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First Team Reports 2March 11
Gillingham 1 Enfield 1The Gills Ladies earn a share of the points against their <place>North London rivals. Jac Fiddyment’s 60th minute equaliser earned the Gills Ladies a point and moves them up to eighth in the South East Combination League.
The Gills had the first couple of chances in the opening eight minutes with Gemma Ridge forcing saves from <city><place>Enfield goalkeeper Jo Ayre. <city><place>Enfield broke the deadlock in the tenth minute when Kally Browne chipped Gills goalkeeper Alison Smith after the stopper had initially saved Kelly Townshend’s shot.
The Gills came close to an immediate equaliser in the 12th minute when Anna Broad was fouled 20 yards from goal and the left winger rattled the crossbar from the subsequent free-kick. Two minutes later and Broad came close to levelling the scores when she chased down a backpass and could only fired wide after challenging Ayre.
Kirsty Woolard had her first chance in the 18th minute when she won a 50/50 challenge against <city><place>Enfield skipper Sarah Kessack and had a one-on-one with Ayre but the <city><place>Enfield ‘keeper made an excellent save from the Gills number ten.
Woolard was again presented with a one-on-one against Ayre when the ball was cleared from the Gills penalty area, Woolard outpaced the defence but could only fire her shot straight into the arms of the <city><place>Enfield goalie.
Charlotte Thurston, playing in defence in the absence of Kelly Seath, had two chances to equalise on the stroke of half-time. Her first, a header from Broad’s corner, looped over the bar whilst from Broad’s throw, the left back could only fire wide of the upright.
Gills Ladies Manager Hugo Langton made his first substitution in the 57th minute when Nikki Seath replaced Kirsty Goodall. Fiddyment replaced Goodall up front with Thurston moving to centre-half and Seath playing at left-back.
<city><place>Enfield almost came close to doubling their lead in the 58th minute when Townshend broke through the Gills defence but Smith was at her best to deny the Town striker with a point-blank save.
The Gills got their deserved equaliser on the hour mark when Woolard played a one-two with Fiddyment before returning the ball for the Gills number nine to power home from the edge of the area. <city><place>Enfield almost regained the lead in the 65th minute when Beth Lovell failed to capitalise on Townshend’s good work by firing the ball into the side netting.
Tempers flared in the 71st minute following a foul on Fiddyment and in the resulting fracas, Gills number five Terri Reynolds was booked for dissent. Nicola McCormack replaced Gemma Ridge on the right-hand side of midfield in the 75th minute. The Gills pushed forward in search of a winner although had to contend with several dubious offside decisions from the <city><place>Enfield club linesman.
Smith earned her Player of the Match award in the final eight minutes when she denied Townshend three times. The first, a shot from the edge of the area in the 82nd minute, was tipped over the crossbar whilst in the 89th minute the ‘keeper denied the striker with an excellent double save.
GILLS (<dateyear2002day4month4>4-4-2): 1 Alison Smith, 2 Whitney Judd, 7 Becky Lyon (C), 9 Jac Fiddyment, 3 <city><place>Charlotte Thurston, 11 Gemma Ridge (12 Nicola McCormack 75), 5 Terri Reynolds, 6 Les Kay, 4 Anna Broad, 10 Kirsty Woolard, 8 Kirsty Goodall (14 Nikki Seath 57).
UNUSED SUB: 15 Leanne Stevens
<city><place>ENFIELD (<dateyear2001day4month5>4-5-1): 1 Jo Ayre, 4 Sarah Kessack (C), 16 Claire Gooch, 5 Kerrie Marlborough, 2 Beth Demery, 14 Kally Browne, 6 Emma Kayser, 7 Laura Burns (15 Leanne Mabey 84), 8 Beth Lovell (9 Holly Wilson 69), 11 Jenna Schillaci, 10 Kelly Townshend.
UNUSED SUB: 3 Jane Rudderham
Gills Ladies Manager Hugo Langton was disappointed his side could only pick up a point at home to a team lower than <place>Gillingham in the South East Combination League: ”I was not happy with how we played. No disrespect to <city><place>Enfield, but we made a very average team look good. In the first half, we never got going and I let the players know my feelings at half time. We improved in the second half and got the equaliser and then should have gone on to win the game. For me, too many players were not up for it and as a result we dealt with a lot of pressure at the back in the last 10 or 15 minutes, and if it wasn’t for Alison Smith in goal, we would have lost as she pulled of several top drawer saves.
