Essex County Women's Football League Division One, Sunday 29th January
Sunday saw me over at Stambridge Memorial Ground as Corinthians Ladies saw second half goals from Ashley Debnam & Katy Judd help the hosts to a very hard fought win over Southminster United Ladies, sending themselves up to fifth in the ECWFL Division One in the process.
This was Corinthians first league game since mid November, and in fact they had only played a couple of cup games since then because of scheduling and the weather of course, so they were probably a bit uncooked coming into this one (their last game was two weeks ago) and to be honest their opponents hadn't played much more in that period too, with their last league outing two weeks ago, with the previous one being in November too, so a bit of a pain all round really.
This was only the hosts sixth league contest of the campaign and they had won two of those, drawn one and lost two, so rather mixed as they sat in seventh spot out of eleven sides but knowing a win here would take them up to fifth, whereas the visitors had lost all seven games so far in the league and although their defensive record wasn't great, they had only conceded twenty four in those seven games, however it was their goal scoring that was the real issue, just four in those seven games thus far, so that would need to improve if they were to try and get away from the bottom of the division.
Southminster's last cup game at the start of December saw them net twelve in a one sided thumping at the expense of Great Bradfords, showing they could at least net plenty if they wanted too, and that was their only win in all comps so far, but their goal scoring in the league issues came to the fore early on in this one as they missed a great chance to go in front but saw hosts keeper Zoe Brown thwart them, but in the shape of skilful Cerys Cook and the rapid Amy Yeldham down the right, the visitors were giving the hosts a lot of headaches.
The first period certainly saw the visitors have the better openings as the hosts just could not get going and were cutting frustrated figures indeed, their main threat seemed to come through Debnam and also Marie Barker when she entered the fray midway through the opening half, and in fact it was Barker who had Corinthians best opening at the end of the half but she could only prod wide whilst under pressure from visiting keeper Jade Oyler.
No doubt hosts manager Daniel Mann had much to say in the changing room at half time, they were being outfought by the bottom side and were lucky to be level at the break, but the signs were promising in the early stages of the second period for the hosts as they began to finally exert some prolonged pressure on the visitors defence, but found them and their keeper Oyler hard to break down.
Midway through the second half though came the breakthrough, and it was very tough on the visitors in the way it came about, as a shot from Debnam seemed easy for keeper Oyler, but, the ball seemed to deviate off a very worn out patch in the six yard box, and catch the keeper out and see the ball go through her grasp and into the net, it was hard on Oyler as she had had a good game, but the visitors would now have to try and find a goal from somewhere.
It was apparent that the hosts needed another goal to be safe as Southminster were looking threatening when they went forward, and at pace too, and one such moment saw a delightful run from Amy Day from her on box right up the field into the danger zone, however the attack fizzled out when her cross was cleared, but she was looking dangerous when she burst forward, as were the hosts through that combination of Debnam and Barker amongst others.
Judd had also come on the field as was giving the visitors back line food for thought, and she was the one to double Corinthians advantage with seven minutes to go to clinch this one, although again it was a bizarre goal, as an attempted clearance from a defender hit Judd and trickled past Oyler and go into the net, it all seemed to happen in slow motion, which agony for the visitors who had worked so hard.
The hosts though had been much improved in the second period but had to dig deep to get the win in this one against a very hard working Southminster outfit who will surely pick up some points before long, their work rate alone deserves that, but they remain bottom and six points behind Stanway Rovers Reserves and Blackmore who are directly above them.
For the hosts it's win number three of their league campaign, and they rise to fifth now and eight points behind the leaders and six off fourth placed Tigers and will hope they can have a good run of form now and propel them further up the standings.
Full time Corinthians Ladies 2 Southminster United Ladies 0
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