Eastern Region Women’s Football League

League Cup – First Round

 Sunday 19^th February 2006

 Chelmsford City 0 – 3 Peterborough

 CHELMSFORD City crashed out of the League Cup competition at the weekend, losing 3 – 0 to a quality Peterborough side after a gritty display of football.  The home team faced an unenviable task against opposition lying in second place in the Premier Division, and with skipper Liz Marshall also missing, there was a huge void to fill in the centre of City’s defence.

    However, Chelmsford rose to the challenge and made a confidant start to the game, some impressive defending from the reshuffled back-line keeping Peterborough’s nippy strikers at bay.

    After 20 minutes of hard work the visitors showed their calibre, as a Peterborough striker capitalised on a City defender out of position to firstly tuck into the space, then shrug off her marker and coolly slot home the opening goal.  By half-time the favourites to win this tie had doubled their lead, courtesy of a dubious goal which looked to be off-side, nevertheless the goal was given and Peterborough carried a 2-0 lead into the second half.

    The Clarets carried their positive attitude into the second period, and despite a forced substitution in a already depleted defence, they battled away regardless, putting up a real fight against an exceptional Peterborough team.  The away side netted their third goal just ten minutes in to effectively end City’s hope of progression through to the quarter-finals, but still Chelmsford battled away, playing with great pride against tough opposition.

    City themselves created a number of chances throughout and had they converted some of these the scoreline may have been different but remained at 3-0 until the final whistle, and despite the defeat City can be proud of their efforts against a classy Peterborough side, a performance which they will be looking to carry into next Sunday’s League game away to White Horse Seltic.

    Laura Kendle picked up the Player of the Match award after a sound display at the heart of City’s defence.  Amy Vernon and Vanessa Smith put in a solid displays while Laura Brown and Emma Wells, both inexperienced in defence worked tirelessly as Chelmsford did very well to restrict their opponents to just three goals