Women's football news
Rookettes’
Border Raid Brings Points Back To Lewes
Three was the magic number on Sunday as Lewes, led by
inspirational skipper Kelly Newton, twice came from behind to beat a
much-improved Cardiff City side.
City, after back-to-back wins, a 4-3 victory at QPR and a
3-1 win over Leyton Orient in the league cup, started well. So well, in fact,
they were ahead within the first minute. With the visitors not yet set Cori
Williams, a thorn in the Lewes side all afternoon, reacted first to flick a
high ball past Faye Baker and into the net.
Stunned, Lewes responded, launching a series of attacks
through the ever-industrious Dani Lane and the tricky Avilla Bergin. Six
minutes later they were level. Estelle Randall made a superb save after a
scramble in the Cardiff box. Newton pounced, striking her left foot finish past
the Cardiff keeper for 1-1.
Lewes, without several key players, struggled to gain
supremacy. On 32 minutes Kelly Isaac sent her 25 yard free kick inches over Baker’s
bar. Lewes forced five corners in a row but failed to convert one before
Cardiff took the lead once more. Williams again, this time from a delightful
free kick, curled in from a central position to beat Baker and fly in off the
underside of the cross bar. 2-1.
Laura Williams almost made it three before the break, her
effort clipping the outside of the post.
HT 2-1.
Driving rain greeted the un-changed sides after the break.
Bergin tested Randall before Lewes levelled, once again through their Captain.
Katie McIntyre with the trademark dead-ball delivery, Newton rising highest to
head home. 2-2.
Lewes pressed, eager for a winner. Lisa Fulgence, making her
first FA WPL appearance in the Lewes first XI, had several chances as the ball
the ball ricocheted around the Cardiff area but the home side blocked them all.
When Lewes did cut through they found Randall in fine form, diving to tip one
shot over the bar, another past the post. Despite a mounting corner count Lewes
just couldn’t get over the line.
Enter Rachel Palmer (for Natasha Wells) and Georgia Bridges
(for Fulgence). Palmer’s first touch, on 78 minutes, was a sweet left footed
free kick that beat Randall all ends up, but not the crossbar. Bridges,
typically brave, launched herself at the rebound to head home. FT 2-3.
Lewes manager John Donoghue was pleased with the team’s work
rate and ability to get the job done on a day where the ball wouldn’t bounce
for them.
‘We conceded early. We’ve made a mistake and you’re
disappointed with that, but the reaction was as you’d expect from this team. They
dug in and worked hard. We had to reshape the team a bit this week due to
injuries and availability, yet they found a way to get the win and bring the
points home.’
Lewes host league leaders Charlton Athletic women at the
Dripping pan on Sunday, when the club launch their Unlock The Gate campaign, to
mark 100 years of women’s right to vote.
More on that here: