Match Report
Match Report - 12 Dec 2010, Bracknell Town Ladies FC Bracknell Town Ladies lost to Cullompton Rangers LFC
A long trip to Devon with only 11 players was not the ideal preparation for an extremely winnable FA Cup tie, the Robins being deprived of 8 players due to a variety of unavailabilities. Today's game was very much a case of "what if's?"
On a heavy pitch, both sets of players found it difficult to build a momentum and retain possession well. The Robins were aware of the threat posed by Cullompton's top scorer, Lola Sanchez and she made them pay for a lapse in concentration after only 4 minutes. The Robins failed to attack an aerial ball letting the Cullompton number 6 control, turn and pass between full backand centre back for Sanchez to run onto. Her pace took her clear of the Robins defence and she shot towards the near post. Robertson in the Robin's goal appeared to have got her angles right to make the save only for the ball to squirm under her body to cross the line.
A quick response was required to ensure the Combination outfit didn't settle and control the game and that's just what happened. Jen Friar, back from university, won the ball in her half and ran the ball into the middle third of the pitch. She then worked a pass through to Jo Atkins who, despite her bouts of coughing due to a nasty infection, beat her ful back and struck a firm shot into the top corner of the net to draw the visitors level.
Atkins had a great opportunity to put the visitors into the lead when a Libby Shuttle cross was missed by the last defender. Atkins controlled well but delayed her attempt on goal which gave the defender a chance to put her under pressure. This resulted in a snatched shot which was smothered by the grateful home keeper. Shuttle then took a free kick from all of 35 yards only to see her effort hit the inside of the far post, fall to a Cullompton defender who was able to clear the danger.
Failure to capitalise on these chances meant that the more senior side still had the opportunity to impose their superior experience on their lower league visitors, duly demonstrated on 20 minutes when there was a degree of panic in the Robins midfield ending up with a loose ball that was seized upon by the alert Cullompton number 10 who prodded a pass between the 2 centre backs for the lively Sanchez. Sanchez stretched her legs to take the ball beyond the fast retreating Whitney and Burgess and struck firmly across the face of the goal, her shot hitting the inside of the far post and ending up in the net.
Could the Robins react positively again? Yes was the empahtic response as within a minute parity was restored. The ball was worked from back through to Powell and onto Libby Shuttle. Shuttle's cross was attacked by Corkett whose header went past the despairing clutches of the home keeper.
For the remainder of the half, both sides were guilty of conceding possession too cheaply and deteriorated into a scrappy affair with neither keeper being called into action.
The second half seemed to be set up for a cup upset as the Robins players had sensed that their opponents were there for the taking. For the opening 10 minutes the game was fairly even with neither team having created much. On 55 minutes a cross from the Robins right flank was met at the near post with a flicked header. Despite the close attentions of Becky Powell, the header looped over Robertson to put the hosts into the lead. There was to be no fast, positive response this time, as within a minute a neat pass picked out Sanchez who had run across the 18 yard line into space. Jen Friar saw the danger but rather than stay on her feet elected to dive in only to pull Sanchez down for a penalty. The penalty was duly converted by Cullompton to give them what was to prove an unassailable lead.
The game however, was not dead with the Robins dominating possession for reasonable spells and creating several chances. Katy Myles came close when her curling shot brought an excellent diving save from the home keeper. Both Libby Shuttle and Tracy Corkett had good chances when through on goal only to squander the chances. Corkett came close again when she rose well to meet a Shuttle cross but she couldn't direct her header on target.
The Robins were left to rue missed chances, conceding some poor goals and the missed opportunity to take a Combination scalp to progress to round 2 of the competition.
Next Sunday sees the Robins travel to University of Portsmouth for a very tough Chairman's Cup fixture. With 3 defeats in their last 4 games, the Robins promising season is fast falling away to nothing. Again, manager Dave Ward is left to ponder his options with 7 players already declaring their unavailability for this fixture which compromises the opportunity to develop a team with a consistent core of players.
Cullompton Rangers LFC 4 - 2 Bracknell Town Ladies FC Bracknell Town Ladies