The Tuesday Round-Up – Edition Twenty Eight
Sunday 27th March
The clocks have gone forwards and the women’s football season it rapidly drawing to an end across the East, still loads to play for at both ends of the table, cup finalists are getting sorted. April is going to be a pivotal month, as Easter Bank Holiday weekend saw March draw to a close. The final Sunday of March falling over the Easter Holiday period saw a reduced fixture list across the region. No fixtures in Norfolk and Essex with just the 3 taking place between Cambridgeshire and Beds and Herts. 23 fixtures in all and 6 of those got called off as a heavy band of rain swept across the country with Storm Katie hot on it’s heels. 17 matches did take place and some significant results. All to come in Edition Twenty Eight of The Tuesday Round-Up.
FAWPL League Cup
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies booked their place in the final of the FAWPL League Cup last Sunday with a 1-0 win against Nottingham Forest Ladies now it was the turn of fellow FAWPL Southern Division side, Cardiff City Ladies at home to FAWPL Northern Division side Blackburn Rovers Ladies to see who would meet them in the final to be played at Kidderminster Harriers FC on Sunday 8th May.
Cardiff City Ladies opened the scoring after the half hour mark, Kerry Bartlett heading home from a corner kick, had a 2-0 advantage at half-time after Blackburn’s Lynda Sheppard put through her own net. Extended the lead to 3-0 20 minutes into the 2nd half with Hope Suominen on the scoresheet to make it comfortable, keeping Blackburn out the other end they set up an all FAWPL Southern Division, League Cup Final.
FAWPL Southern Division
Brighton & Hove Albion WFC have lead the FAWPL Southern Division virtually all season having gotten their games in when other hadn’t. There lead at the top is now 8 points with 2 matches left to play. All of their rivals have games in hand however cannot close the gap without Brighton dropping points. Were away this Sunday at C&K Basildon Ladies. Raced into a 2-0 lead Charlotte Gurr and Amy Taylor with the goals inside the opening 10 minutes. Claire Lacey pulled it back to 2-1 for C&K Basildon. Brighton took a 3-1 lead into the break with Deanna Cooper scoring. Cooper scored her 2nd of the match 10 minutes into the 2nd half, Brighton looking strong made it 5-1 when captain Jay Blackie scored on the 63rd minute. Substitute Kate Natkiel adding a 6th goal in the final minute.
Portsmouth FC Ladies climb back up into 3rd place in the FAWPL Southern Division table were on the road at the weekend taking on 2nd bottom side Forest Green Rovers Ladies at Slimbridge AFC. Scored 3 goals in the 1st half to put them in a commanding position, Lucy Quinn on 15 minutes setting things rolling. Leeta Rutherford added the 2nd goal midway through the 1st half with Shannon Sievwright scoring the 3rd goal in 1st half injury time. No more goals 2nd half the 3 points going back to the south coast.
Portsmouth FC Ladies are 8 points behind leaders Brighton with 2 games in hand, one of those is away to Brighton this Sunday a must win game if they want to keep their title hopes alive. That defeat for Forest Green Rovers Ladies seals their fate nothing short of a win would have done if they hoped to avoid relegation can no longer catch the sides above them as their tie in the FAWPL Southern Division ends after 1 season.
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies comfortable in mid-table in the FAWPL Southern Division are looking to build some form at the end of the season to give them confidence going into the finals they have coming up in April and May. Were at home on Sunday playing Lewes Ladies, won the game 2-0 thanks to goals from Avilla Bergin and Rosie Kmita to make it 10 league wins for the season with 3 more matches to play.
FAWPL South East Division One
A 3rd straight league win in March sees leaders Crystal Palace Ladies open up a 6 point gap at the top with their rivals Gillingham FC Ladies and Milton Keynes Dons Ladies facing each other this Sunday getting postponed. Crystal Palace Ladies remain unbeaten in the league were at home to 2nd bottom side Lowestoft Ladies and put in a commanding performance in both halves to seal the 3 points and give their goal difference another huge boost. Had a 4-0 lead at half-time, a brace from Gemma Bryan with a goal each for Leanne Bell and Rochelle Shakes. Pamela McRoberts set the ball rolling 2nd half before Byran 2 hit 2 minutes to make it 7-0, Nicha Dyett scored to make it 8-0. Bryan netting her 5th goal of the game to make the final score 9-0. 20 goals scored in their last 3 matches know they can’t afford to take their foot off the pedal, Gillingham FC Ladies in 3rd have games in hand can’t quite close the gap but a defeat for the leaders would change that.
