EASTERN REGION WOMEN’S FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE EAST

 Sunday 19^th September 2004

 Chelmsford City 5 – 2 Stanway

     CHELMSFORD City were looking to follow on from last Sunday’s first league win and took this game by the horns by totally dominating the opening 25 minutes.

    City opened the scoring after 11 minutes when City’s player of the match, Shirley Cole, crossed to Kerri Binks who beat the defender to the ball giving the keeper no chance.  City continued to apply pressure with their midfield closing the Stanway players down at the earliest opportunity.  The few times Stanway managed to mount a worthwhile attack around City’s box they found the Clarets’ defence in determined mood.

    Despite their dominance, City could not add to their lead and as Stanway’s confidence grew a spell of pressure saw them find the back of City’s net but the goal was ruled out for off-side. Carly Waters in the City goal had to be at her best moments later as she superbly saved another effort ensuring City enjoyed a slender one-goal lead at the break.

    Stanway started the second half well by applying early pressure on the City goal but a combination of missed chances and gritty defending meant they weathered the storm.

    Chelmsford extended their lead on 65 minutes following excellent work by Natalie Madlin down the right wing which saw Binks set up Emma Ridings who dispatched the ball into the right hand corner of the net.  Binks made it 3-0 0n 80 minutes when she bravely slid in with the keeper to poke the ball underneath her body to net.

    With the game opening up, a flurry of goals in the final ten minutes saw Stanway reduce the arrears but, straight away, City restored their three goal advantage when Sharon Brownlie picked out Binks who made no mistake.

    Stanway netted again with five minutes left following a cross from the right being converted but City had the last word with a superb individual goal by Cole.  She picked the ball up on the half-way line before a powerful run through the Stanway defence saw her finish magnificently.

    CHELMSFORD CITY: Waters, Thompson, Marshall, Bell, Harman, Madlin, Cole, Brownlie, Binks, Ridings, Garrett, Kendle and Smith.