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Wednesday 15 October 2003
FA Nationwide Women's Premier League, Southern Division
| AFC Wimbledon |
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1 |
Brighton & Hove Albion Ladies |
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Match report
AFC WIMBLEDON LADIES 2 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION LADIES 1
Dons roared to their third consecutive win, and their second resounding 2-1 win in four days, to consolidate fourth position and edge closer to third place. Sarah Mulligan replaced Jane Walker-Smith, otherwise it was the same team that beat Barnet on Sunday, with Keisha Ramos returning to the bench after injury.
Both sides started slowly, wary of conceding an early goal after the 1-1 draw at Three Bridges earlier in the season, but AFC came to life in the twelfth minute; Laura Smith's clever volley over the defence was controlled by Beth Sims who beat her marker and forced a save from Brighton keeper Charlotte Sole. Less than a minute later and Maria Bertelli forced another save from the keeper and just sixty seconds later Sims latched onto a ball over the top but watched her lob drift wide. With still only seventeen minutes gone the lively Sims chased down her own knock on between two defenders but shot straight at the keeper. Michelle Riley's in-swinging corner forced Sole to tip-over on the back foot after twenty minutes. Midway through the half Brighton had their first effort, breaking through on the right but shooting across the face of the goal. AFC took this to heart and Sarah Mulligan's twice taken free-kick found Michelle Riley at the back post and she looped a header back over into the opposite corner of the net. Ten minutes later Amy Price, proving a bold foil for Sims, was fed a near perfect 35 yard through-ball by Bertelli, but just lost the chase with the keeper and was clattered to the ground. Three minutes before the break Dons doubled their lead, another pin-point cross from Bertelli from the right side found Lauren Nuttall alone at the back post, and she coolly controlled the ball before slotting past the advancing keeper. There was still time for Sims to take a through ball and clip the post before half-time.
The second half, crowd buoyed by the reserve team who had finished training next door, proved more of the same, although Tracey Perry had twice to be quick off her line to clear early on. Ten minutes into the half Sims shot wide, and a couple of minutes later Bertelli headed over Mulligan's fine cross. Five minutes later Mulligan herself was denied by the keeper with a powerful free-kick. Despite the Dons dominance, Brighton should have pulled one back after 71 minutes when their substitute raced clean through but could only shoot wide. A double substitution immediately after saw the forward pair replace by Keisha Ramos and Jessica Lewis-Cole, and the game petered out a little. With five minutes to go Perry was called into action again, saving well from Emma Watts and two minutes later, up the other end, Lewis-Cole battled well to out-do the keeper and a defender, but shot wide of the post with the goal open and waiting. Brighton snatched on in injury time, Watts breaking down the left and sliding the ball under Parry from ten yards, and almost from the restart only a last gasp clearance off the line saved Dons blushes, but they held out for the win. |
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