”The girls know what is expected of them between now and the end of the season and anything else is unacceptable. It’s hard to understand that in training and during match day warm ups that they can all pass the ball beautifully but when the game kicks off we can’t put 2 passes together. Football is a simple game made hard, and too often this season we have made it hard.“ January 28
Whitehawk 2 Gillingham Ladies 3
Whitehawk Ladies 2 Gillingham Ladies 3
Goals from Anna Broad, Kirsty Woolard and Les Kay see the Gills Ladies pick up their first win of 2007.
Gills Ladies Manager Hugo Langton was forced into a change just minutes before kick-off with captain Becky Lyon feeling unwell. Gemma Ridge replaced the right back with Lyon taking a place on the substitutes bench. Whitehawk had the first chance of the match in the fourth minute but Cath Tomlin volleyed Kelly Hunter's corner wide.
From the resulting goal kick, the Gills broke the deadlock thanks to a volley from Anna Broad.. Alison Smith's goal kick found Whitney Judd, who got the ball out wide to Broad. The left midfielder one-two'd with Les Kay before playing a ball to the edge of the area for Kirsty Woolard. Woolard found Ridge out on the right hand side and the right midfielder crossed for Broad to put the Gills one-up.
The Gills almost doubled their lead in the 13th minute when Judd and Broad linked up well down the left but Kirsty Goodall fired wide of the upright from Broad's cross.
Whitehawk came close to an equaliser in the 18th minute but Smith saved well from Felicity Naller's angled shot.
Charlotte Thurston came closed to doubling the lead in the 31st minute when she hit a screamer from Broad's corner but the ball curled inches wide of the upright.
Whitehawk scored an equaliser in the 44th minute when Poppy Ogilvie rounded the advancing Smith and squared for Leah Bryant to tap home.
In first-half injury time, both teams had a chance to take the lead. Ridge fired over from Broad's cross whilst at the other end, Hunter's cross was put over the bar by Ogilvie.
The Gills started the second half brightly and took the lead in the opening minute of the second half. Woolard chased down a back pass to Whitehawk goalkeeper Lesley Hubbard and won the tackle before slotting home in the far corner.
Langton was forced into a substitution in the 47th minute when Terri Reynolds suffered a knee injury and was replaced by Nicola McCormack.
The Gills extended their lead in the 56th minute when Broad's corner was flicked on by Goodall to Kay and the central midfielder fired home from the edge of the area.
Whitehawk pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute when Naller beat Broad down the right and hit a cross that looped over Smith and into the far corner.
The home side had an excellent chance of an equaliser in the 75th minute when Ogilvie intercepted Jac Fiddyment's back pass but her shot rolled inches wide of the far post.
The Gills pushed forward for a fourth goal in the final ten minutes and Kay, Woolard and Ridge all came close to extending the lead and despite a volley from Ogilvie that was well saved by Smith, hung on for the three points.
GILLS: 1. Alison Smith, 5. Terri Reynolds (14. Nicola McCormack 47), 9. Jac Fiddyment, 2. Kelly Seath (C), 3. Whitney Judd, 12. Gemma Ridge, 6. Les Kay, 8. Charlotte Thurston, 4. Anna Broad, 10. Kirsty Woolard, 11. Kirsty Goodall
SUB NOT USED: 7. Becky Lyon
WHITEHAWK: 1. Lesley Hubbard, 2. Karema Abdalla (14. Rietmann Yoli 70), 5. Felicity Naller, 7. Cath Tomlin, 6. Sharon Fitton, 3. Sian Ford-Hunt, 12. Kelly Hunter, 4. Kate Jenkins, 10. Nicky Heffernan, 9. Leah Bryant (C), 11. Poppy Ogilvie
SUBS NOT USED: 15. Julie Moore, 16. Ruth Wakefield, 17. Deborah Lanlon
Gills Ladies Manager Hugo Langton was delighted with the performance of his side against their South-Cost rivals: "I am very pleased with the three points and am very proud of the girls, it was an excellent team performance today. A couple of things tried to conspire against us today but full credit to the girls, they dug in, worked extremely hard and scored three good goals. Unfortunately we lost Becky Lyon due to illness just before kick-off, I think she had a dodgy curry on Friday night!
