The Round-Up
ERWFL – Sunday 28th Aug
ERWFL Premier Division
The ERWFL started its season last Sunday with a new look, 12 sides contesting the Premier Division with a single Division One of 11 sides below. A full programme of fixtures in the Premier Division this Sunday.
Bedford Ladies are setting the early pace at the top, relegated from the FAWPL South East Division one their appears to be no relegation hang over have hit the ground running scoring 7 goals at home on the opening day beating Histon Ladies 7-3, they were on the road this Sunday taking on newly promoted, Royston Town Ladies. Rattled in 7 goals for the 2nd game in a row, Natasha Fensome and Kaiya Gunn both scoring a brace amongst the goal scorers as they show great form at the start of the season. Gemma Croucher and Stephanie Hicks the goal scorers for Royston Town Ladies who are without a point from their opening 2 games.
Bedford Ladies aren’t the only side in the Premier Division showing great form at the start of the season, Haringey Borough Women had a good opening day result away to one of the title favourites Billericay Town Ladies beating them 4-1. At home for the 1st time this season on Sunday were taking on Brentwood Town Ladies. Jessica Appeagyei and Julia Carruthers were amongst the goals last Sunday continued their goal scoring form at home with Appeagyei netting a hat-trick and Carruthers picking up a brace for the 2nd successive game to beat Brentwood 5-1. Bobbi Cubberley on target for the visitors.
Keeping pace with leaders, Bedford and 2nd placed Haringey Borough Women are Norfolk side Acle United Ladies. A 5-2 win on the road against AFC Dunstable Ladies on the opening day were on their travels this Sunday too a trip to Suffolk to play AFC Sudbury Ladies who had also won on the opening day. A positive start to the game for the visiting side with Jody Wells ( pictured right) keeping her feet inside the box to evade the on rushing, Penny Everett in the Sudbury goal to go after the ball and send it into an empty net. Acle captain, Rebecca Burton made it 2-0 bundling the ball home following good work in the midfield from Alice Ladbrooke to win the ball set up the attack. Sudbury with a few 1st team regulars out weren’t at their best however got a life line late in the 1st half the referee seeing a push in the box from a corner, awarding a penalty which was dispatched coolly by Charlene Roach.
Acle applied more pressure on the Sudbury back line at the start of the 2nd half however it was the home side who were to score getting it back to 2-2 awarded a free-kick just outside the area left of goal. Roach (pictured left) over the ball went for goal sending it in high awkward dipping late Acle goalkeeper, Joanne Hooper couldn’t keep it out. With players beginning to tire in the 2nd half Acle retook the lead from a corner Wells initial delivery to the far post headed away she was given the ball again with players trying to clear the area sent the ball back in towards the far post with Burton on hand to turn the ball over the line for her 2nd of the game. Wells added her 2nd of the game and Acle’s 4th late on time and space to shoot from distance rifling the ball home. Final score 4-2 to Acle you can read the match report in full on this website or by clicking on the link below to take you to the Supporting Women’s Football Blog.
AFC Sudbury Ladies 2-4 Acle United Ladies – Match Report
Colchester Town Ladies sat out the opening weekend of the season, playing their 1st match of the campaign this Sunday on the road taking on Great Wakering Rovers Ladies who had started the season with a 1-1 against Brentwood Town Ladies. Winning the ERWFL League Cup last season, Colchester have seen alot of change over the close season coach Rosi Webb moving to Billericay Town Ladies, several of the clubs senior players have also moved on to sign for new clubs with captain Alexandra Brewis-Shephard retiring. Joe Sheehan is the new manager in charge with a rebuilding job to do. An inexperienced squad fielded a side of teenagers all bar on at the weekend. Started the season with a victory with Nancy Butler and Miagh Downey scoring in a 2-1 win.
