Bay Stumble & Stutter in Search of Success

Parkwood Rangers Ladies (3) 3
Mugami 4, Vaughan 20, 28

Herne Bay Ladies (2) 3
Foster 9, Holness 13, Tracy 47

at Bexley Sports Park

SECWFL League Cup Premier Division
Sunday 15th March 2015.

by Peter Guise

(photo credit: Peter Guise – Rachel Tracy salvages a point with a trademark free kick.)

Herne Bay Ladies are stumbling and stuttering on final approach and it took a trade mark free kick just after the interval from skipper Rachel Tracy to rescue a point toward the title tally. “It's difficult to put into words how and what is going on”, said Herne Bay Ladies manager Anthony Deer, “we are making very hard work of teams that we should be beating”.

It was always going to be tough against a Rangers outfit that had stoically snatched a point at Winch’s Field a few weeks ago and Bay suffered the worst possible start to this encounter when they fell behind in the 4th minute to Rachel Mugami’s strike. It stung the championship chasers into action who responded just five minutes later with a sweetly struck drive from outside the box from Kate Foster’s right foot and this, after Beth Nugent had twice been denied with goal-line clearances. Back on level terms and it looked like Bay were going to grasp the game by the scruff of the neck when Vicky Holness had the simplest of tap-ins at the back post from an inch perfect right wing cross by Isabella Tulett. Just 13 minutes had elapsed!

Rangers were not to be denied though, needing points to avoid relegation they strode forward with ease playing a neat brand of passing football that gave them control of the midfield. It paid dividends in the 20th minute when from a corner on the left, Emily Vaughan rose at the near post to head home. Just 8 minutes later Vaughan was allowed acres of space running through from midfield to rifle a ground skimmer into the far right corner from distance. Rangers were ahead and alarm bells were beginning to ring in the Bay technical area, their miserly defence had let in just 8 goals in 13 league games but had now conceded 3 in the space of 28 first half minutes.

After the break, just 2 minutes into the second period Bay captain, Rachel Tracy, settled the visitor’s nerves, supplying the equaliser from a flighted free kick, her fifth goal of the season. It always looked as though there were more goals in this game. Kimberley Green’s distribution for Rangers was key for the home side and both first half goalscorers, Mugami and Vaughan, threatened the visitors ambitions. Herne Bay might have stolen all the points moments before the end, and theft it would have amounted to, when Vicky Holness had her shot superbly saved by the advancing Kelly Amer.

“After the horrendous start we picked ourselves up and pushed and always looked like scoring, two goals came which settled us but then we stopped doing what we are good at and found ourselves behind again before half time”, said Deer, “Everyone is getting frustrated but our resilience shone through as we got back to basics and with another road trip ahead next Sunday we need to make sure we refocus and get the next three points”

Parkwood Rangers Ladies Match Squad: Kelly Amer, Natalie Parr, Jordan Springett, Jade Goodall, Skye McNally, Rachel Mugami, Emily Vaughan, Hayley Thomas, Corrie Goodhew, Jessie Holman, Kimberley Green, Courtney Durham, Ellen Oaten, Alanna Royston,Emily Chapman.

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

Herne Bay Player of the Match: Carly Farrow