Round up of ladies matches on a cold January weekend
At a glance
L1s cancelled
L2s 1-3
L3s cancelled
L4s cancelled
L5s cancelled
L6s 8-1
L7s 3-4
L8s cancelled
L9s no match
1s v City of Peterborough – Postponed (Premier)
2’s v Letchworth 1’s (1S)
Stortford suffered their second consecutive defeat as they put in a lacklustre performance against Letchworth on Saturday.
With the pitch finally passed fit to play following several postponements earlier in the day, it was Letchworth who looked the sharper side. Several chances from Stortford went begging, the Letchworth keeper quick across her goal to keep Stortford at bay. After a quick Letchworth breakaway was cleared, they took the lead from the free hit, a strong strike from the top of the D finding the bottom corner leaving them 1-0 up at the break.
The game was put to bed within the opening 10 minutes of the second half, first a well worked short corner routine finding the net before an outstanding goal, a lifted cross into the D, the forward coming in looking to stop the ball ended up connecting with it mid-air on the reverse, wrong footing the keeper and deservedly taking the plaudits from her team mates and the crowd.
Stortford got a consolation goal late on, Charlie Leonards initial shot from a corner rebounded fell Pilar Montu who slipped it back to Leonard to score
A disappointing result that leaves them in 7th but with the league so tight, Stortford know a win next week against bottom side Chelmsford will move them right back up the table.
3’s v Stevenage 1’s POSTPONED (2SW)
4’s v Harpenden 1’s POSTPONED (2SW)
5’s v Luton Town 1’s POSTPONED (4SW)
6’s v Witham 2’s (4SE)
8-1
POM Charlotte Pettit
It was a cold evening in Witham for the 6s game. The blues started a little slowly, struggling to get passes on line. However, it wasn’t long before the team settled. An early intercept by Mary Sanders was followed by a clearance from Claire Holmes and a block from Claire Smith in midfield. The ball was moved quickly up the pitch where Hannah Wynne fed Jo Newman to make it 1-0. Soon after Eliza Andrews, Jo Newman and Jo Sullivan combined to force a short. Grace McKelvey’s shot was turned in by Lois Wright for 2-0. Eliza did some good work on the right and her shot was just wide. Claire again intercepted in the middle and pushed it high where Lois passed to Vicky Cox who shot to make it 3-0. Soon after Jo won a short which she converted herself with a great shot to make it 4-0. Witham attacked and although Charlotte Pettit made a great intercept, a short was given. The shot from the short was brilliantly saved by Lottie Dodsworth. The half was finished with a number of attacks from the Blues. Charlotte fed Léa Gillespie who slid a great pass into the D to find Vicky who made it 5-0. There were additional attempts from Hannah and Lois and the midway score was 5-0.
The second half started well with efforts from Charlotte and Hannah and it wasn’t long before Lois made it 6-0 with a shot from near the edge of the D. Hannah had another few shots and then Jo flashed a shot across the face of goal which Hannah turned in for 7-0. A mazy run up the pitch from Charlotte earned a short. Léa injected and then took up a position on that post where she turned in Hannah’s shot for 8-0. A defensive lapse resulted in a Witham goal to make it 8-1. The match was rounded out with good defense from Alana, Claire H and great attacks from Grace and Charlotte. A well deserved win from the 6s.
7’s v Berkhamsted & Hemel Hempstead 3’s (5SW)
3-4
POM Lexi Baird
Stortford made a tentative start against the top of the league Berkhamsted, allowing them to use their set play to put Stortford under early pressure.
The opening defence trio of Kaitlin Range, Denise Clark and Mel Dummet kept Berkhamsted from scoring with GK Lis Foote stopping many shots. Charlie Woodrow was able to make several runs down the wing, supported by Lisa Woodrow and Grace Galden.
Berkhamsted thought they’d scored but the ball was hit from outside the D and so disallowed but finally they were successful from a corner post deflection.
Stortford began to have more belief, spurred on by encouragement from the bench. A well worked set of passes between Laura Batchelor and Kim Durbin found Emily Wood with a successful strike on goal. 1 all!!!
Savannah Taylor was the next on the score sheet but soon after Berkhamsted scored again from a short corner 2-2
Pressure was now from Stortford. Kaitlin Range’s goal at the near post from a short corner meant Stortford were ahead 3-2 at half time.
Berkhamsted came out strong in the second half. Their initial short corners were well defended but their press proved too strong, and their 4th (and winning) goal was conceded. The defence of Naomi Holloway, Mel Dummet and Denise Clark had to work hard to keep the tally down and Lis Foote was peppered with shots which she gamely saved. Fozzie and Martha Trist worked tirelessly in midfield against very strong players with Lisa Woodrow and Grace Gladen trying to move the ball forwards. Player of the match Lexi Baird made some superb tackles and sent quick passes to the wings. A tired Stortford team managed to deny Berkhamsted more goals
A very hard-fought game with Stortford having Berkhamsted worried for most of it.
8’s v Stevenage 3’s POSTPONED (6SW)
1s v Blueharts (Sunday 21st Jan – rescheduled match from before Xmas) (East Premier)
7-1
Young guns impress in goal fest
Bishop Stortford Ladies got their season back on track with an impressive 7-1 victory over Blueharts with five goals from Abbie Barrett and one each from Gracie Cowan and Liv Smerdon. The game was of particular significance because Stortford were fielding no fewer than five players under 17 years of age in their squad, the youngest team the club have ever put out, with Daisy Fox (aged 13) making an impressive debut.
Harriet Wilmott was again on top form instrumental in her link up play, connecting, a very assured back four with a lively front three, with skipper Kate Robinson producing a faultless performance in the heart of the defence, well supported by Lexi Guthrie, Liz Egan-Evans and Rory Fletcher.
Up front Abbie Barrett proved a constant threat with another impressive goal tally leading a lively front line that gave the Blueharts defenders a torrid afternoon.
