Women's football news
Lewes 0-0 London Bees
FA Women’s Championship
Sunday 19 January
Lewes played their first game of 2020 and their first game with Simon Parker as First Team Manager as they earned a valuable point. However, they will be disappointed to have not collected all three against London Bees at the Dripping Pan.
It was a fast start from the Rooks who looked to assert some early dominance on the game.
The first chance came within two minutes when Caitlin Hayes played a great 40 yard diagonal ball over the top to Jess King, but her effort was blocked by the feet of Sarah Quantrill in the London Bees goal.
A minute later and Lewes thought they had taken the lead as the ball deflected off a defender and into the back of the net, but the flag was raised for offside from an earlier pass.
The next best chance came on 19 minutes. Katie Rood picked up the ball and fired a great shot at goal that beat the goalkeeper but rattled off the bar.
On 21 minutes the ball was in the back of the net for Lewes again as Emily Donovan thought she had scored, only for the flag to again be raised for offside.
It was all Rooks and the visitors first chance didn’t come until 27 minutes when they had a free kick in a dangerous place on the edge of the area. However, it came to nothing and as the ball was cleared the referee blew for a handball against the Rooks, but again, the Bees free kick did not test Issy Foster in the Lewes goal.
11 minutes later and Emma Jones had a free kick in a dangerous position. She attempted to find the near post, but Quantrill tipped it away for a corner which came to nothing.
The second half started slower compared to the first and it was the visitors who had the first chance on 54 minutes, but Amelia Hazard’s shot went over the bar.
On 61 minutes Rood pulled off some great play to win a free kick in a dangerous position. Jones stepped up to take it, but it was straight at the wall. A follow up cross was played in, but Hayes’ header went narrowly wide.
Moments later, Rood played a great lobbed ball through midfield to Jones who was through one on one and she managed to beat the goalkeeper, but not the post as it rebounded away from the goal.
Two new signings also made their debut in the game. Paula Howells and Ellie Leek both came on within ten minutes of each other as the Rooks searched for a goal.
A chance fell for Lewes on 81 minutes when Rood flicked a header goalward, but it went just wide of the post.
Five minutes later Ellie Noble played a free kick in to a dangerous area, but no one was able to direct it towards goal.
Full time and the game had somehow remained 0-0.
The result means Lewes sit eighth in the FA Women’s Championship. Next week they have a game against Billericay Town in the SSE Women’s FA Cup.
Lewes Starting XI: Foster; Cleverly (C), Hayes, Jones (Howells 67), Noble, King (Leek 77), Powell (Quayle 90), Donovan, O’Rourke, Rood
Subs not used: Baker, Rowbotham, Savva, Timoney
Yellow card: Powell 17
London Bees Starting XI: Quantrill; Wilson, West, Robert, Brooks, Pickett (Nunn 73), Horwood (O’Leary 84), Ward Chambers, Giddings (Gane 46), Gibson, Hazard
Subs not used: Hazelton, Finburgh, Dench, Forman,
Yellow card: Giddings 33
Attendance: 517