Bay Maintain 100% Record

Cray Valley 0 (0)

Herne Bay FC Ladies (1) 3
Lauren Harris 37, 52
Lauren Williams 77

South East Counties Women's Football League Division One (East)
Sunday 28th October 2018

(photo: Lauren Harris nets he tenth of the season)

Bay maintained their 100% league record with, what seems by the scoreline, a comfortable seventh straight win in Division One East, but it was anything but, writes Peter Guise. They were made to work hard by a workmanlike Cray Valley despite the fact that the home side played the whole 90 minutes a player short of the full compliment and both Molly Hawkins and Anna Solan did enough to make Bay studious in defence when they needed to be.

That said, Bay found space all over the park opening up for them and, perhaps, one of the biggest surprises of the first half was that in took 37 minutes for them to take the lead. Lauren Harris with goal number nine of the season for her, so far. Playing up the hill in the second half, Bay found it easier to control their forays forward, with the ball holding up instead of running away downhill. Seven minutes after the turnaround Harris made it 2-0 with her tenth goal of the season. Lauren Williams put the game beyond doubt thirteen minutes before time and might have had a second soon after had it not been for the crossbar.

There were good performances from both Katie Reeves and Cara Lockwood who came into the matchday squad and got valuable minutes under their belts. Another, Isabelle Quinney had two attempts on goal but, generally, Bay did just enough whislt showing, in glimpses, what they are capable of.

"After the euphoria of last week's fantastic performance and win it was always going to be tough physically and more importantly mentally to be able to go again", said manager Peter Whittaker, "it was a credit to them that they got the win playing in second or third gear for much of the match so the signs are good. I want them to get back to their smooth football and to get their intensity back on track for the league cup game at Steyning next Sunday. But it's a big well done to all those who played today".

Herne Bay FC Ladies: Sarah Cooper (GK), Lucy Page, Kayleigh Mount, Jemma Barton, Saraya Phillips, Kate Foster (capt), Megan Pearce, Lauren Williams, Asmaa Hatim, Lauren Harris, Katie Reeves.

Roll on/roll off substitutes: Isabelle Quinney, Cara Lockwood.

Player of the Match: Lucy Page