PETERSFIELD TOWN KESTRELS 0 – 2 READING GIRLS WHITES

(Subs: Ciara, Michaela)

After the expectation of an extremely long journey, we were all in the car park with time to spare! A grey, bitter day today as the girls respected the minute’s silence prior to kick off. 

Charlotte stepped up as captain this week and started the game in midfield.  The game was tight with play going from one end to the other but Shanna and Lauren were strong at the back and dealt with any Petersfield advances.  Jade battled hard, also playing in midfield this week, and won the ball well putting it through for Chloe Smith but she was tackled and the ball was cleared.  As Charlotte reverted back to her comfortable defensive role, Lauren came forward and slotted the ball through to Melissa on the left, she took it into the box and shot, the keeper saved and then also denied Chloe’s follow up chance.  Again Lauren knocked the ball forward to Melissa, who passed back to Lauren, her shot being defended away for a corner.  Charlotte took a goal kick out wide to Jade who battled and kept possession crossing in to Chloe, whose effort crossed the goal and no-one was there to tap it home.  (Charlotte, Chloe off/Ciara, Michaela on).  Petersfield then attacked but Shanna worked hard and managed to clear the danger.  Petersfield challenged again, this time Ciara cleared to Shanna who miss-kicked and the player got past her but Ella was there to save comfortably.  Shanna knocked the ball up to Michaela who ran on through on her own but her shot was saved by the Kestrel’s keeper.  Melissa did well on the left passing on to Lauren, she took a shot from the edge of the box but again the keeper saved.  (Ciara, Michaela off/Charlotte, Chloe on).  Chloe had a chance going forward and managed to keep going into the box shadowed by the Kestrels defender but her shot was put out for a corner.  It was stalemate at the break and we wondered if we were ever going to score today!

Half time: Petersfield Town Kestrels 0 – 0 Reading Girls Whites

Second half

Whites came out with confidence forcing a couple of early corners both coming out to Shanna on the edge of the area to blast in but both were cleared.  Jade won the ball on the right, kept it in and ran forward, she then crossed to Chloe, who kept possession, turned and shot, but the keeper was there to save.  (Shanna, Chloe off/Ciara, Michaela on).  Melissa took a long throw in into the box to Jade and her shot went just wide.  Petersfield then attacked with a girl through but Ciara and Charlotte backtracked and forced her to shoot wide.  Charlotte then won the ball and charged down the right wing passing several players on the way, she crossed in to Melissa, whose shot was saved but the goal kick was weak and Melissa picked up the ball and shot back just wide.  Jade passed in to Michaela, who put it back to Lauren, she shot and it looked like we had scored but the keeper saved on the line and the referee decided the ball hadn’t fully crossed the line and it remained goalless.  (Ciara, Michaela off/Shanna, Chloe on).  Another long throw in fell to Chloe in the box and her chance was cleared.  Chloe then ran from midfield into the box but some great keeping denied her then again the keeper caught the follow up.  Melissa and Shanna both had chances cleared away from the goal.  From defence Charlotte cleared up to Chloe she ran on into the box and slipped the ball through to Melissa on her own, she shot and the keeper caught it but this time the referee deemed her catch to be over the line and at last we had scored (0-1).  Melissa then became provider, passing into the box to Chloe who drove her shot through the defenders legs and past the keeper to score (0-2).  Melissa then passed to Jade who managed to keep the ball in, crossing it to Chloe, this time her effort was saved.

We created a lot of chances today but excellent defending and goal keeping from Petersfield denied us but we persisted and it paid off and was worth the long journey in the end!!!!

Full time:  Petersfield Town Kestrels 0 – 2 Reading Girls Whites

Whites: Ella, Charlotte, Shanna, Melissa(1), Lauren, Jade, Michaela, Chloe Smith, Ciara

LS