"We could have got a few more but it was a well deserved three points. At 3-1 up, we should have gone on and killed the game but let them back into it and they made it 3-2. They then went at us a little bit but we dug in and defended well. Together, as a team, everyone wanted it and I am very pleased.
"We have got two games against Rushden & Diamonds, who are third in the league, in the next fortnight. We play them at home next week and I don't think we have anything to fear. We don't know too much about them but they are beatable. If we put in a performance like we did today, where we closed the ball down and got stuck in, and when we had the ball, got bodies forward to attack, there is no reason why we can't beat them."
Match Report by James Case.
January 7
Ipswich Ladies 4 Gillingham Ladies 2Gillingham Ladies were beaten by their Ipswich counterparts 4-2, although there was very little to choose between the 2 sides, as prolific Ipswich striker Helen Bass was the only real difference as she bagged an impressive 20 minute hatrick. The Gills, with only 12 fit players available, started the brighter with Kirsty Woolard and Whitney Judd causing problems down the left wing. The Gills were unlucky not to go ahead when Kirsty Goodall stabbed wide under pressure from 10 yards out. Kirsty Woolard then went close from a tight angle. At the other end Judd pulled off a goal saving tackle and Becky Lyon headed the resulting corner off the line. Les Kay and Charlotte Thurston were bossing the central midfield, Pip Lawrence and Kelly Seath were dealing with anything that came at them, and Jac Fiddyment, playing up front, was trying to give Ipswich problems.
There was nothing between the sides when Ipswich controversially took the lead in the 42nd minute. Helen Bass received the ball out wide in an offside position and she sped into the box to square for her strike partner Culley to put the home side ahead with a tap in. The first 10 minutes of the second half were forgettable for the Gills as Helen Bass twice beat Gills keeper Ali Smith when clean through.
The Gills pulled themselves back into the game, when Kirsty Goodall pounced on a defensive mix up to score her first of the season In the 65th minute.
As the Gills pressed forward again, Bass caught the Gills on the counter and slotted past Smith to make it 4-1. Again the Gills refused to lie down, and Lyon again brought the game to life in the 68th minute she picked up the ball on the half way line and waltzed through the Ipswich midfield before unleashing a shot from 25 yards that gave the Ipswich keeper no chance. The Gills kept pressing but could not breach the home sides defence and the score stayed 4-2, which was not reflective of how the game went. GILLINGHAM LADIES – 1. Smith 2. K Seath 3. P Lawrence 4. W Judd 5. C Thurston 6. L Kay 7. B Lyon 8. K Goodall 9. J Fiddyment 10. K Woolard 11. G Ridge (12. N McCormack 70) Manager Hugo Langton said of his sides performance “The scoreline was a bit harsh, as we played well today and deserved a bit better. Fair play to their number 9 she is a good player and I can see why she heads the goal scoring charts. Credit must go to my team today as I only had 12 available. Some teams would buckle when so many players are missing, but the 12 today showed tremendous character and refused to lie down when things weren’t going our way. When we play like that we’ll beat most teams in this division. If I was wearing a hat, I would take it off to all of them as their effort was first class” Next week the Gills Ladies are away to Norwich City Canaries, kick off to be confirmed. Gillingham Ladies 1 Colchester United Ladies 4
The Gills are knocked out by their <place>Essex rivals in the First Round of the South East Combination League Cup.
Defender Pip Lawrence made her home debut and new signing Charlotte Thurston, formerly of <place><placename>Crystal <placename>Palace and Charlton Athletic, was included amongst the substitutes.
The Gills started off brightly and had their first chance in the 9th minute when Whitney Judd beat her marker, squared to Gina Payne, who found Kirsty Woolard in the box, but the right winger couldn't connect with her shot.
The deadlock was broken in the 15th minute when a <place>Colchester long ball sailed over the Gills defence and into the path of the number seven who slotted past Gills goalkeeper Alison Smith.
Woolard had a chance to equalise within a couple of minutes as she raced on to Les Kay's through ball but the Colchester goalkeeper rushed to the edge of the area to make the save.
The Gills conceded another in the 19th minute when the number seven latched on to number four's defence-splitting pass and fired past Smith.
