S4K Ladies v Easington Sports Ladies
TVCWFL Division Two
On to my final match of a busy weekend, a trip back to Cantley Park, this time to catch up with the ladies of S4K for the first time in over a year. It was a very blustery day with the wind seeming to be worse on their pitch than in the rest of the park! The wind was blowing from left to right (looking into the wind from the picture above), so the side playing with the wind in each half would definitely have an advantage.
The two sides came into this game with a similar record; both with one league win to their names and sitting side by side in the early league standings.
The game began with S4K, playing with the wind, on the offensive. An early chance came with a cross from the left flank which was prodded goalwards by Claudia Periquito with Lynsey Burdock saving well. Easington’s first chance came with Danielle Roberts finding space in the area from a cross on the left but she fired her shot over the bar.
S4K forced a corner after a nice one two down the left between Erin Simmonds and Abi McKellar with the former having her cross blocked. The resulting well flighted Natalie White corner caused havoc in the box with Burdock parrying well from a point blank range shot and clawed out the rebound from underneath the crossbar only to see McKellar fire the ball into the roof of the net as the ball came back out. 1-0
Easington came straight back, a good run down the right from Rochelle Buick freed Lily-Grace Boyles inside the box whose shot was well saved by the legs of keeper Ally Kelly. The keeper was then penalised for dropping the ball to the ground and then picking it back up again giving the visitors an indirect free kick inside the box. Roberts knocking it back to Serina Milenkovic who fired it towards the goal through onrushing defenders only to see Kelly stick out a hand to make the save and Simmonds cleared.
At the other end a good run and pass from Megan Kelly was flicked on by McKellar to Jo Liddell whose shot went straight to the keeper. Easington should have levelled moments later when a Milenkovic flick and a great turn from Roberts left the latter clean through on goal only for her to blast over the bar.
S4K attacked again and a lovely touch by Simmonds down the left, leaving Frankie Henderson high and dry, before taking it to the byline and hitting an inviting ball across the six yard box, finding Liddell sliding in at the back post to double the hosts lead. 2-0
Just before the break Buick had another chance after being put clear by Boyles but once more got too much on it and it sailed over the bar.
H-T: S4K 2 Easington Sports 0
Easington started the second half with the wind behind them but S4K had the first chance, Liddell hitting a looping effort from the left hand side of the box which dropped just wide of the far post.
It was even for the next ten minutes but with the visitors pushing to get back into the game and that is exactly what they did, Milenkovic hitting a great cross from the left flank finding Roberts all alone in the middle and she made no mistake, firing low into the bottom corner. 2-1
Easington’s tails were now up and they equalised on their next attack, S4K were again caught out with a cross from the left which found Sophie McCrystal in space and she buried her shot across Kelly and into the bottom corner. 2-2
While the visitors went looking to go ahead they were caught on the break and conceded a penalty. There was a delay in play as the injured player was treated before Natalie White stepped up to take the kick. She probably had too much time to think about the kick and tried to hit it over the keeper but got too much on it and sent it over the bar.
S4K were now pushing to retake the lead and won a corner on the right. Claudia Periquito swung a dangerous set piece into the box only for it to be cleared straight back out to her. She hit another telling cross towards the far post where Liddell managed to get on the end of it under pressure and head in. 3-2
Sports came straight back and won a corner of their own down the other end, the set piece falling to the feet of Louisa Tuzzio who hammered a shot into the bottom corner to level once more. 3-3
To finish off this mad 5 minute spell, Sports took the lead for the first time, winning a free kick which Emily Parker took, floating it straight into the goal despite a great attempt to head it away from under the bar. 3-4
S4K pushed forward in the last ten minutes with McKellar and Lara Kinaci linking up well in midfield and Periquito swinging some great crosses into the middle but it wasn’t falling for the hosts and the visitors defended well.
Right at the death Liddell had a half chance when the ball dropped to her outside the box but her effort to lob Burdock dropped agonisingly wide.
F-T: S4K 3 Easington Sports 4
A hard one to take for the home side after being ahead for large periods but just having two brief spells where they conceded two goals in two minutes. A good performance all the same and they probably deserved to take something from the game. On the other hand I’m sure Easington will be delighted to pick up three points from such a topsy-turvy affair and showed great determination to fight back twice in this game. The match was a great avert for TVCWFL football.
It’s always good to touch base with Michelle and the S4K ladies and I promise it won’t be another year before I visit again!
Good luck to both sides for the rest of the season!