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First Team Match Reports15 April
Norwich 1 Gillingham 2
A goal deep into injury time from Kirsty Woolard gave the Gills Ladies victory at Dereham Town FC on Sunday against their Norfolk rivals. With a long campaign drawing towards its end, this was a must win for both sides in very hot conditions. The Gills side saw Gina Payne and Nikki Seath return to the Gillingham side, with Vic Crawford on the bench. The game started with the Canaries going for an early opener and forced a series of corner in the first 5 minutes, but these we dealt with ease from the Gills. On 7 minutes the Gills pushed forward and skipper Becky Lyon broke down the right wing to deliver a cross that found Kirsty Woolard who stroked it home past the advancing home keeper Sarah Quantrill to put the Gills one up. The Canaries again pushed forward and Shelley Wong fired past Alison Smiths goal. The Gills had a shout for a penalty around the 20 minute mark after Woolard was fouled as well as picking up a haead injury, but the referee waved play on. Ten minutes later the Canaries should have equalised after a mistake from Smith left Fran Lambert with an open goal, but the Canaries striker somehow managed to drag her shot wide. The Gills pushed forward looking for their second goal and were unlucky after some good work from Payne who broke down the right wing, cut inside the Canaries defence before finding Anna Broad, who fired straight at Quantrill. The remainder of the half saw the home side go close on 3 occasions with Wong and Kelly Gray going close for the home side. The second half began as it ended with the home side pushing forward for the equaliser. A break from the dangerous Wong in to the Gills box and as she was about to shoot, Kelly Seath came from nowhere to put in a last ditch challenge and save the Gills. The home side continued to dominate and continued to waste a series of chances with Lambert wasting the best chances. The Gills nearly extended the lead on the hour mark, when a terrific effort from Gemma Ridge from a corner was tipped around the post by Quantrill. Gills skipper Becky Lyon was replaced by Nicola McCormack just after the hour mark, as Lyon had picked up an ankle injury. The deserved equaliser finally arrived for the Canaries in the 68th minute, when Sophie Fullers speculative shot somehow found its way over Smith and into the net. The Gills continued to push forward looking for the second goal, and Gina Payne went close as she received the ball on the left wing, she cut inside her marker and unleashed a terrific shot that Quantrill somehow managed to tip over the bar. Vic Crawford replaced Leanne Stevens with 20 minutes to go as both sides looked for the winner. It became a bit hectic as chances at both ends went begging, the best seeing Ali Smith tip Fran Lamberts effort onto the bar. Throughout the half there had been many stoppages for injury and the referee alloctaed 7 minutes of injury time. In the 96th minute the home side pushed one last time to snatch victory, but Jac Fiddyment won the ball, brought it out of defence and played Kirsty Woolard through with just Quantrill to beat. The home keeper initailly made a decent block, but the ball fell kindly for Woolard who walked the ball into the net to give the Kent side the 3 vital points. GILLINGHAM LADIES 1 A Smith 2 K Seath 3 N Seath 4 A Broad 5 W Judd 6 L Stevens (V Crawford 71) 7 B Lyon (14 N McCormack 61) 8 G Payne 9 J Fiddyment 10 K Woolard 11 G Ridge Gillingham Ladies manager Hugo Langton was relieved at the outcome and said "We came under a lot of pressure at times from Norwich, particularly in the second half. My players were magnificent in terms of effort although we didn't play as well as we can. We dug in and pinched it at the death. The referee was awful, no question. He gave us nothing all afternoon and it was almost as though he wanted Norwich to nick it in injury time. It was great to see Gina Payne, Nikki Seath and Vic Crawford back playing again and all 3 made a big contribution. I dont really like singling players out particularly when everyone has done their bit, but on this occasion it is only fair to point out Kirsty Woolards player of the match performance. Not only did she score both goals, but she covered every blade of grass on the pitch and never stopped believing we could win. We have two games left and we go back up to Norfolk next week to Norwich City Ladies and again we'll be looking for 3 points"
01 April
Gillingham Ladies 2 Langford Ladies 2
The Gills Ladies come from two goals down to draw against Langford after a tactical masterstroke from Manager Hugo Langton…
Goals from Anna Broad and Jac Fiddyment, who had switched from centre-half to centre forward three minutes earlier, earn the Gills Ladies a share of the points.