Centre-half Kelly Seath went down in a challenge in the 22nd minute and left the pitch for several minutes for treatment on an ankle injury.
With the Gills temporarily down to ten players, Payne raced clear in the 24th minute but was hacked in the area by the <place>Colchester number five. Centre-half Jac Fiddyment stepped up to take the resulting penalty and converted the spot kick by firing to the right of the <place>Colchester goalkeeper.
The Gills had an excellent chance to equalise in the 32nd minute when Fiddyment's pass down the left wing found Payne, but the striker's shot went inches wide of the 'keeper's upright.
Colchester found themselves fortunate to take a lead into the interval as firstly, in the 41st minute, their goalkeeper made a save from Anna Broad after the ball pinged about the penalty area from a Gills free-kick, then in first-half injury time, Payne hit the post from Broad's corner.
The <place>Colchester lead was extended in the 54th minute under controversial circumstances. <city><place>Lawrence fouled the <place>Colchester number ten on the edge of the area but the referee ruled the tackle was made inside the 18 yard box. The number ten stepped up and smashed the ball into the bottom left corner, to knock the wind out of the Gills sails.
Thurston made her debut in the 57th minute when she replaced Judd.
Woolard had a chance in the 59th minute to pull one back when she latched on to captain Becky Lyon's pass but could only fire over from 25 yards.
Payne showed why she is a representative of the Kent County team in the 69th minute when she beat two defenders with some excellent ball skills and squared to Kent team-mate Broad, who could only fire straight at the U's 'keeper.
The woodwork saved the Gills a minute later when the number ten hit the upright and Smith made a fantastic save from number fifteen's follow up.
<place>Colchester bagged a fourth in the 78th minute when number ten chased a back pass to Smith, which the Gills goalkeeper unfortunately slipped on, and the U's striker slotted into an empty net.
Kirsty Goodall and Gemma Ridge replaced Terri Reynolds and Broad respectively in the 81st minute.
Smith made an excellent save in the 88th minute from ten after the striker did well to evade Kelly Seath's tackle.
The Gills Ladies can now enjoy the Christmas break and are next back in action when they travel to Ipswich Town Ladies on Sunday, 7th January.
Gills: 1. Alison Smith, 2. Becky Lyon, 3. Jac Fiddyment, 4. Kelly Seath, 5. Pip Lawrence, 6. Kirsty Woolard, 7. Terri Reynolds (17. Kirsty Goodall 81), 8. Les Kay, 9. Whitney Judd (16. Charlotte Thurston 57), 10. Anna Broad (12. Gemma Ridge 81), 11. Gina Payne
Subs Not Used: 14. Nicola McCormack, 15. Vic Crawford.
Manager Hugo Langton was pleased with the way his side went about the task and hopes his side can climb the league table in the New Year: "It wasn't a 4-1 game. Their third knocked the stuffing out of us again. The main thing is that we have improved this week, like I said before, with small steps. There is a lot of hard work ahead but we are all up for it to turn our form around in the New Year.
"We spent a lot of time in <place>Colchester's half this week, but just often lacked that final ball. We worked hard last week in training and at times it showed as we did at times have some good possession and pressure. We will be training over the festive period as it is now key to keep working hard and maintain our ever improving fitness. We gave some silly goals away today, but I was again pleased with Pip Lawrence and also Charlotte Thurston when she came on in the second half - there is a lot more to come from these two. Jac Fiddyment also was terrific".
19 November
Gillingham 0 Charlton 10
When you consider 10 is a full England international, the keeper was ex under-19, 2 4 and 8 are all England under 21's and that 6 represented England at volleyball, it doesn't read that badly.... The Gills Ladies were outclassed by Premier League side Charlton Athletic Ladies in the Kent FA Womens Cup…
Charlton secured the victory with a hat-trick from England striker Ann-Marie Heatherson, braces from Maria Bertelli and Lauren Phillips as well as goals from Hazanna Parnell, Jennie Nobis and an unfortunate own goal from Lianne Stevens
Gills Manager Hugo Langton was forced into a late change during the warm-up with vice-captain Kelly Seath being replaced by Gemma Ridge.
The Gills started off brightly and in the opening minutes, Gina Payne and Anna Broad were causing problems for the Charlton defence.
Charlton broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Heatherson reacted quickest in a goalmouth scramble and stabbed the ball past Alison Smith in the Gills goal.
