Sandhurst FC Wolves Women v Wargrave Women
TVCWFL Division Three South
This was a first chance for me to catch up with Sandhurst Wolves albeit at their substitute ground, the 3G pitch at Sandhurst School, following the heavy rain and sharp frosts during the previous week. Regular readers will know I’m no stranger to seeing Wargave play, this was to be the third time in the last six weeks, with the last just two weeks ago, which finished in a fine win away to Berks County.
The day was a wet one; it had been pouring down all morning and only stopped an hour before the game was due to start. We had a brief spell of sunshine during the warm ups but was soon back to the dull and grey day which was to gradually get colder.
So the game kicked off and it was a tight start with both sides going close early on. The free scoring Caitlin Ryan turned provider playing a nice pass to Eloise Hulme whose effort went just past the post. At the other end midfield lynch pin Alison Richardson picked out the run of Amy Bennett who took an early shot which was blocked well by Keira Cooper in the Wolves goal.
The hosts took an early lead which came about after good pressing in midfield, Caitlin Ryan shrugged off a couple of challenges before racing into the area and rolling the ball across Louise Cockrell and nestled into the net just inside the far post. 1-0
Ryan seemed in the mood for goals today and came close again minutes later with a run down the right and shot towards the near post which Cockrell parried away well.
Wargrave tried to hit back and a fine ball over the Wolves defence by Richardson found Bennett but again Cooper was equal to her shot. Bennett was involved again wide on the left firing a great ball across the six yard box which was just too far ahead of Viv Whittaker arriving at the far post.
Another nice Richardson pass out to Whittaker on the right who found Emma Dodds in the box but Maisie Ryan’s last ditch tackle meant she couldn’t get a clean shot away and Cooper saved.
Sandhurst hit back and doubled their lead when a smart through ball by Ruby Weatherley met the run of Ryan, she ran into the box and coolly slid the ball past the advancing Cockrell. 2-0
Ryan’s pace was causing the Wargrave defence problems and she helped herself to a first half hat-trick latching onto a nicely weighted Eloise Hulme pass before firing past the keeper to make it three. 3-0
They almost made it four just before half time, another slide rule pass through the defence led to a foot race between Tilly Harrington, her keeper Cockrell and not surprisingly Ryan. The Wolves player managed to get the first touch which sent the ball goalwards only for Lucy Mann to get back and get enough of a touch on the goal line to knock it around the post.
H-T: Sandhurst Wolves 3 Wargrave 0
The second half began with the visitors having more possession and trying to break through the home defence but without being able to make a breakthrough. Sandhurst were now playing on the break and from a Cooper clearance, Caitlin Ryan made a good run down the left and looked certain to cut inside only for Tilly Harrington to make a superbly timed covering tackle on the edge of the box.
A nice move involving Richardson and Kate Nichol opened up a half chance for the visitors but again Cooper was there to make the save. Sandhurst won a throw on the right which found Ryan who cut inside the defender before running into the box and finished well under pressure from Charlotte Maskell. 4-0
Still Wargrave kept going forward and had two quickfire chances, Millie Whitmee finding Bennett in the box but her effort went wide of the target, and then a good diving save from Cooper thwarted a Whitmee shot and Dodds just failed to get on the end of the rebound.
Next it was the hosts turn to have two chances in succession, Amber Riddle saw her snapshot from the edge of the area saved well by Cockrell, and then a great Hulme run down the right flank ended with her finding Ryan in the area but her shot was saved well by Cockrell low to her right.
A Richardson free kick 25 yards out was parried away by Cooper with Dodds quickest to react lobbing it back across the goal where somehow it was put over from about a yard out.
Sandhurst made it five shortly after, a quick throw on the right was picked up by Ryan and she drove into the box. Cockrell came out quickly and blocked Ryan’s shot only for the ball to ricochet onto the forward’s shin and flew into the empty net. 5-0
They made it six after a lovely diagonal ball from Ellie Berridge looked to have set Ryan free on the right hand side of the area but this time she had Harrington for company. They both ran to the left byline Ryan with her back to goal with Harrington behind her but a swift turn later and Ryan was free inside the six yard box to place the ball into the net. 6-0
Wargrave were still battling away and there were half chances for Whitmee, Nichol and Lucy Jarvis before the latter did finally get the visitors a consolation goal with a good strike into the corner. 6-1
F-T: Sandhurst Wolves 6 Wargrave 1
A decent game and closer than the scoreline suggests with the difference being Sandhurst were clinical in front of goal, taking a high percentage of their chances while the visitors made a whole host of chances but couldn’t take advantage of them.
Stand out players for me in this game; for Sandhurst, the pacy Eloise Hulme was always dangerous down the right and Ruby Weatherley also impressed; and for the visitors Alison Richardson was quality in midfield as usual, Beth Williams showed some nice touches and a good eye for a pass and Lucy Mann had a very good game playing all over the defence, covering well and making several surging runs forward.
There can only be one player of the match though and that has to be the all action Caitlin Ryan. Showed great pace and real composure in front of goal and scoring all six goals (I assume she’ll be claiming the fifth one?) to take her total league goals to 17 for the season. Well played indeed.
Good luck to both teams for the rest of the campaign and I look forward to seeing both teams again in the second half of the season!