Tracy Trumps Hillians

Burgess Hill Town Ladies (0) 0

Herne Bay Ladies (4) 5
Holness 17, 32
Tracy 21, 30
Foster 79

at Leylands Park

SECWFL Premier Division
Sunday 1st March 2015.

by Peter Guise

(photo credit: Peter Guise – Rachel Tracy fires home a 35 yard free kick)

This game had been scheduled to be played at Ryman League standard Leylands Park but, with that pitch being declared unfit by the parent club, Herne Bay agreed to move the game to the 2nds pitch outside the main stadium and came away with 3 points toward the league championship charge, cruising to a four goal lead with just over half an hour played.

“After a long drive up, we needed to ensure we were up and ready for this match”, said Bay Ladies manager Anthony Deer, ”A slow start but once we found our rhythm it was only a matter of time”.

Playing with a brisk breeze at their backs in the opening half Bay took full advantage of the conditions with Beth Nugent going close in the 3rd minute and Harriett Chapman having a shot cleared off the line in the 12th. But, five minutes later, Bay were ahead when Chapman fed Vicky Holness who slid the ball across the face of the ‘keeper and into the net. Four minutes later the lead was doubled in audacious fashion. Skipper Rachel Tracy let fly from no more than a yard inside the Hillians’ half and her wind assisted effort flew over the home goalkeeper’s head and into the goal via the custodian’s finger tips. Then Tracy doubled here quota for the match and took her season tally to 4 when she drove a free kick home from all of 35 yards. Bay were now flying, and with 16 year old Emily Brown starting in place of the unavailable Sarah Holmes turning in a player of the match performance that may yet see her selected more often in the starting line up, the destiny of all three points was beyond reasonable doubt. Within two minutes of that awesome Tracy free kick Bay scored their fourth for the afternoon. Carly Farrow put Vicky Holness through on the right and she rounded the ‘keeper to slot the ball home.

After the break, despite playing with the slope but into the wind, Bay seemed to relax. They might have stretched their lead with Tulett shooting wide after being put through by Holness and a cheky chip from the latter went inches wide of Burgess Hill’s left hand post. But, inevitably, a further goal settled any spirited fightback the Hillians might have harboured thought about when 11 minutes from time Kate Foster twisted and turned her way through the area to drive home Bay’s fifth.

This victory puts Herne Bay Ladies up to 3rd in the Premier Division, 11 points behind leaders Dartford Royals but with five games in hand as they chase a third successive promotion.

“Three well worked goals, a decent free kick and a great strike ensured the three points”, said Deer, “to win this league it's going to be tough for March on the road, but no-one said it will be easy!”

Herne Bay Ladies Match Squad: Sarah Cooper, Kayleigh Mount, Nicola Harris, Beth Nugent, Debbie Blackmore, Kate Foster, Carly Farrow, Harriett Chapman, Emily Brown, Vicky Holness, Rachel Tracy, Bella Smith, Isabella Tulett, Ashley Bantges.

Herne Bay Player of the Match: Emily Brown