3 Goals in 5 Minutes Give Ladies a Winning Start

Herne Bay (0) 4
Chapman 68, 90
Farmer 71, 73

Camden Town (1) 1
Taladianou 20

at Winch’s Field

L&SERWFL
Sunday 23rd August 2015.

Attendance: 66

by Peter Guise

(photo credit: Steve Barton: Danni Farmer (9) watches her chip register Bay’s 3rd goal as Mollie Proctor (15) wheels away in delight.)

3 goals in 5 second half minutes turned this game round for Herne Bay Ladies and secured an opening day win in their first ever game in the London & South East Regional Women’s Football League.

“I think we played well, I think that’s the best we’ve played in the last three seasons”, said manager Anthony Deer, “we certainly dominated the game but for one lapse of concentration when they scored their goal, we looked confident on the ball”.

Herne Bay had started brightly but fell behind in the 20th minute when Eleftheria Taladianou raced onto a through ball and slid her shot across the advancing Sarah Cooper. Both sides had been promoted from their respective leagues and continued to be evenly matched in the first half. Both preferred groundwork and the technical level on display was both entertaining and pleasing. Herne Bay did have chances to equalise before the break and can count themselves unlucky that they didn’t when Danni Farmer’s 30 yard strike came back off the Camden crossbar. Jusy before half time, Bay’s right back, ate Foster fell heavily on her right knee and had to be stretchered from the field and was later taken to hospital by the quickly summoned ambulance.

After the interval, Herne Bay changed up a gear. Emma Brown saw her shot pushed round the post for a corner by Bennett but then came an incredible five minutes when Chapman & Farmer, already forming what looks like becoming a formidable partnership in midfield, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and shook it until three points were safely tucked away in the locker. First, Harriett Chapman strode on to an intelligent lay back from Alex Roy and laced the ball into the net in the 68th minute to equalise. 3 minutes later Danni Farmer netted from a 35 yard free kick, then doubled her tally moments after with a chip over the ‘keeper from the edge of the box. Bay were now cruising and Chapman emphasised their grip on the stroke of full time when her cross cum shot from the right hand side of the penalty area sneaked over Bennett and in at the far post.

“I think come the end of September I’ll know a little bit more about the standards and teams we’ll be facing but we’ve just go to concentrate on us”, said Deer, “but if we play like this every week we could do well. I’ve said to the girls, all the games in this league will be like the cup finals we’ve played in the past. We’ve got Crawley Wasps next week away and that will be tough”.

Herne Bay Starting XI: Sarah Cooper, Kate Foster, Rachel Tracy, Beth Nugent, Debbie Blackmore, Carly Farrow, Danni Farmer, Harriett Chapman, Emma Brown, Alex Roy, Vicky Holness.

Herne Bay Subs: Kayleigh Mount, Amber Guyatt, Mollie Proctor, Kiya Mills.

Herne Bay Player of the Match: Danni Farmer.