Craig Millward
01-26-2008, 08:22 AM
HANDSWORTH GIRLS (4) v ABBEY LANE (0)
GOALSCORER(S) :-
GIRL OF THE GAME AWARD :- LAUREN MORLEY & JESSICA LEE
MATCH REPORT
Abbey Lane travelled to Top of Division 1 Handsworth Girls in the cup and came away with a 4-0 defeat. Handsworth deserved the win but i personally think the score line doesn't totally reflect the game.
Abbey Lane new the opposition was going to be tough, but Handsworth were gifted a goal on fifteen minutes, where a clear off side was not blown for by the referee and the goal stood. With twenty minutes gone another strange decision saw Abbey Lane break through the Handsworth back four only to be penalised by an offside decision. The decision was clearly wrong and it gave Handsworth the advantage and it lost Abbey Lane the chance to get the much needed equaliser. Abbey Lane were not prepared to roll over and die, even though they were being subjected to a lot of pressure from a Handsworth team that richly deserve their table topping position, as they have players in all positions who can play the ball well. On twenty five minutes Handsworth took a 2-0 lead, this time by some very good football. The Abbey Lane girls kept plugging away and were very unlucky not to score with only minutes of the half remaining.
Half time arrived, and the message was clear, we were playing well, but we needed to win the ball first to put Handsworth under pressure.
The second half started and Abbey Lane came out fighting, trying to force the goal that would bring us right back into this game, but Handsworth were very capable of clearing their back line with clearances that reached the half way line. The two teams battled to gain the upper hand and for the majority of the second half the houours were even. With a few missed chances by Abbey Lane, Handsworth made them pay, as in the final ten minutes they scored two more goals taking the game to 4-0. The two Handsworth goals were good play from Handsworth and hard lines for Abbey Lane as both times Abbey Lane keeper JESS saved the first shots but the follow up by Handsworth were clinical, as no Abbey player could get in the area quick enough to clear.
Abbey Lanes Girl Of The Game Award went to LAUREN MORLEY at the heart of Abbey Lanes defence after some brilliant defending, and also JESSICA LEE in goal for some great saves to keep us in the game. Jessica has really shown what a great keeper she is today, as last season and this season in the league, she has not really been tested, and today she was, and she was definately up for up.
I was a little upset by the early decisions, because a goal at that point would have put us right into the thick of it. Handsworth were definately the better on the day football wise and did deserve to win the game, but take nothing away from the Abbey lane girls as they battled all the way, playing some excellent football with it.
Hopefully we will get promoted at the end of this season and we will be able to pit our wits against Handsworth again. Handsworth are currently undefeated and have imposed some heavy defeats on teams in their league, this gives me encouragement that we are not a million miles away from having a top of division one team.
Well done girls and hard lines !!
GOALSCORER(S) :-
GIRL OF THE GAME AWARD :- LAUREN MORLEY & JESSICA LEE
MATCH REPORT
Abbey Lane travelled to Top of Division 1 Handsworth Girls in the cup and came away with a 4-0 defeat. Handsworth deserved the win but i personally think the score line doesn't totally reflect the game.
Abbey Lane new the opposition was going to be tough, but Handsworth were gifted a goal on fifteen minutes, where a clear off side was not blown for by the referee and the goal stood. With twenty minutes gone another strange decision saw Abbey Lane break through the Handsworth back four only to be penalised by an offside decision. The decision was clearly wrong and it gave Handsworth the advantage and it lost Abbey Lane the chance to get the much needed equaliser. Abbey Lane were not prepared to roll over and die, even though they were being subjected to a lot of pressure from a Handsworth team that richly deserve their table topping position, as they have players in all positions who can play the ball well. On twenty five minutes Handsworth took a 2-0 lead, this time by some very good football. The Abbey Lane girls kept plugging away and were very unlucky not to score with only minutes of the half remaining.
Half time arrived, and the message was clear, we were playing well, but we needed to win the ball first to put Handsworth under pressure.
The second half started and Abbey Lane came out fighting, trying to force the goal that would bring us right back into this game, but Handsworth were very capable of clearing their back line with clearances that reached the half way line. The two teams battled to gain the upper hand and for the majority of the second half the houours were even. With a few missed chances by Abbey Lane, Handsworth made them pay, as in the final ten minutes they scored two more goals taking the game to 4-0. The two Handsworth goals were good play from Handsworth and hard lines for Abbey Lane as both times Abbey Lane keeper JESS saved the first shots but the follow up by Handsworth were clinical, as no Abbey player could get in the area quick enough to clear.
Abbey Lanes Girl Of The Game Award went to LAUREN MORLEY at the heart of Abbey Lanes defence after some brilliant defending, and also JESSICA LEE in goal for some great saves to keep us in the game. Jessica has really shown what a great keeper she is today, as last season and this season in the league, she has not really been tested, and today she was, and she was definately up for up.
I was a little upset by the early decisions, because a goal at that point would have put us right into the thick of it. Handsworth were definately the better on the day football wise and did deserve to win the game, but take nothing away from the Abbey lane girls as they battled all the way, playing some excellent football with it.
Hopefully we will get promoted at the end of this season and we will be able to pit our wits against Handsworth again. Handsworth are currently undefeated and have imposed some heavy defeats on teams in their league, this gives me encouragement that we are not a million miles away from having a top of division one team.
Well done girls and hard lines !!