Ladies Lose at Langton

Herne Bay Ladies (0) 1
Jemma Barton 79

Bexhill Utd (1) 2
Lucy Knyght 20
Laura Bolton 50

South East Counties Women's Football League (Premier Division)
Sunday 1st April 2018

at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury

by Peter Guise
photocredit: Graham Miller

Due to fears about the pitch at Winch's Field, this game was switched to the artificial service at SLGSB at Canterbury but still drew a crowd in anticipation of Herne Bay Ladies continued revival. That, however, stalled with the Ladies not quite as on top of their game as they had been the previous week against high flying Worthing. Bexhill Utd completed the double over Bay who might have taken the lead before the visitors found their fluency. Chloe Woolaway fired over and Carly Farrow dragged her shot wide before Lucy Knyght capitalised on an uncharecteristic mistake from skipper Kate Foster and blasted the ball home from close range passed Rachel Tracy who had donned the gloves for the second successive match. Once again, Tracy pulled off some fine saves, but the goal seemed to slow the Bay response and with only five minutes of the second period gone, Bexhill doubled their lead when the ever dangerous Laura Bolton struck a second after the ball had rebounded off the crossbar. With 11 minutes to go Jemma Barton gave Bay hope of salvaging something from the game when she forced home Carly Farrow's corner from the left. It was not without controversy though as the referee gave the goal despite the assistant indicating that the whole of the ball may not have crossed the line. Perhaps it was justice for a penalty not given to the home side earlier for a clear handball that looked inside the area rather than out of it. The latter being the decision made.

Herne Bay Ladies missed their chance of getting off the bottom of the table as they battle to avoid relegation from the Premier Division. That fate remains in their own hands still as attention now turns to two double headers, both at Winch's Field, the first of which is on Sunday 22nd April.

Herne Bay Ladies: Rachel Tracy, Suraya Phillips, Kayleigh Mount, Debbie Blackmore, Jemma Barton, Kate Foster, Carly Farrow, Lucy Page, Asmaa Hatim, Chloe Woolaway, Maddy Chapman.

Subs Used: Monique Beaumont, Katie Reeves.

Subs not used: Isabelle Quinney