Match Report
Match Report - 11 Oct 2009, Bracknell Town Ladies FC Bracknell Town Ladies lost to Shanklin Ladies FA Cup 2nd Qual
A severely depleted Robins travelled to the Isle of Wight for an FA Women's cup tie against Shanklin Ladies. The Robins travelled with only 10 players and no recognised goalkeeper to call on. A combination of absences and injuries saw a much changed squad take to the pitch. Skipper Tasha Boyle volunteered to take the keeper's shirt having never played there at any time in her football career. It wasn't long before she faced her first test and with some good early defensive work combined with Boyle's never say die attitude, the hosts were denied. Boyle made an excellent save with an outstretched right leg to deny the hosts an early goal.
The Robins had a game plan that saw them frustrate the hosts for half an hour and carving out some chances of their own. Two successive corners were forced by the Robins but they were unable to make them count. Corkett wroked hard, ploughing a lone strikers furrow chasing down lost causes. She created some panic in the home defence when dispossessing a defender and finding Jo Atkins. Atkins crossed and unfortunately no Robins player was able to make a positive contact. Shanklin scored their opener just after 30 minutes when a deep lying free kick beat the Bracknell back line and Boyle in the Bracknell goal. Undeterred, the Robins continued to press their opponents and harried them into giving the ball away. Jen Friar worked hard despite a hamstring injury picked up in the opening 10 minutes and produced several mazy runs ending with some decent crosses into the danger area. Ridout came close to levelling the scores with a fiercely struck free kick from 25 yards, her strike flying across the face of the goal. The half -time whistle blew with the Robins feeling pleased with their first half performance.
Shanklin began the half at a higher tempo and came very close to increasing their lead with their first attack. They managed to score their second on 48 minutes another ball over the defensive line saw a Shanklin striker get through to beat Boyle from just inside the penalty area.
The Robins continued to work hard as a group and had another short spell of pressure in which Corkett again caused some concern in the Shanklin defence which resulted in Shelley Strange striking on goal but the keeper dealt with comfortably. A third Shanklin goal arrived on 58 minutes when a player who looked to be in an offside position when the ball was played forward, disposessed Kim Lockyer on the edge of the penalty area. Despite Lockyer's valiant attempt to recover the situation, the striker scored.
The hosts had to wait until the last 10 minutes of the game by which time the Bracknell ladies had run themselves into the ground. 5-0 seems a harsh scoreline when considering the amount of work the Robins players put in. They can all hold their heads high having given their all and still managed to play some decent quality football in spells. Well done to Shanklin and good luck to you in the next round.
The Robins return to league action against Henley Town at Larges Lane next Sunday, ko at 2pm.
Shanklin Ladies FA Cup 2nd Qual 5 - 0 Bracknell Town Ladies FC Bracknell Town Ladies