Enfield Town Ladies earned a point at home against Denham United Ladies on Wednesday night, were at home again this Sunday taking on Norwich City Ladies and once again at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium the points were shared the match ending in stalemate 0-0.
The points were shared too in Suffolk as 4th placed Luton Town Ladies travelled to Felixstowe & Walton FC to play Ipswich Town Ladies. Luton Town Ladies took a lead into half-time Natasha Fensome with the goal. Ipswich Town Ladies equalised early in the 2nd half Roxanne Small on target. Joanne Rutherford put Luton Town back in front but they were pegged back again Small with the goal again to see the game end 2-2.
Eastern Regional Leagues
One game survived the weather in the ERWFL Premier Division with 2nd bottom Great Shelford Ladies beating the 10 players of Brentwood Town Ladies 3-2 at home at the Great Shelford Recreation Ground. Katie Saunders, Sophie Ugar and Alison Wright with the goals to seal the win. Charlotte Twydell scored both Brentwood Town Ladies goals as they continue their poor run of form losing their last 6 league matches.
Elsewhere in the ERWFL it was the final round of group matches in the Division One Cup. Now in the last edition of The Tuesday Round-Up I made a big deal about how it was all going to play out for the sides this Sunday with them contesting a semi-final spot. However it transpires this season’s competition has a quarter final stage in the knock out phase with the top 4 from each group A & B going through. Very frustrating from my point of view as the information I was given told me it was the same as last season’s League Plate competition that was indeed the top 2 from each group going into a semi-final knock out and the full time website backed this up. Still I wasn’t the only one thinking this as most of the clubs contesting the cup were too. I do apologise for the mis-information.
However we had 4 games being played and all survived the weather, was at one of those ties covering it for the Supporting Women’s Football Blog. At the Codicote Social Club, both Stevenage Ladies sides were due to play, heavy overnight rain plus more falling saw the clubs player and staff working furiously to get the games on sadly Stevenage Ladies 1st team match in the ERWFL Premier Division against AFC Dunstable Ladies didn’t get played however the game I’d come to watch Stevenage Ladies Reserves v Little Thurrock Dynamos Ladies was on.
It was 3rd versus 2nd in Group A with Essex side, Little Thurrock Dynamos 2nd defending an unbeaten record in the group stage. Fell a goal behind as Stevenage Ladies Reserve striker Leah Littlechild charged through into the box to score. The lead didn’t last long as Little Thurrock Dynamos were awarded a free kick wide on the right halfway inside their opponents half Elysia King to take flighted a high ball in towards the near post goalkeeper Emily Goodacre got a glove to the ball but saw to her dismay mishandled to see it drop into the back of the net. Stevenage had the lead going into the dressing room at half-time captain Sherrie Evans corner quick finding it’s way into the back of the net as Little Thurrock Dynamos struggled to defend.
Stevenage Ladies Reserves started the 2nd half strongly pushing Little Thurrock Dynamos back looked like there would be only one side to score next, however Little Thurrock Dynamos hit Stevenage on the counter Martine Smith turning on the ball to run into the area and lift a shot over Goodacre the ball smashing off the cross bar coming down for Robin Mudd to tuck home on the follow up 2-2. Little Thurrock Dynamos their heads up after the goal went on to take the lead Georgia Fraser lifting her shot over the keeper to drop into the back of the net. At the death Stevenage hit back to equalise a corner fired into the crowd gathered at the near post was forced in to make it 3-3. The full match report can be found scrolling down the page on Women’s Football East or by clicking on the link below to take you to the Supporting Women’s Football Blog
Stevenage Ladies Reserves v Little Thurrock Dynamos 27/03/16
Also in Group A leaders Writtle Ladies were also into the knock-out stages whilst the bottom 2 in the group faced each other in their final match a win for either putting them through with Bury Town Ladies hosting ERWFL Division One West leaders Hutton Ladies. It’s Hutton Ladies who make it to the knock out stage with a 5-0 win.
