For the second time in as many weeks the Ladies took on
Beighton Magpies at a sunny yet still a bit nippy Inkersall Road. The Magpies
are still flying high at the top of the league but have played as many as five
more games than their nearest challengers - Sheffield Wednesday Reserves and
sit only 1 point above the owls, who must be favourites to take the Division
One title this season....
...Nonetheless the Owls still have to overhaul Beighton’s
points total and so they are going into their remaining games determined to win
them thus piling the pressure back onto the chasing pack, the classic tussle of
points in the bag v games in hand.
In the away game Staveley could only muster 10 players for
the first half and just one more in the second and put in one of their best
performances of the season before eventually losing the game 2-0. For this game
the total opposite occurred and not only were there 11 players to take to the
field the bench was full too, (there were even volunteers for the assistant
referee's role). So this allowed Teresa Oliver for the first time this season to
spend the match directing proceedings from the touchline.
Staveley in all blue got the game underway kicking towards
the school end, and after a few minutes Karla Burton found space down the left
and crossed for Leanne Millington but her strike towards goal unfortunately
went wide.
The Magpies then went forward and Staveley had Lorna Wakem
in goal to thank when she got a touch to a cross, from the right taking it off
the striker’s head who was just about to apply the finishing touch.
Carly Rowlands was next to try her luck when she pounced on
a moment of hesitation in the Magpies defence following Leanne Millingtons
flick on from Cheryl Smiths throw-in. Rowlands half volley across goal had the
goalkeeper beaten all ends up but it just crept wide of the far post.
Staveley were well in the game and arguably deserved to be
in front but it was Beighton who scored the opening goal when Samantha Hale
headed home from a corner.
Staveley MW Ladies 0 – 1 Beighton Magpies
Undeterred Staveley went on the attack with a bit of magic
from Billie Gordon, who nipped between two defenders before moving the ball
away from the third with her right foot and then past with her left all in the
same movement only for the fourth
defender to smash the ball clear as far as Karla Burton on the left wing. She
returned it with interest but her cross was cleared off the line before Anya
Taylor could apply the touch it needed.
However Taylor did get the required touch to a corner won, after
a break and shot from Sasha Lowe and scored with a header planted into the top
corner, just seconds before the half time whistle.
HT: Staveley MW Ladies 1 – 1 Beighton Magpies
Just past the hour Beighton fired a freekick towards Lorna
Wakem who dealt with the initial strike but couldn’t prevent Samantha Hale scoring
her second of the game from the rebound.
Staveley MW Ladies 1 – 2 Beighton Magpies
Hale had been injured in scoring that goal but strangely was
left on the field despite substitutes being available and she and the rest of
the defence struggled to contain Staveley who refused to give in, with Carly
Rowlands a constant threat. After she hit the post with a shot from a Billie
Gordon cross and Gordon herself had had a penalty claim waved away, Shannon
Briggs was on hand to apply the finishing touch to a corner at the far post to
claim a well-deserved point, and at the same time put the brakes on Beightons
title charge.
FT: Staveley MW Ladies 2 – 2 Beighton Magpies
Staveley goals
Team:Karla Burton, Billie Gordon, Samantha Kirk, Georgia Lowe,
Sasha Lowe, Leanne Millington, Carly Rowlands, Cheryl Smith, Anya Taylor, Lorna
Wakem, Kirsty Woolley
Rolling subs: Shannon Briggs, Elle Johnson, Laura Poole,
Laurie Summers Carly Charlesworth