The game was a bit scrappy to start with and both teams struggled to get to grips with the windy conditions.
From the first serious chance of the match, the visitors took the lead. In the 17th minute, Langford were awarded a free-kick just over 20 yards from goal towards the left touchline. Laveena Betts stepped up to take the kick and curled the ball over the Gills wall and past Alison Smith into the top right hand corner of the goal.
Smith made an excellent save in the 32nd minute when she saved Nikki Day’s free-kick from the edge of the area.
The Gills responded well to Smith’s save and striker Kirsty Woolard was through on goal. As Langford goalkeeper Verity Crook advanced, Woolard unleashed a shot that curled wide of the upright.
On the stroke of half-time, both sides had goalscoring chances. Firstly, Betts’ ten yard shot went wide of the upright, and from the resulting goalkick, Player of the Match Lianne Stevens flicked on to Gemma Ridge, but the right winger’s 25 yard shot sailed over the crossbar.
The Gills got off to the worst possible start in the second half when Betts extended the lead in the 49th minute. The midfielder latched on to Laura Bright’s through ball and unleashed a shot from the edge of the area that Smith got a hand to, but unfortunately the ball trickled into the far corner of the goal.
Terri Reynolds came close to pulling a goal back in the 51st minute but her 20 yard freekick flew over the crossbar.
Gills Ladies Manager Hugo Langton replaced Kirsty Goodall with Nicola McCormack on the hour mark. Broad replaced Goodall in attack with McCormack playing on the right of midfield and Ridge moving to the left-hand side.
The Gills finally pulled a goal back in the 65th minute. Reynolds’ free-kick was floated into the box and Broad stabbed home from close range.
Les Kaye came close to equalising with two chances in the next five minutes but both shots, from just outside the penalty, were well saved by Crook.
Donna McGuigan replaced Langford top scorer Faye Rees in the 70th minute.
The Gills came within inches of equalising in the 73rd minute but Broad’s curling shot grazed the far post.
In the 82nd minute, Langton decided to switch from a <dateyear2002day4month4>4-4-2 to a <dateyear2003day3month4>3-4-3 formation with defender Fiddyment playing up front alongside Woolard and Broad.
Fiddyment and Broad linked up well immediately and from Fiddyment’s through ball in the 85th minute, Broad lobbed Crook but the ball bounced over the bar.
From the resulting goalkick, Stevens won a header, the ball ended up with Broad, who played in Fiddyment and the emergency striker lobbed the ball over Crook and into the net.
GILLS (<dateyear2002day4month4>4-4-2): 1 Alison Smith, 2 Whitney Judd, 7 Becky Lyon (C), 9 Jac Fiddyment, 5 Terri Reynolds, 8 Gemma Ridge, 3 Leanne Stevens, 6 Les Kaye, 4 Anna Broad, 10 Kirsty Woolard, 11 Kirsty Goodall (14 Nicola McCormack 60).
UNUSED SUB: 12 Laura Martin
LANGFORD (<dateyear2002day4month4>4-4-2): 1 Verity Crook, 2 Nikki Day, 4 Sophie Bailey, 5 Sheree Oliver (C), 3 Debbie Styles, 7 Shelley Forster, 6 Laura Bright, 8 Laveena Betts, 11 Laura Shearwood, 9 Faye Rees (12 Donna McGuigan 70), 10 Francis Lowzic.
Gills Ladies Manager Hugo Langton was delighted with his side’s comeback and hopes they can take that spirit and performance into Sunday’s match away to Rushden & Diamonds: "I was delighted with how we fought our way back in to the game. Too many times this season we have folded in similar circumstances. I told the players before the game that if we went behind, it was no big deal. I told them they all owed each other something yesterday and I thought they responded in tough, windy conditions. It goes to show that a little belief and desire goes a very long way.
