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Sunday 21 September 2003 Women's Premier Reserve League Division 2 South
AFC Wimbledon
2
-
2
Bristol Rovers Ladies Reserves
Match report
AFC WIMBLEDON LADIES RESERVES 2 BRISTOL ROVERS LADIES RESERVES 2
A draw was probably a fair result in this hard fought league encounter at Dorking on Sunday but amazingly the Bristol Rovers equaliser came in the 17th minute of added time.
For the second week running AFC?s young reserve side?s first half performance lacked the cohesion that they are noted for. Strikers Lekesha James and Michelle Storrier were starved of decent ball and it was left to lively winger Roxanne Camp to provide the few moments of promise down the right hand side. It was Rovers that caught the eye with some neat football in midfield but they did not trouble the home defence, although Immy Hillyard did well to race back and hook a lofted shot off the line.
It was not long into the second half that AFC took the lead. With just 3 minutes on the clock the Rovers keeper?s weak goal kick put her defender under pressure and Rachel Woodland, continuing her impressive form from the previous week, dispossessed her and struck a left footed drive into the bottom corner. With Kelly Nethercoat and Rose Maskell in combative form in the middle of the park AFC picked up the pace and enjoyed a period of sustained pressure. Rovers however pegged them back on the hour mark. A long through ball saw the speedy Rovers winger adjudged to have been brought down in the area by the advancing Charlotte Nash in the home goal, Amy Anderson coolly slotting the spot kick home.
Nash soon redeemed herself, diving to her left to brilliantly turn a goal bound shot round the post. With 10 minutes of normal time remaining AFC regained the lead when a fine Camp cross caused panic in the Rovers box and Maskell hammered her shot through the crowded area and into the net. With Toni Taylor looking solid at the back AFC thought the points were secure but a number of injuries meant AFC had to reshuffle their resources and Rovers took advantage. American Stef Lappen turning her marker on the edge of the box to curl a left footed shot past the despairing dive of Nash with virtually the last shot of the match.
A bruising second half had resulted in a number of stoppages but the final whistle left AFC?s supporters scratching their heads wondering where the 17 extra minutes came from.
