First League Defeat For Ladies

Dartford Royals (0) 1

Herne Bay Ladies (0) 0

at The Elite Venue

SECWFL Premier Division
Sunday 8th February 2015.

by Peter Guise

(photo credit: Peter Guise – Carly Farrow slides the ball past the advancing ‘keeper but it goes inches wide)

Herne Bay Ladies, missing six players from their squad through injury, sickness and unavailability, surrendered their undefeated league record to title rivals Dartford Royals although with games in hand a single reverse will not signal the end of championship ambitions.

“It’s very frustrating not because of the match”, said Bay Ladies manager Anthony Deer, ”but because of only having 11 available for the biggest match of the season so far!”

Dartford Royals enjoyed the majority share of possession in the opening phase of the match moving the ball smartly between them to set up plays without unduly threatening the Bay goal. Indeed, in the first 45 minutes, once Bay had settled down, it was they that had the best chances. Carly Farrow sprung the offside trap and slid the ball past the advancing Royal’s ‘keeper only to see her shot go narrowly wide of the Royals’ right hand post. Vicky Holness brought a smart save out of the ‘keeper from an acute angle and was harshly pulled up by the club linesman’s raised flag when breaking from behind the play to spring an offside trap.

After the break chances fell to both sides. Sarah Cooper turned a seemingly goal bound shot over the bar whilst Isabella Tullett repeated Carly Farrow’s first half attempt by sliding the ball wide. It looked likely that one goal would take all the points and that was to prove the case when, with 15 minutes to go, a speculative curling effort from distance struck Bay’s left hand upright, then rebounded of the luckless Cooper and into the visitor’s net. Bay pressed hard but could not force an equaliser, deserved perhaps for effort alone.

“I can't fault any one of the 11 today”, said a clearly disappointed Deer, “they worked hard in a tight game with both teams creating chances. Always one goal that would decide the fixture unfortunately it went against us, however, we move on!”

Herne Bay Ladies: Sarah Cooper, Emma Brown, Kayleigh Mount, Beth Nugent, Debbie Blackmore, Bella Smith, Carly Farrow, Sarah Holmes, , Isabella Tulett, Vicky Holness, Rachel Tracy.

Herne Bay Player of the Match: Sarah Cooper