Maidenhead United Women 2 Abingdon United Women 2 (0-3 on pens)
Sunday 15th January 2023
Berks and Bucks FA County Cup Semi Final

A return to women’s football for my second game of 2023 on this cold Sunday in January and what a tie it promised to be. A cup semi final between two sides seperated by one league, offset by the hosts currently sitting in the relegation zone in FAWNL Division One South West and the visitors sitting at the top of the SRWFL Premier Division. This promised to be a cracker and, as you’ll see, it didn’t disappoint!

The afternoon started in bizarre circumstances with one of the officials disappearing with both teams ready to go, apparently having to move his car which was blocking another cars exit in the car park! So, finally the match kicked off after a five minute delay.

Abingdon started the game very much on the front foot as you would expect from a team playing with confidence. The first chance of the game came down the left when a lovely curling ball from Amy Pipe just evaded the onrushing Lauren May. Next the visitors won a free kick around 25 yards from the goal which was sweetly struck by Samara Osborne-Ricketts but went straight into the midriff of United keeper Gemma Harvey.

Maidenhead thought they’d gone ahead minutes later when mayhem ensued following a teasing corner from Aleasha Lunn, it was eventually cleared but a through pass saw Sarah Thompson make a great run from an onside position where she collected the loose ball before pulling it back to Natalie Cowell who stuck it away. Cowell had been in an offside position on the initial play, the flag was raised and the goal ruled out. Sadly this would turn out to be the only decision that particular official saw or made for the rest of the match.

The hosts had what they thought was a decent penalty shout waved away as they continued to press the visitors defence. In an end to end opening, on 19 minutes Abingdon took the lead. A cross was poorly dealt with in the Maidenhead area and the ball dropped to Lauren May who hit a beauty past a helpless Harvey into the top left hand corner, nestling briefly in the stanchion. A wonderful strike. 0-1.

They came close to making it two when Pipe found herself free in the area but Harvey had narrowed the angle well and saved smartly at the near post. Maidenhead came close on 26 minutes when another wickedly inswinging corner from Lunn had to be clawed away from right under the crossbar by Hannah Cox. The pressure was building and Maidenhead got their reward when their third corner in succession was stroked home at the far post by captain Amy Saunders. 1-1.

The officials came under scrutiny when, despite the referee and touchline official being five yards away, they either both missed or ignored an obvious elbow which left a player down and needing treatment.

Maidenhead were now in the ascendancy. Imogen Fisher worked the ball into the area only to be stopped by an excellent last ditch challenge by Amy Chivers before pulling the loose ball back to Cowell who snatched at her left foot shot and sent it wide where it so nearly found Vicky Carvill following up at the back post. The hosts had one last chance as the half was closing, a great cross from the right by Cowell found the head of Halfacree but she could only put it over when it looked easier to score. H-T: Maidenhead United 1 Abingdon United 1

Abingdon again started quickly, they controlled the first five or so minutes of the second half, playing the ball around nicely, closing down and pushing Maidenhead back albeit without testing Harvey in the Magpies goal. Maidenhead had the first chance of the half, a Saunders shot was blocked by the legs of Cox and cleared but only as far as substitute Eva Thomas whose cross bounced off the top of the bar.

The game continued to flow from end to end, Lindsay Pinker and Lauren May looking a handful up front for Abingdon and Maidenhead’s Kajal Malhotra and Megan Halfacree combining well and making dangerous runs down the left. Halfacree had a half chance but her shot on the edge of the area was brilliantly blocked by Megan Crawford, the rebound found Malhotra and her shot appeared to hit an arm but again the decision shy official waved the claims away.

Maidenhead did take the lead in the 72nd minute, Halfacree found some space in the penalty area and sent a strike across Cox who saved superbly but saw the ball fall to the feet of the impressive Lunn and she kept her composure to shoot low into the net. 2-1.

The hosts hard fought lead only lasted four minutes, Amy Pipe again played a lovely ball across the area and Lindsay Pinker was in the right place to tuck her shot just inside the post despite a despairing dive by Harvey. 2-2.

Maidenhead again pushed forward looking to regain the lead. Halfacree picked up a ball from Malhotra inside her own half and ran to the edge of the area where she tried to lob the keeper but saw her effort agonisingly rebound off the top of the bar and to safety. Cox was again in action minutes later when a good cross from Thomas gave Malhotra a chance but the keeper again made an excellent stop.

