Comets 3-1 Kingstonian Ladies
We began the 2019 programme with our first match in the last of the three cup competitions in which we’re competing this season – the Greater London Women’s Football League Trophy. The match was against a high-riding and vastly experienced Comets FC team at Clapham Common which, despite alleged work on the facilities, was still in an absolutely shocking condition. Not least the pitch, which literally looked as though someone had driven a tractor almost from penalty area to penalty area. Truly, the worst pitch we have had to play on in our time in the Greater London Women’s League.
We had a much changed side today as we welcomed back a whole host of players including Georgia Coninx, Hanna Robson, Evie Foster, Ellie Bland, Patti Panok and Sophia Demetriou. However, we had 14 players in all – the largest match squad so far this season. However, barely a handful of minutes in to the game, Chelsea Woods fell ill and was unable to continue so we were back to 13.
The early stages of the game saw the game swing from end to end, but inevitably, after 10 minutes, the pitch payed a decisive role. A through ball from Comets looked destined for Lily Dusting in goal’s gloves, when it unexpectedly hit a bobble and almost stopped dead in its tracks, leaving Lily in no-man’s land and giving a Comets striker the simplest of jobs of tapping the ball into the empty net. 1-0.
Fifteen minutes later and a similar pitch-induced scenario ended with a three-way collision between Lily, Danni Bourne and a Comets striker. Predictably the ball bounced away from the collision into the path of the striker, who comfortably made it 2-0.
However, it wasn’t one way traffic at all this half, and we had several good chances, but we lacked composure in front of goal and you sensed that Comets were more used to making allowances for such an unpredictable playing surface. HT 2-0.
The second half started badly for us and with 55 minutes on the clock a very high lofted Comets cross cum shot evaded Lily and dropped into the back of our net. 3-0.
As often happens, however, we came on strongly in the last period of the game, pushing Comets back and the chances started to arrive more frequently. Sophia Demetriou was put clean through on goal and beat the goalkeeper only to see her shot slide narrowly wide of the gaping goal. Finally, after 65 minutes, we were awarded an indirect free-kick inside the Comets penalty area for a back-pass that was picked up by the goalkeeper. From the kick, the ball was tapped sideways to Olivia Watson who rammed the ball home low and hard. 3-1.
We had a good go in the final 25 minutes, creating several decent chances, but to no avail and the game finished 3-1. This was no disgrace against the current runners-up in our division, but in the end experience told over youth.
Team: Lily Dusting, Georgia Coninx, Danni Bourne, Lucy Potter (c), Chelsea Woods, Hanna Robson, Lace Edgcombe, Evie Foster, Olivia Watson, Sarah Sinkins, Sophia Demetriou
Subs: Alanah Sherwood, Patti Panok, Ellie Bland
Goal scorer: Olivia Watson
Player of the match: Danni Bourne
