ESSEX COUNTY WOMEN’S FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE

 Sunday 28^th March 2004

 Stifford Clays 1 – 2 Chelmsford City

 On a small bumpy pitch, it was Chelmsford who took a seventh-minute lead, Emma Ridings heading a Lucy Garrett corner home from close range. Minutes earlier, Ridings had a carbon-copy header pushed away by the home keeper.

    The home side made it hard for City throughout but it was Chelmsford who were creating the sporadic chances.  Stifford Clays used the long ball and small pitch to good effect but found it hard to find a way past a hard-working City defence.

    Paula Drane saw her lob go over the crossbar after a fine Sharon Brownlie through-ball saw Drane beat the off-side trap on 35 minutes and two minutes later Garrett saw her cross-cum-shot from the right go inches over the crossbar.

    On the stroke of half-time, Martine Harman’s defensive header fell to Emma Wells and her early pinpoint pass saw Drane calmly stroke a left-foot shot into the far bottom corner to give City a two-goal lead at the break.

    Stifford pulled a goal back early in the second half after a long drop-kick downfield deep into the City half caught the defence out and a striker ran through to stroke the ball past City’s keeper Carly Waters.

    Both sides worked hard with City again having the best chances, Drane having two efforts go wide of the post and a strong penalty appeal for hand ball turned down.  City brought on Under 16 team striker Lisa Nepean for her senior debut who immediately had a right-foot shot flash wide of the post and continued to impress with some strong work.

    The home side had one chance with a header from a corner going over the bar towards the end buy City returned with the three points as they move into third place in the table.

CHELMSFORD CITY: Waters, Harman (Terrell), Vernon, Marshall, Bell, Wells (Nepean), Brownlie, Ridings, Drane, Madlin and Garrett.