Gills centre-half Jac Fiddyment was the heroine for her side in the 19th minute when an excellent defence splitting pass from England Under-21 international Kimberley Dixson found Claire Tapp but Fiddyment cleared the Addicks left-winger’s shot off the line.
Charlton doubled their lead two minutes later thanks to Heatherson. England Under-21’s Gemma Ritchie struck a corner into the Gills box that Parnell struck, forcing a save from Smith, Dixson struck the rebound which was saved by Smith, and Heatherson buried the follow-up into the Gills net.
The Gills came close to pulling a goal back in the 34th minute when Stevens’ free-kick found Kirsty Woolard but her shot was saved by former England Under-19 goalkeeper Ebony Cabey-Gooden.
The Addicks lead was extended in the 36th minute when Tapp’s cross from the left wing was headed into her own net by right-back Stevens.
Gills captain Becky Lyon was the heroine in the 40th minute when she cleared Bertelli’s header, from a Ritchie corner, off the line.
Charlton scored their fourth goal on the stroke of half-time when Heatherson beat Gills left-back Whitney Judd and squared the ball to Nobis who slotted past Smith.
Langton used all three subs at half-time when Seath, Kirsty Goodall and Nicola McCormack replaced Fiddyment, Stevens and Ridge.
The Addicks got their fifth goal in the opening minute of the second-half when Parnell picked up a loose ball, rounded Smith and slotted home.
Gills midfielder Terri Reynolds had an excellent chance in the 49th minute but her 20 yard shot was well saved by Cabey-Gooden.
Heatherson secured her hat-trick in the 52nd minute when she sprung the Gills offside trap, rounded Smith and rolled the ball into the empty net.
Nobis and Tapp were replaced by Phillips and Kelly Kashana in the 60th minute.
Disaster struck the Gills in the 66th minute when they conceded two goals. Firstly, Phillips picked up a loose ball and chipped Smith for the seventh goal and then from the restart, Heatherson ran down the left beat Smith and squared to Bertelli who tapped the ball into the empty net.
Phillips got her second goal of the game in the 82nd minute when she converted Heatherson’s square ball.
Charlton wrapped up the win in the 89th minute when Bertelli found a way through the Gills defence and stabbed the ball past Smith.
05 November
Northampton 4 Gillingham 1 Gillingham Ladies returned to League action on Sunday at Northampton Town, and were promptly brought back down to earth after last weeks terrific FA Cup win, as they were easily beaten 4-1 by their hosts. The opening quarter of an hour was somewhat scrappy, the Gills were trying to settle down and pass the ball, while Northampton seemed content with a route one approach by pumping long balls over the top of the Gillingham defence. It became clear in the early exchanges that Northampton were beginning to boss the midfield and were finding plenty of space for themselves. The home side took the lead in the 15th minute when a goal kick from Alison Smith was headed back over the top of the Gills defence. Gills centre back Kelly Seath was arguably fouled by Northampton’s number 9 who went on to slot the ball past Smith.
Northampton continued to press forward and most of the play in the opening half was in the Gillingham half. However the back line of Lyon, Fiddyment, Seath and Judd were holding the home side at bay with some spirited defending. Chances were thin for the Gills with Anna Broad going close on two occasions. Northampton created further chances but some outstanding goal keeping from Smith kept the Gills in the game. The game was effectively won by Northampton in the last 5 minutes of the first half, as they scored twice, although Gills keeper Smith was clearly fouled for the third.
As the second half got underway, manager Hugo Langton made three changes, bringing Leanne Stevens for Les Kay, Nicola McCormack for Terri Reynolds and Gemma Ridge for Kirsty Goodall. Kirsty Woolard slotted in the centre of midfield with Stevens to add a bit of extra grit.
The Gills pulled a goal back in the 60th minute when a Stevens free kick found leading scorer Gina Payne who made no mistake from 10 yards out. The Gills continued to rally and created further opportunities with both Payne and Broad going close.
Northampton too pressed as the game became a little more open, but again Smith came to the Gills rescue with some excellent goal keeping.
Northampton wrapped up the game in the 82nd minute. The ball appeared to have gone out for a throw down the left flank, but credit to the Northampton forward who kept going and somehow managed to slip the ball past Smith to wrap up the 3 points for the home side.
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