Women's football news
Written by: Joe
Lois Roche’s long-range strike helped Lewes Women to a 1-1 draw against Watford on Sunday and cap off a strong week for the Rooks.
Coming in off the back of Wednesday’s WNL Cup win over Worthing, the Rooks knew Watford – new to the third tier after also suffering relegation last season – would be no easy task.
But Roche’s goal and a strong performance between the sticks from Player of the Match Emily Moore ensured the points were deservedly shared on a hot day at the Pan.
Lewes started the brighter of the two teams but it was Moore who was the more active goalkeeper. She punched away a dangerous free-kick in the opening throes, and then could only watch as Jessie Gale narrowly went wide midway through the half.
Only a sublime tackle from the tracking-back Hannah Godfrey denied Gale in a one-on-one situation with Moore, while the goalkeeper also kept her nerve to get to a low Coral Haines shot before the break.
Lewes began to play their way into the game after the half-hour mark. First Paula Howells found enough space to deliver a tempting low cross that evaded all but a Watford boot. Then Godfrey twisted in the box from a set piece to cross across goal, with Watford’s Anna Filbey almost converting into her own net.
Roche had one last effort easily saved from Maria O’Sullivan heading into the break – but the Hornets goalkeeper wouldn’t be so fortunate next time.
Lewes started on the front foot in the second half and Roche popped up with the opener on 47 minutes. Watford twice failed to clear their lines from an Izzy Glass-Oliver free-kick and the ball eventually fell back to Roche, who controlled and pulled the trigger from all of 30 yards.
The ball skipped off the turf and beyond O’Sullivan to put the Rooks 1-0 up.
Less than a minute later and Layla Proctor also had a go from distance but her effort fell into O’Sullivan’s hands. It was the same outcome when Howells, on the hour mark, cut inside from the right and went for goal, only to find the keeper.
With 23 minutes on the clock Lewes were pushing for a second when Watford, who themselves had peppered the Rooks box with numerous crosses, got their leveller. Gale managed to slip between Glass-Oliver and Godfrey, and poked the ball past Moore.
Cue a period of Watford pressure that was only broken when Proctor burst through on goal, before she was brought down by Sophie McLean. A yellow card was shown and nothing came of the resulting free-kick.
As the game entered stoppage time Howells saw one last chance go awry, while Moore kept her composure under a string of high balls delivered into the Rooks box. In the end, a 1-1 draw felt like a fair result from an afternoon that necessitated two drinks breaks under the glare of the Sussex sun.
Lewes FC XI: Moore, Brant, Schreimairer, Glass-Oliver, Godfrey, Thomas, Proctor, Carpenter, Curran, Howells, Roche.
Subs: Hunkin, Eze, Fatuga-Dada, Connolly-Brame (76′ for Thomas), Adaway (87′ for Proctor), Gilligan (81′ for Roche)