Phoenix Rise above Bay

Herne Bay FC Women (1) 2
Sophie Gifford 28
Abigail Duff 87

Phoenix Sports (1) 4

SECWFL (Premier Division)
Sunday 29th September 2019
At The Kent Vehicles Stadium, Winch’s Field

Att: 55

Herne Bay Women returned to league duty looking for their first league goals and league points of the season, writes Peter Guise. They got the former but not the latter, although with a little more luck in the final third and a more solid defence they might have had both. They also came up against Talisha Hickson, the Phoenix goalkeeper in superlative form.

Phoenix took the lead in only the second minute, a speculative shot come cross from Phoebe Murton sailed into the far corner. But Bay fought back against the neat triangles of Phoenix and equalised just before the half hour mark through Sophie Gifford.

Having conceded early in the first half, the interval team talk included reference to not conceding early after the restart. That seemed to fall on deaf ears as Phoenix carved their way through again early on. Two more goals put the game out of reach although, in part, the acrobatics of Hickson contributed to a frustrating afternoon for Bay who gained some solace, at least, in reducing the deficit with a fine weaving solo run and finish from Abigail Duff.

“It’s been a tough start to the league campaign but we knew it would be harder than last season”, said manager Peter Whittaker, “I’m shocked we didn’t get anything from the game, but we had the chances and have only ourselves to blame for not putting them away”.

Herne Bay FC Women: Jasmin Connolly, Lucy Page, Molly Shipton, Jemma Barton, Kate Foster, Alice Phillips, Chloe Woolaway, Lillian Tucker, Megan Pearce, Sophie Gifford, Abigail Duff.

Roll on / roll off substitutes: Katie Reeves, Ellie Turner, Abbie Potter.

Player of the Match: Megan Pearce