As the game entered the closing minutes Abingdon were looking as if they were tiring under the pressure from the Magpies. Halfacree again being the provider as she released the dangerous Lunn whose powerful shot across Cox was just too high with the keeper beaten. The visitors rallied with Pinker and May combining well but Gemma Bloor defended the situation well. The pulsating match saw both sides still trading blows and trying to win the game with penalties looming but the referee’s whistle signalled the end of a very entertaining draw.
F-T: Maidenhead United 2 Abingdon United 2.

The star of the penalty shoot-out was again the superb Hannah Cox, brilliantly saving the spot kicks from Cowell and Fisher and seeing Halfacree’s hit the bar. Abingdon’s penalties were clinical, May and Osborne-Ricketts scored the first two and that left Pinker to smash the winning penalty into the roof of the net. (Pens: 0-3)

A much improved performance from Maidenhead but they were ultimately left to rue missing too many good chances. Some decent performances throughout the team, the defence looked solid, Kajal Malhotra and Megan Halfacree found more space in the second half and combined well. Aleasha Lunn had a very impressive game, causing the visitors trouble with her direct running and deserved her goal. Special mention for Eva Thomas. That girl can run, and run, and run! Pacy direct and a good crosser of the ball, Looking forward to seeing more from her.

Abngdon look a good strong side and have some quality players. Charlie Deeley impressed in their defence but only one person can be my player of the match and it’s not beacause I’m a fully paid up member of the goalkeepers union! Hannah Cox had a superb game, making a string of excellent saves and topping that off with her heroics in the penalty shoot-out. Well done to her, to Abingdon United and good luck in the final!

Regular readers will know I don’t like to criticise officials, heaven knows they have a difficult job. The referee for this game is clearly one who likes to keep the game flowing if possible, and there’s nothing wrong with that within reason, but far too many fouls from both sides were either missed or ignored. Ironically, only one player was booked in the match and that was for an innocuous challenge, her first foul of the game, when so many worse tackles had previously gone unpunished. One thing I will add is the referee really didn’t receive much (or any) help from either assistant during the game.

All in all, this was a fantastic game of football and a great advertisement for women’s football. Both sides gave everything in a thoroughly entertaining and absorbing display, much to their credit. Now, my next game has to top that…no pressure there then!!!

Maidenhead United Women 2 AFC Bournemouth Ladies 3
Sunday 22nd January 2022
Southern Region Women’s Football League Division One North

After the freezing weather conditions had caused the postponement of the Abbey Rangers Ladies v Rushmoor Community fixture I was due to attend, I instead journeyed over to Slough with the help of photographer extraordinaire Andrew Batt to take in this fixture. With York Road being temporarily unavailable due to the freezing conditions, Maidenhead had booked the 3G pitch at Arbour Park which helped ensure the game would go ahead. We came through a bit of a pea souper on the way which gave us brief cause for concern. At the moment the weather is being a bit of a pain in the posterior with finding different ways of getting games called off. If it isn’t frozen or waterlogged pitches it’s fog. You just can’t win!

While here I had to take a look at the stunning and poignant Knife Angel sculpture, a reminder of the horrors of knife crime in the world today, before heading into the stadium for the game on a bitterly cold day.

Maidenhead started the game very much on the front foot playing a high press game and successfully giving the Cherries, sitting in second place in the table, no time or space to get their passing game going. Beth Everson on the wing for the visitors did cause a couple of early problems for the Magpies, first she fizzed the ball across the six yard box where Lucy Cooper just failed to get a touch at the far post, and then good build up play by Everson and Molly Clark led to the latter having a strike from outside the area which sailed over for a goal kick.

After 15 minutes a hotly contested free kick was given against Imogen Fisher twenty yards out and Clark struck a beauty up and over the wall and into the bottom right hand corner of the net which keeper Gemma Harvey couldn’t quite reach. 0-1.

