The Round-Up
FAWPL – Sunday 2nd April
FAWPL Southern Division
It has been a hotly contested battle at the top of the FAWPL Southern Division all season with 4 sides all in contention for the title, Tottenham Hotspur Ladies for the majority of the season have been the pace setters the only unbeaten side in the with just the one match drawn and 12 wins. Cardiff City Ladies and Charlton Athletic Women have led the table at times in 2nd and 3rd with Coventry United Ladies in 4th also keeping things bunched up at the top, into April and some big matches coming up as the top 4 face each other.
Coventry United Ladies travelled to Cheshunt FC on Sunday to play leaders Tottenham Hotspur Ladies looking to reduce the gap between the sides to 2 points move up one or two places. A goalless 1st half between the sides the was deadlock broken 18 minutes into the 2nd half, manager Karen Hills bringing Nikita Whinnett on in the 67th minute made an immediate impact the substitute scoring 20 seconds after coming on to hand Tottenham the lead. The 3 points secured as the game moving into the final 10 minutes Bianca Baptiste putting Whinnett’s cross into the back of the net the win seeing Tottenham go 4 points clear at the top 8 ahead of Coventry United now both with 6 matches left to play.
Charlton Athletic Women move up from 3rd above Cardiff City into 2nd winning away from home against Portsmouth FC Ladies on Sunday. Rosey Sullivan opening the scoring for the visitors 20 minutes into the 1st half captain Kim Dixson doubling the advantage 5 minutes later. Charlton Athletic held the 2-0 advantage before Kit Graham with her 32nd goal of the season made the 3 points secure scoring in the 80th minute.
6th placed Lewes Ladies extend their unbeaten run to 4 games in league and cup as they scored a late equaliser away to 5th placed Crystal Palace Ladies. Gemma Bryan with her 23rd goal of the season handing Crystal Palace the lead late in the 1st half. Held onto the lead for most of the 2nd half, Lewes, Rebecca Carter finding the back of the net to make it all square at 1-1 in the 86th minute to take a point home as they look to secure a top half finish in their 4 remaining league games.
FAWPL South East Division One
Gillingham FC Ladies are proving to be an unstoppable force at the top of FAWPL South East Division One as they extended their unbeaten league record to 16 matches including 11 straight wins. Were hosting Stevenage Ladies this Sunday. Rosie Kmita opened the scoring for the hosts, had a chance to extend their lead from the spot, Stevenage goalkeeper, Katherine Long saving Felicity Gibbons spot kick. Didn’t take Gillingham long to make it 2-0, Charlotte Gurr in blistering from in front of goal since rejoining the club went on to complete a hat-trick taking her to 32 goals from 14 appearances. A 5th goal came in the form of a Stevenage own goal. Substitute Emma Slater netting an injury time consolation goal for the visitors in a 5-1 defeat. The result seeing Gillingham open up a 5 point lead at the top of the table.
3rd placed AFC Wimbledon Ladies at home to 5th placed Actonians Ladies on Sunday found themselves trailing 1-0 at the break after Jessica Byrne had scored in the 1st half for the visitors. Captain, Jess Trimnell scored in the 66th minute to pull the hosts level, a win would have lifted Wimbledon into 2nd spot in the end the two sides had to settle for a share of the points.
4th placed Cambridge United WFC hadn’t won in the league in 2017 just the 3 games in that time with extended cup runs in between. A win this Sunday would put them back in touch with the top 3 sides in the table and they had an extra incentive to get the win as they were getting a 2nd opportunity to play at The Abbey Stadium, home of League Two side Cambridge United FC. Were hosting Ipswich Town Ladies who lay in 9th place in the table. Cambridge got off to a bright start taking the lead in the 10th minute, Sarah Wiltshire returning to football just over a month after giving birth to baby daughter Alexa-Rose working her way back to match fitness in preparation for a new season with FAWSL 1 side Yeovil Town Ladies sending the ball into the back of the net off the post to make it 1-0. Both sides were using the wings and finding space in behind, Ipswich levelled the scores with 10 minutes of the 1st half left, Amy Howlett driving forwards playing the ball into striker Laura Guyon who laid the ball on for Howlett to burst into the area and send the ball over Cambridge goalkeeper, Verity Crook into the back of the net.
Ipswich Town Ladies, Amy Howlett with Cambridge United WFC’s Sarah Wiltshire both scoring in the 1st half (photo credit Gary Reed)
Cambridge went on to have the better of the 2nd half a little flat from Ipswich conceding a corner the ball played of a defender at the near post fell into the six yard box the ball was stabbed over the line captain Laura Bright restoring Cambridge’s lead. 20 minutes left a free-kick for Cambridge, Wiltshire from the left outside the box went for goal sending the ball looping over the keeper and in then straight from the restart Wiltshire completed her hat-trick playing through on goal by Ashleigh Deacon fired home from the edge of the box 4-1 the final score. The match report can be read further down this page or by clicking on the link below to take you to the Supporting Women’s Football Blog.
Cambridge United WFC 4-1 Ipswich Town Ladies
In the final match in the weekend played in the FAWPL South East Division One, Norwich City Ladies were hosting Denham United Ladies at Plantation Park. Goals for Lauren Cox and Clarice Gould seeing the visitors win the game 2-0 the 3 points taking Denham United above Enfield Town Ladies into 7th spot in the table.