An early kick-off this Sunday for AFC Dunstable Ladies at Creasey Park taking on newly promoted Writtle Ladies playing their 1st league match at this level. Have been an unstoppable force in their rise up the leagues losing just the one game in 3 seasons. AFC Dunstable were looking to recover from a 5-2 opening day defeat against Acle United. Amber Pearson top scorer for Dunstable last season with 18 goals got her account started this season scoring on the half hour mark, Courtney Clarke netting for Writtle in the 1st half too to see the scores level at half-time. The winning goal came 5 minutes from time substitute Stephanie Chandler hitting the goal for Dunstable to see them get their 1st 3 point haul on the table.
Dropping points on the opening day wasn’t the plan for Billericay Town Ladies, were looking to bounce back as they travelled to Cambridgeshire to take on Histon Ladies at the Glassworld Stadium. The visitors taking all 3 points in a 3-2 win, a brace from Paris Smith plus a goal for Charlotte Hopwood. Alison Wright and Kate Saunders on target for Histon Ladies.
ERWFL Division One
Has been a staggered start to the season in ERWFL Division One 11 teams contesting the single division in 2016/17, 6 of those sides played on the opening weekend with Silver End United Ladies winning big beating Hoddesdon Town Ladies 7-1 to lead the table. 4 more sides got their season started this Sunday whilst, Little Thurrock Dynamos Ladies have to wait another week to get their campaign underway.
Wymondham Town Ladies, Norfolk Champions last season had started the season with a narrow 2-1 defeat away to Ipswich Wanderers Ladies. At home at King’s Head Meadow for their 1st home match of the season were welcoming Hertfordshire side, Colney Heath Ladies to Norfolk as they began their league season. Was a tough start of the visitors who found themselves up against a Wymondham side in fine goal scoring form. Gemma Sanders was the scorer of Wymondham’s 1st ever goal at this level last Sunday, set the ball rolling this Sunday to striking home on 6 minutes. Had to wait till the stroke of half-time to add a 2nd Brooke Cheal-Ferris on target.
Alice Collins with a double on early in the 2nd half on 50 and 55 minutes made it 4-0. Amber Cantwell making it 5-0 with 74 minutes played no let up from the home side new signing Summer Moor joining from Long Stratton scoring her 1st competitive goal for the club with 3 minutes left on the clock, Kayleigh Holloway making it 7-0 at the death. The result coupled with no game for Silver End United sees Wymondham at the top of the table.
Goals were the order of the weekend in ERWFL Division One in both of the other games taking place too. Hertford Town Ladies, Beds & Herts Women’s Division One Champions last season had started well with an opening day home win over Stevenage Ladies Reserves. Were on the road this Sunday taking on Cambridgeshire Women’s Premiership Champions, Cambridge City Ladies starting their league campaign. With a strong youth set-up the young side had risen rapidly together as a team through the leagues winning the league crown in their 1st season playing in an adult league. Opted for promotion to the regional set-up knowing they would be losing several players from the squad going off to university. Prepared to promote from the U16 side have had a busy close season alot of new faces joining the side so much so they are entering a Development side in the Cambridgeshire Championship South this season.
The game was goalless at half-time, Cambridge City coming out the stronger 2nd half a side featuring 6 new signings plus 2 more on the bench one of those, Sarah Mosley previously with Cambridge United WFC Reserves scoring on her competitive debut. Two goals each for Carla Penny and Grace Stanley seeing Cambridge City start with a 5-0 win.
Plenty of goals in the final match in this weeks ERWFL Round-Up with Offley & Stopsley Ladies and Hutton Ladies beginning their season. At the Offley Recreation Centre the goals were in abundance but after the dust had settled after the final whistle the points were shared the two sides contesting a 3-3 draw. Rianne Townsend-Brown scoring twice for Offley & Stopsley with Charlotte Poynter also bagging herself a goal. 3 goal scorers for Hutton Ladies with Kate Lowen, Amy Crumpley and Jessica Tuffen the players on target.
Very early days in the league think it will take a little while to settle down but I suspect there are going to be plenty of interesting games and results along the way.