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Sunday 08 February 2004
FA Nationwide Women's Premier League, Southern Division
| AFC Wimbledon |
6 |
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2 |
Langford Ladies |
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Match report
AFC WIMBLEDON LADIES 6 LANGFORD LADIES 2
Manager Graham Newnham was delighted as Dons Ladies made it ten League games without defeat, keeping the pressure on Southampton Saints and Bristol City, by over-running a determined Langford side with a combination of slick passing, determination and pride.
For the first twenty minutes the ladies were rampant. Julie Bygrave opened the scoring after just five minutes, curling a peach into the corner from fifteen yards after a good cross in from the right. Langford almost hit back within two minutes when Milly Durrant broke clean through on the right, but dragged her shot wide with only Tracy Perry to beat. Thirteen minutes in, Beth Sims surging run into the box was unfairly halted and Maria Bertelli coolly stroked the ball low to the keeper's right from the spot. With only nineteen minutes gone Sarah Mulligan made it three, leaving the keeper flailing with a powerful curling drive from thirty yards. Six minutes later, another nosebleed inducing run from Rachel Axon took her to within twenty five yards of goal, and her perfectly weighted through ball put Bertelli clear, although her shot hit the base of the post and back into the grateful keeper's arms. With thirty three minutes gone another surging run, this time from Keisha Ramos, fed the ball out left to Bygrave. Ramos continued her run and got her head to Bygrave's cross only to see the post intervene again! Langford reduced the arrears within a minute when Mulligan lost possession on the left and a quick break left Regan Coleman with a simple finish. Two minutes later and a ball into the mix fell for Milly Durrant, who shrugged off Rachel Axon and easily beat Tracy Perry. Sensing the home side were under the cosh, Langford pressed again and only Perry's agility kept AFC in front. Three minutes before the break AFC's England Under 17 trainee, Kylie Davies, took a knock and was replaced by Lauren Nuttall as a precaution. Within a minute Nuttall was in the ref's book for pulling back a Langford player during another surge, as AFC held on for the break.
The Dons ladies started the second half with the bit between their teeth and put in a much more controlled performance, although just as devastating. Beth Sims was involved early on, trying an early long range shot, but the keeper held the high and looping shot well. With five minutes on the clock the same player chased a lost cause over the top and forced the keeper into a hurried clearance which fell to Bertelli. The captain whipped in a twenty yard curler that the keeper got a hand to but could not stop. Four minutes later and another awkward challenge on Sims saw Dons second penalty awarded. Bertelli hit it high and right of the keeper, but the ref insisted she take it again, saying that the ball had blown off the spot. Her second effort was low and to the keepers left and the matchball was safely secured. With half an hour still to go, Langford's young heads refused to drop, and Perry did well to tip a curled effort onto the bar and away. With a little over twenty minutes AFC wrapped it up with the move of the match, ten straight passes leaving Laura Smith free at the back post to tap in a low Bygraves cross.
This was a great performance all round, the perfect warm up for the London Cup Semi-Final next Sunday. The entire back four were rock solid apart from the flaky spell before half-time, and the midfield were creative and contributed five of the six goals. Up front both Beth and Julie worked hard and intelligently. Today's star performer would be the hardest of the season so far, were it not for Mazza's goals, so captain marvel Maria Bertelli edges it. |
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