Berks County Women v Wargrave Women
TVCWFL Division Three South
So onto game 43 of the season and this gave me a welcome chance to catch up with both Berks County and Wargrave on a drizzly day at the Bracknell Sports Centre. Regular readers will know I visit Berks County quite regularly as they play their home games only ten minutes’ walk away from my home and I’d seen Wargrave for the first time at AFC Reading just a few weeks previously.
Going into the game Berks County sat second in the table after an impressive start, winning six of their opening games, and only sitting behind free scoring leaders Windsor & Eton. Wargrave only had one win to their name, that coming the previous Sunday with a 2-1 home win over Brook House.
The game started very evenly, both sides probing to find an opening in an end to end start. Berks County made the first opening when Kiah Owen found Freya Johnson down the right who fizzed a dangerous ball across the box which was blocked away well by Tilly Harrington. The resulting corner was floated to the far post and fell to Lauren Turn who poked the ball just wide.
Wargrave responded with a lovely passing move which ended with Lucy Jarvis playing a nice through ball to Amy Bennett but it was just too far in front of her and the hosts managed to clear. The visitors did take the lead minutes later when a Lucy Mann through ball found Bennett in space and she fired the ball past Jasmine Voskova-Matsell in the County goal. 0-1
The home side came straight back Owen again starting the attack finding Mollie Steadman on the right, she beat Emily Smith for pace and crossed to the near post where Wargrave keeper Louise Cockrell gathered well.
A visitor’s corner into the six yard box was adjudged to have been handled in the area by a Berks County player and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Alison Richardson took responsibility for the kick and confidently stroked the ball into the left corner. 0-2
Berks County battled back and were gifted a goal when a Steadman free kick from just inside the Wargrave half sailed over the defence. A retreating defender got a touch as the ball bounced and it was enough to take it past the wrongfooted Cockrell and into the net. 1-2
Steadman had a chance to level right at the end of the first half when County were awarded a free kick just outside the area but she hit it too well with her strike just clearing the crossbar.
H-T: Berks County 1 Wargrave 2
Wargrave had the first chance of the second half when a floated corner to the near post found Richardson all alone, her header looked destined for the net but was cleared off the line by Amelia Brown.
The home side battled back and Owen won the ball in midfield before hitting a shot from distance which flew just past the post. Owen had another chance soon after when she attacked a corner, heading goalwards only to see visitors captain Charlotte Maskell clear the ball off the line.
The waves of attacks were now coming thick and fast now as Berks County searched for an equaliser, Cockrell made a good save low down and Beth Williams was in the right spot to block another goalbound header, this time from Lucie Harvey. They finally levelled after a determined battling Owen won the ball in the middle of the park and released Olivia Aluko to run at the defence. She held off a challenge and took the ball wide of the keeper before rolling the ball into the net despite a despairing last effort to keep the ball out by Maskell. 2-2
The hosts thought they’d taken the lead when an Owen cross from the left looked certain to be met by Steadman in the centre but she couldn’t get enough on it to force it over the line.
Wargrave weathered the storm and from a defensive clearance a lovely first touch and diagonal pass by Kate Nichol released Bennett who ran into the box before firing low across Voskova-Matsell and lodged in the left corner of the net. 2-3
As time was winding down Wargrave again hit the home side with a quick break, Millie Whitmee winning the ball in midfield and racing through the County defence before smashing the ball past the helpless Voskova-Matsell to confirm the win for the visitors. 2-4
F-T: Berks County 2 Wargrave 4
A deserved win for the fast improving visitors who played the better football throughout, playing some neat triangles to play around the opposition and some very good one touch passing moves. The home side didn’t look as dangerous as usual, not managing to play through the defence often enough and relying on set pieces. A lot of this was down to the again impressive Tilly Harrington playing at the heart of the defence, who broke up countless attacks. Being a goalkeeper by trade her reading of the game around her is very good. She looks to have built an excellent understanding with Charlotte Maskell and they made it very hard for the hosts to break them down. Alison Richardson also had a good game in midfield with the ball being almost magnetically drawn to her, picking up loose passes and distributing well.
For Berks County, Mel Ridley caught the eye at the back in a similar way to Harrington, making several good blocks and covering well at the back. Kiah Owen was her usual midfield powerhouse self and Joely Sheldon also impressed.
Next up for Berks County is a tough looking match with high flying Taplow United who boast a 100% record, winning all six of their league games this season. Wargrave return home with a chance to continue their good form with a match against struggling Wokingham Town.
This certainly won’t be the last time I’ll see both sides this season, in fact I’m down to catch up with Wargrave again at their match with Sandhurst Wolves on the 1st December. Til next time…