Maidenhead responded well and Imogen Fisher was constantly causing problems for the Cherries defence. Next came a talking point, the referee stopped the game for a Bournemouth injury with Maidenhead in possession which should have restarted with an uncontested drop ball to go back to the Maidenhead keeper but Cooper chased after the ball, beat Harvey to it and poked it goalwards. It came back off the base of the post and was cleared by Kajal Malhotra. Had it gone in…

The game was by now flowing from end to end, Katie James had a shot saved by Harvey after good link up play with Clark and, on 32 minutes, the Magpies were level. A good through ball from debutante Bethan Poole released Imogen Fisher in a one on one situation with the visitors keeper and she slipped the ball past Katie Scadding’s right foot and in off the post. 1-1.

Bournemouth bounced back and were given a free kick in virtually the same place as their first goal. Molly Clark stepped up and again managed to get it up and over the wall only to see Harvey pull off an outstanding full length save just below the crossbar to push it over. Maidenhead came close to getting behind the visitors back line twice in succession. First a great ball through by Aleasha Lunn looked to set Megan Halfacree free but it was just too hard and Scadding managed to smother the ball, then Halfacree played a lovely defence splitting ball down the left to release Fisher who beat the onrushing keeper to the ball, took it around her but ran out of space before she could get a shot away.

Maidenhead were well on top at this point with the visitors only really looking dangerous from set pieces. The old football adage says score when you are on top and that’s just what the Magpies did in the 40th minute. A ball over the top was controlled well by Fisher, she shrugged off a challenge before hitting a rasping shot into the bottom right corner leaving Scadding no chance. 2-1.

Bournemouth countered winning a corner which Clark swung into a dangerous area but Amy Saunders headed clear. The visitors levelled in added time as Maidenhead struggled to clear the ball, Maisy Smith passed to Clark on the edge of the area and she hit it first time, a great strike which was always curling away from the helpless Harvey and into the net. A quality strike. 2-2. Soon after the referee brought a cracking half to a close.
H-T: Maidenhead United 2 AFC Bournemouth 2

The second half began as the first had finished and the first chance came when Aleasha Lunn went on a superb run down the right before cutting back inside the defender and hitting a fine curling shot only to see it saved brilliantly by Katie Scadding. Bournemouth then took control for a spell, playing some quick one touch football in the process but without making any clear cut chances. One of their stand out players, Katie James, did chip a lovely diagonal ball across the area following a corner but it went agonisingly just over the heads of two advancing forwards at the back post. She followed that up with a decent effort from a free kick from outside the box which was well saved by Harvey.

Harvey was again called into action moments later when bravely diving at the feet of Cooper. Maidenhead bounced back and thought they should have had a penalty when Halfacree looked to be bundled over in the area following a lung busting chase from the half way line. The referee had the whistle in her lips ready to blow but then waved away the claims, possibly after a signal from the official running the line. From the ensuing corner there was a coming together with Ines Cipriano going down which looked far more innocuous but the referee pointed straight to the spot, possibly still having the first decision playing on her mind. Megan Halfacree stepped up to take the penalty kick but just dragged it wide of the post.

Bournemouth, buoyed by the let off, pressed for a winner in the closing stages. Another dangerous corner from Clark was claimed well by Harvey before, on 87 minutes, they hit the hosts with a sucker punch. From another corner which was initially cleared, a cross was volleyed in by Beth Everson from just outside the six yard area. 2-3.

Maidenhead threw everything at the Cherries for the time left of the 90 plus five minutes added time but couldn’t find the equaliser they deserved.
F-T: Maidenhead United 2 AFC Bournemouth 3

A wonderful game of football with some great quality on show from both sides and a fantastic advertisement for women’s football. If you didn’t know anything about the teams you would have been hard pressed to know which team were riding high and which was in the bottom two of the league which is an indication of how well Maidenhead played.

For the Magpies, shout-outs for Imogen Fisher for her two goals and very impressive all round performance, Gemma Harvey who had a great game in goal, Gemma Bloor and Sarah Thompson both had good games and look to have a good understanding at the heart of the defence and Vicky Carvill must have covered every blade of mock grass on the pitch, constantly being a thorn in the side of the visitors breaking up attacks and getting important tackles and blocks in. For Bournemouth Katie James stood out along with Molly Clark and Beth Everson.

On another day they could well have come away with all three points and fully deserved to get something out of the game.

