The Round-Up
Sunday 4th March
The Beast from the East blew in last week and played havoc with the fixtures across the country as snow fell and temperatures dropped. Another weekend where virtually all the scheduled games were called off. Many leagues making the call early with snow covering pitches and roads alike. A rapid thaw coming too late for many Sunday seeing 4 matches surviving the regions leagues and with another wet week looming yet more disruption could be on the horizon with many sides still having alot of matches to squeeze in before the end of the season. Of the four matches featured in this weeks shortened edition of The Round-Up there were a total of 31 goals scored in score high scoring victories.
FAWPL Southern Division
In the FAWPL Southern Division an excellent crowd of 409 came out to Bromley FC to watch Crystal Palace Ladies take on bottom side Swindon Town Ladies and move to the top of the table.
The hosts taking the lead inside the opening 10 minutes top scorer, Gemma Bryon sending the ball into the back of the net. Crystal Palace dominated the early exchanges but it was Swindon who found an equalising goal with their 1st meaningful attack Victoria Taylor on hand to turn the ball home to make it 1-1. Crystal Place retook the lead on the half hour Sarah Jones scoring from a corner. The half-time lead 3-1 with Crystal Palace awarded a penalty with 4 minutes left on the clock, Bryan stepping up to score her 2nd of the game.
The lead further extended 10 minutes into the 2nd half with Ellie Bailes making it 4-1. That was how the score remained right up until the final 10 minutes when Crystal Palace ran riot. Megan Chandler with a 25 yard strike making it 5-1 on 81 minutes. That was quickly followed up with an own goal before Bailes scored for the 2nd time in the match with 5 minutes left. Bryan moving onto 30 goals for the season completing her hat-trick in the 90th minute. The 8-1 win taking Crystal Palace from 3rd above Charlton Athletic Women and C&K Basildon Ladies to the top of the league.
FAWPL Plate
West Ham United Ladies confirmed their game would be on on Saturday as they travelled north to play Hull City Ladies in the semi-final of the FAWPL Plate. The Southern Division side up against the leaders of FAWPL North Division One. A close 1st half saw the sides drawing 0-0. West Ham taking the lead on the hour with Kelly Weathall striking to make it 1-0. The advantage doubled just 2 minutes later with 16-year-old Weathall netting for the 2nd time in the match. The lead made comfortable as the game closed in on the final 15 minutes with Andria Georgiou scoring from a wonder strike to make it 3-0 and see West Ham book their spot in their 2nd cup final of the season. West Ham’s opponents in the FAWPL Plate final will be either Luton Town Ladies or Flyde Ladies whose match was one of the many casualties to the weather up and down the country.
FAWPL South East Division One
Ipswich Town Ladies climbed up to 2nd in FAWPL South East Division One with a big win away to bottom side Haringey Borough Women on Sunday. Natasha Thomas, Ipswich Town Ladies leading goalscorer putting the visitors 1-0 in the 14th minute. Thomas turning provider for Ipswich Town’s 2nd goal coming in the 21st minute, Zoe Cossey getting on the scoresheet. 6 minutes later Cossey put the ball home for her 2nd of the match and Ipswich Town’s 3rd. Haringey suffering more woe as they were reduced to 10 players in the 38th minute striker Julia Carruthers shown her 2nd yellow. The red card compounded with Thomas scoring her 2nd of the game 2 minutes later to see Ipswich Town 4-0 up at half-time.
Didn’t take Thomas long to bring up her hat-trick as she scored to make it 5-0 to Ipswich Town in the 51st minute. Captain Amanda Crump scoring to make it 6-0 on the hour. Ipswich Town dominating the play, Thomas added a 4th goal to her tally to make it 7-0 on 65 minutes. Two quickfire goals from Miagh Downey and Sophie Welton followed before Thomas took her tally to 5 goals for the day in a 10-0 bringing up her 20th goal of the season.
ERWFL Division One South
The other game to survive on Sunday was from the ERWFL in Division One South, Harlow Town Ladies in 3rd looking to close the gap on 2nd placed Little Thurrock Dynamos Ladies hosting Hoddesdon Town Owls Ladies. A comfortable win for the hosts as they ran out 8-1 winners to claim all 3 points. Chloe Bassett, Tayla Handscomb and Abbey Dell all getting a brace in the game with Nicole Learner and Hannah Clifford also on target with a goal each. Not the result Hoddesdon Town Owls were looking for as they prepare for their 1st ever appearance in the Hertfordshire Women’s County Cup Final this coming Sunday.