airbus defense, by
Johnson for Hughes to run onto, who then took it around the
Airbus keeper and slotted the ball home. 1 nil to the home
side.
But it wasn't long before Airbus were level. However, the
Winsford keeper, Jessica Moore stood no chance. The Airbus
striker fired a ferocious volley from outside the 18-yard box,
which threatened to burst through the back of the net.
The Ladies were undeterred and pushed back even harder
from the kick off. With half time looming, Lydiate threaded
a perfectly weighted ball through the Airbus defense and
found Winsford's right winger, Hewitson in lots of space.
Hewitson carried the ball into the 18-yard box and fired a
hard low shot to the opposite corner, beating the Airbus keeper.
Winsford kicked off the second half and immediately went
all out to increase the narrow 2 - 1 lead they had.
Yet again Winsford found themselves pushing Airbus back
to the edge of their 18-yard box looking for the goal that
would secure the victory. This time Hughes and Hewitson, who
again could have both have had hat-tricks during the second
half, were joined by Hulme and Lydiate, having their chances
saved by the Airbus keeper, who was definitely keeping her
team mates in the game.
Winsford's final goal came from a through ball from
Hulme, who found Hewitson beating the Airbus offside trap.
With only the keeper to beat, Hewitson carried the ball
into the 18-yard box, waited for the keeper to commit herself
and then placed the ball in the opposite corner.
Airbus weren't out of the game, as they came back at
Winsford and scored a second goal near the end of the match
to make a very one sided game look evenly matched.
Winsford made a couple of substitutions in the second half
mainly due to injuries. Firstly, Katie Mogford came on for
Hudson at right back. Then, Hayley Mogford came on for Lee, who
had to come off due to a thigh strain. Then finally, Nicola
Bogue, was brought on to replaced Lydiate, who turned her ankle
in a fifty/fifty challenge.
Overall, the game was a fierce battle between two very
determined teams, who both wanted and needed to take all three
points from the game. But in the end, Winsford Ladies stood
battered and bruised, but victorious. Airbus were a very
different opponent to last season, so in the return match later
in the season, Winsford will not be showing as much restraint
and will ensure that a more convincing result is achieved.
Winsford's next match is away to Macclesfield Town on
Sunday 19th September 2010.