Woodley United Ladies 7 Caversham United Women 0
Sunday 29th January 2023
Southern Region Women’s Football League Division One North

A cold and dismal day with rain in the air but it didn’t bother me (although I did whinge more than once about the rain on my phone screen while trying to note down incidents from the game!), it was a welcome return to the Bulmershe Pavilion and a chance for me to catch up with the in form Woodley United ladies team for the first time since mid November. Local rivals Caversham United had the unenviable task of trying to stop the Woodley juggernaut which has seen them win six consecutive games, scoring 26 times and without conceding. Woodley also had three new signings, two Sophie Cheadle and Bonnie Messitt starting, and Katie Hudson on the bench.

It was lovely to see the girls U6s-U9s out on the pitch before the game and enjoying their day as mascots. Hopefully they all had a great day despite the weather! It’s great to see the club’s interaction with the youngsters and local community.

Caversham started brightly and took the game to the hosts in the opening five minutes, looking strong and with he pacy Tiff Newland being a constant danger. Woodley began to take control and opened the scoring with a beauty from Sarah Lawrence. They pressed well and won the ball near the visitors goal, Lawrence picking up the ball on the left corner of the area and hitting a cracking shot over the helpless Thoreau in the Goats goal, sailing into the top right hand corner. 1-0

The hosts doubled their lead in the 11th minute, a strong run from Charley Evans found May Hamblin whose snapshot was parried away well by Thoreau low down and Mollie Haines was on hand to tap the rebound away. 2-0

Some good battling play from Messitt carved out another opening for Hamblin moments later but her shot went narrowly wide. On 16 minutes it was three. A lovely floated corner from Maddie Sawyer found the head of Gemma Sims and she powered the ball into the net. 3-0

Another direct run from Evans set Lawrence free but Abi Griffin was well placed in the visitors back line and defended well. The game followed much the same pattern with Woodley on the charge to try to add to their lead, Charley Evans, Bonnie Messitt and Sarah Lawrence all playing really well. Caversham for their part were battling hard to weather the storm and trying to hit the hosts on the break.

On 38 minutes Woodley added a fourth, this time a lovely glancing header across Thoreau by May Hamblin from a nice cross from Holly Wilkins. 4-0

Moments later Woodley came close to a fifth. Nice link up play down the left from Haines and Wilkins found Lawrence in a similar position to her goal. She tried for a replay and hit another lovely curling shot but this time it crashed against the corner of the bar and post and away to safety. Michelle Quinn was the next to try her luck from just outside the area but this time Thoreau managed to tip the ball over the bar.

Just before half time a corner from Ellen Surtees caused problems for the Goats defence and Gemma Sims got enough contact on the header to take it over the line despite the defences desperate efforts to stop it. 5-0.
H-T: Woodley United 5 Caversham United 0

It took just two minutes of the second half for Woodley to add to their tally. Some deft footwork and a lovely pass from Maddie Sawyer freed Hamblin and she fired a fierce shot over Thoreau and into the top right hand corner. Another quality finish. 6-0

Messitt came close minutes later but saw her shot from the edge of the area well saved by Thoreau. On 69 minutes Woodley were in seventh heaven. Substitute Katie Hudson battled well, winning the ball and managed to get it through to Hamblin who hit a carbon copy of the goal before, again lifting it over Thoreau to complete a superb hat-trick. 7-0

More substitutions followed and gave Steph Slann and Lucy Routledge a valuable run out and the last fifteen minutes saw only one real incident. From a corner there was pandemonium in the Caversham six yard box after Thoreau dropped the cross leading to her being on the floor and six or seven players all trying to kick the loose ball free. The referee eventually stopping play as the boots were flying.
F-T: Woodley United 7 Caversham United 0.

Another cracking performance from Woodley and Caversham showed a lot of heart battling through a difficult match for them. I think I mentioned virtually everyone from the Woodley team in the report and that would only be right as this was a brilliant team effort, every one of them played their part in this win. They look a very good side and are understandably brimming with confidence at the moment. One player I would like to mention is the captain Ellen Surtees. She is the heartbeat of this side and does so much of the dirty work, the things people don’t always notice, like breaking up attacks, winning tackles and giving Maddie Sawyer and Michelle Quinn space, time and the opportunity to break forward from midfield. She takes a mean corner too! A very good player.

Already looking forward to my next visit although not quite sure when that’ll be yet. It’s always a pleasure to catch up with everyone at Woodley.