“The challenge now is to take that belief up to Rushden & Diamonds on Sunday, because I know my players are good enough. At long last, I think they realise that to get something from games you have to give everything you have got for yourself and for your team mates. “Throughout the team there were some strong performances, and I want my team to look forward to the next game and believe we can get something up at Rushden"
Match Report by James Case.
25 March 2007
Gillingham Ladies 1 Northampton Town Ladies 3
The Gills Ladies battled gallantly but are beaten by the promotion contending Cobblers…
The Cobblers had the first chance of the match but from Jade Linnell’s corner, captain Emma Beckett put the ball over the bar with a free-header.
The Gills had their first chance of breaking the deadlock but Kirsty Goodall saw her shot well-saved by Cobblers ‘keeper Nikki Duncan.
Beckett missed another header in the 20th minute when she put wide from Fay Howell’s corner.
Goodall again came close of putting the Gills in front but her 27th minute shot, from Les Kay’s through ball, went wide of the upright.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 31st minute by the Cobblers when Laura Sutherland’s cross was side-footed home by Samantha Christie.
The Cobblers almost extended their lead in the 37th minute but Christie’s shot was well-saved by Gills goalkeeper Alison Smith.
Beckett would again put another header over the bar on the stroke of half-time and the Cobblers were unlucky not to double their lead in first-half injury time when Lisa Porter’s shot hit the post.
The lead was extended to two goals in the 51st minute when Porter turned and shot low into the left corner of the <place>Gillingham goal.
The Cobblers made it three-nil in the 56th minute when Beckett scored with a curling 20 yard free kick over Smith and into the far corner.
Leanne Stevens replaced Kirsty Goodall in the 59th minute with Stevens playing in midfield and Charlotte Thurston partnering Kirsty Woolard in attack.
Nicola McCormack replaced Thurston in the 65th minute and Anna Broad moved up front with McCormack playing on the wing.
The Gills pulled a goal back in the 69th minute when Whitney Judd’s defence-splitting pass found Broad, and the Gills number four slotted past <city><place>Duncan.
Laura Brown made her Gills debut in the 78th minute as she replaced Terri Reynolds in defence.
The Gills pushed forward for more goals and in the 87th minute Broad had an excellent chance denied by <city><place>Duncan.
GILLS: 1 Alison Smith, 2 Whitney Judd, 7 Becky Lyon (C), 9 Jac Fiddyment, 5 Terri Reynolds (14 Laura Brown 78), 11 Gemma Ridge, 3 <city><place>Charlotte Thurston (12 Nicola McCormack 65), 6 Les Kay, 4 Anna Broad, 8 Kirsty Goodall (15 Leanne Stevens 59), 10 Kirsty Woolard.
COBBLERS: 1 Nikki Duncan, 5 Charlene Mureton, 2 Hannah Cave, 4 Stephanie Jamison, 3 Hayley Gauacchi, 11 Laura Sutherland, 8 Jade Linnell, 6 Emma Beckett (C), 10 Fay Howell (12 Lucy Bateman 66), 9 Lisa Porter, 7 Samantha Christie.
SUBS NOT USED: 14 Elizabeth Todd, 15 Natalie Smith, 16 Nicola Raith.
Gills Ladies Manager Hugo Langton was pleased with his side’s performance, despite the result, but had some sad news to reveal about his future with the football club: “I won’t fault the work rate at all, because, in that sense, my players gave me everything. At half time, I asked them to get the ball forward quicker to feet and keep shooting. The two goals after half time knocked the stuffing out of us, but, fair play, we kept plugging away to the end. Anna Broad took her goal well. We have five games to go and our position in the league does not reflect the ability of the squad, nor the hard work and effort we have all put in this season.
”It was with great sadness that I told the players I was leaving at the end of the season. I have been given an excellent coaching opportunity that I can’t refuse. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do as I have enjoyed every single minute working with a group of such talented and brilliant individuals. We want to finish the season now as best we can, but I guarantee I will be back to watch the girls as often as I can, as I will be a fan for life!”
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