AFC Varsity Ladies v Woking Women
SRWFL Division One South
Another long trip and a first visit to AFC Varsity, a team based in Southampton who play their home matches at Hatches Farm Sports Ground in West Wellow, Romsey. This visit came about because a friend who supports the Woking women’s team wherever they play, knew that I would have no chance of getting to the ground via public transport and offered to drive there for this game. It made a pleasant change not to have any rail related angst on a football day!
We arrived at the ground around 12.30pm with the roads being kind to us, had a coffee in the farm shop and watched the second half of a boys game on the main pitch while the ladies were warming up. As was the case yesterday, it was a tad blowy and Dave had a bit of trouble trying to keep his flags on the sidelines from blowing away with the wind blowing directly at us! I managed to catch up with both managers before the match and take photos of the team sheets before kick off which is always good news.
This would be AFC Varsity’s final home game of the season. They sat in 7th place, and have three games remaining, all away from home with trips to Wimborne, Fleet and Bursledon, in their inaugural season in the Southern Regional League following their promotion from the Hampshire League in 23/24. Woking were playing their final game of the season and sat in fourth place before the game, in a competitive division.
The match started with Woking on the front foot. Beth Anders winning a header from a goal kick and then bursting through to shoot from the edge of the area and a stretch from Jade Collins to get a foot on it, managed to deflect the ball away from danger.
Varsity’s first attack of the game saw good link up play between Eloise Paine and Sofia Ryan, the latter beating a defender on the left before pulling it back into the box. Sophie Burgess had anticipated well and managed to cover, allowing keeper Louise Curr to gather.
Woking pressed on and won three corners in quick succession which were all cleared well by the home defence. Anders had another half chance shortly after which was on target but well gathered in by Collins.
The visitors forced another chance after a good run down the right and cross by Bryony Gibbs which found Trudy Bryan-Kerr on the edge of the box. She touched it on to Phoebe Langley who hit it first time but straight at Collins.
Woking kept probing and Bryan-Kerr found Anders on the edge of the box and she played a delightful reverse pass to pick out Gaby Hobday on the left but she could only find the side netting.
The home side started to get a foothold in the game, Jennifer Parr playing a nice one-two with Paine and fired across the box only for Laura Mitchell to just nip in front of Ryan and clear.
Back up the other end, another decent cross from Gibbs picked out Anders who hit a first time shot but Carmen Green got in a good block and the rebound was cleared away from danger.
The home side had the final chance of the half, Parr playing the ball into Beth Ebert but she just delayed the shot for a fraction which gave Burgess the chance to clear.
H-T: AFC Varsity 0 Woking 0
The second half was a much more even affair, both sides still trying to move forward but the uneven bounce from the pitch was making it difficult for both sides.
From a long Varsity clearance, Ebert outpaced the defender and ran towards the area but she decided to shoot early, not trusting the run of the pitch and hit her effort straight into the arms of Curr.
Good pressure in the final third by the away side forced an error with Beth Evans picking up the loose ball and she tried to lift it over Collins towards the far corner but her effort just drifted over.
Probably the best chance of the game came to the visitors. Following a quick break, Evans found herself clear of the defence and running towards goal. Collins came out quickly and blocked the first effort with the rebound falling to Hobday, her shot was well saved low down to her right by Collins. Hobday again picked up the loose ball but under pressure from the defender, couldn’t get a clean strike and Collins gathered.
At the other end Sofia Ryan hit an inswinging corner into a great area which was flicked on but just drifted just wide of the far post without any Varsity player being able to get a touch.
From a clearance that looked to be heading out, a lovely first touch and knock past the full back left Amy Warren clear down the left flank. She pulled the ball back to the edge of the area only to see it cleared away from danger.
Both sides continued to push for the elusive goal but neither could break the deadlock and the referee brought proceedings to a close with both sides taking a hard earned point.
F-T: AFC Varsity 0 Woking 0
Chances were at a premium and both sides had a few half chances but, with the pitch making things difficult, a draw was probably the fair result.
A couple of standout players for me from AFC Varsity, Carmen Green had a very solid game at the back, Kelly Bailey battled hard, won many tackles and never stopped running all game, and Eloise Paine looks a player who can pick a pass to cut open a defence. My player of the match though was Jade Collins in goal. She made several saves at vital times and also controlled her area very well.
For Woking, captain Sophie Burgess always seemed to have time on the ball and covered well, Bryony Gibbs had a good game and was especially effective in the first half, and Amy Warren looks to have a great left foot and looks to be one for the future.
I spent most of the game talking to Ade, a referee’s assessor/observer and it was great chatting to him. Foolishly I mentioned to him a goalless draw was a rarity in women’s football and that I hadn’t seen one all season. Talk about tempting fate! With only five fouls in the game and hardly any contentious moments, I hope he managed to get a report together from the six lines of notes he wrote down from the match!
It was a pleasure to meet everyone at AFC Varsity and wish them all the best in their efforts to finish top of the new teams in the table. A nice friendly team and I’m sure, as with Woking, there is more to come from both teams and our paths will cross again in the future!