In Group B leaders Offley & Stopley Ladies were already through as were 2nd placed Hoddesdon Owls Ladies who had both played out their group games. 3rd placed Colney Heath Ladies went into their home match against Silver End United Ladies thinking it was a must win game largely due to the last edition of The Tuesday Round-Up, as it was it was Silver End Ladies who needed the win with 4th spot in contention with Royston Town Ladies. Colney Heath Ladies went 2-0 up in the 1st half with goals from Samantha May and Holly Sheridan. Silver End United Ladies got it back to 2-1 before nicking it at the death winning 3-2 goals coming in the 89th and the winner in injury time the 3 goals scored by Rebecca Hollocks, Alexandra Bailess and Lynsey Bowman to see them secure 4th in the group.
Royston Town Ladies won too away to Long Melford Ladies as the too bottom sides met in Group B. Royston Town Ladies won the match 5-0 but if you’d have left with 15 minutes left on the clock you’d have missed all the goals as the 1st didn’t come until the 75th minute. the 5 goals coming from, Hayley Graham, Emma Phipps, Samantha Tinsley, Georgia Gannaway and Danielle Lewis.
The quarter finals are no scheduled to be played on Sun 10th April and it’s 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd respectfully from Group A & B so the knock out stage looks like this:
Writtle Ladies v Silver End United Ladies
Little Thurrock Dynamos Ladies v Colney Heath Ladies
Offley & Stopsley Ladies v Hutton Ladies
Hoddesdon Owls Ladies v Stevenage Ladies Reserves
Suffolk
In Suffolk there were 2 league matches taking place this weekend in the Women’s Division. Brantham Athletic Ladies were at home to Copleston Ladies both sides in the title mix. A point behind leaders East Bergholt United with a match in hand, Brantham Athletic Ladies end the month as the new leaders of the Division but only on goal difference as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Copleston Ladies, had took the lead through an own goal in the 1st half. Conceded an own goal themselves 2nd half to put the scores level. Both themselves and East Bergholt United have 30 points with 3 matches left to play. Copleston Ladies are back in 5th place still have been playing catch up all season still have plenty to play for on 20 points behind the leading pair have 4 games in hand on both and have an important April coming up.
Leiston St Margarets Ladies are in a hot streak of form ending March with a 3rd successive win picking up their 2nd against bottom side Ipswich Phoenix Ladies in 3 weeks at home to make it 4 wins for the season. The score was 1-1 at half-time before Leiston St Margarets went on to score the winner 2-1 the final score, Lucy Eagle and Sarah Cooper with the goals. Ipswich Phoenix Ladies are still without a point in the Division, Kirsty Haggar with their goal at the weekend.
Cambridgeshire
Just the one match across the 3 Divisions in Cambridgeshire at the weekend, in the Cambridgeshire Women’s Championship South, a Casey Ward goal was enough to give park Ladies all 3 points away to Riverside Rovers Reserves. The victory sees Park Ladies move to within a point of leaders St Ives Town Ladies with a game in hand.
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Two matches played in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire at the weekend. Letchworth Garden City Eagles Ladies were hosting Garston Ladies in the quarter finals of the Beds & Herts Women’s League Cup. Letchworth scored twice through Emily Jamieson and Tayla Murray, it wasn’t enough however as Garston Ladies the current holders of the League Cup reach the semi-finals scoring 3 times, Emma Trill and Lucy Zecchin on target plus and own goal sealing the win. They will be away to Hertford Town Ladies in the semi-finals whilst last season’s beaten finalists Sherrardswood Ladies are home against Watton Ladies.
One league game at the weekend in Beds & Herts Women’s Division Three. 3rd placed Evergreen Ladies close the gap on the leading pair Hitching Belles and Icknield Ladies to just 3 points with a 3-1 home win against Panshanger Ladies. Rebecca Freeman gave Evergreen the lead inside 5 minutes no more goals 1st half, Panshanger pulled it level 10 minutes into the 2nd half Chemise Huitson netting the goal. Evergreen retook the lead 5 minutes later Lauren Atkins putting the back into the back of the net. The 3 points weren’t secured until injury time Emily Jones scoring Evergreen’s 3rd goal have a game in hand on 2nd placed Icknield Ladies who they have at home this coming Sunday.
That concludes a smaller than usual edition of The Tuesday Round-Up. A busy April coming up a few titles will be decided, cup won and lost. Plenty more drama to cover and you’ll read about it all here on Women’s Football East. Until next week thanks for reading.