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Match Report

15th August 2021

The FA Women's National League – Division One North

Broadhurst Park, 310 Lightbowne Road, Moston, Manchester, M40 0FJ


FC United of Manchester Women

0 - 6

Newcastle United Women

  Spraggon 37
Gibson 42, 67
Elson 51
Barker 63
Ferguson 76
Attendance: 165

FC United of Manchester Women 0

Newcastle United Women 6

Spraggon 37
Gibson 42, 67
Elson 51
Barker 63
Ferguson 76

Attendance: 165


FC United of Manchester

1 Chloe Ainsworth
2 Corie Mather
3 Emily Marsh
4 Allisha Marsh
7 Ella Hartley
8 Eve Kennerley
9 Olivia Smith
11 Kirsty Chambers (capt)
16 Ellie Rigby
17 Beth Hayes
25 Lauren Davies

Subs.
6 Abby Hunt (for 4, 23 mins)
12 Natasha Roe
18 Kaylea Cunliffe (for 9, 64 mins)
20 Chloe Wild (for 16, 46 mins)
24 Darby Williams (for 2, 58 mins)

Newcastle United Women

1 Grace Donnelly
2 Brooke Cochrane (c)
3 Jane Harland
5 Olivia Watt
6 Ellen Packham
9 Katie Barker
10 Georgia Gibson
11 Kacie Elson
15 Leanna Giles
17 Georgina Spraggon
96 Rachel Lee

Subs.
8 Sharna Wilkson (for 96, 80 mins)
16 Rebecca Ferguson (for 9, 73 mins)
18 Keira Skelton (for 3, 84 mins)
19 Orla Callaghan (for 10, 80 mins)
21 Lois Greenslade (for 17, 70 mins)


Match Report

If anyone connected with FC United Women weren’t previously aware of the size of the step the team have taken into the FA Women’s National League Division One North, it’s safe to say they are now! The Reds, who it has to be said were somewhat depleted, endured a baptism of fire in their opening game of 2021/22 against the women’s team of Newcastle United.

There were some mitigating circumstances. FC started their first game under new manager Tom Fitton. without injured Holly Davenport and Jordon Bailey. Kate O’Gara was also unavailable. And while old favourite Chloe Wild had returned to the club, she hadn’t been able to train with her new team-mates prior to taking a spot on the bench. The game was only minutes old when FC were struck again by an injury blow when Corie Mather came out of a challenge with a badly gashed shin although she was initially patched up to carry on. 

The Reds’ goal was under siege with Ainsworth making two outstanding saves to deny Barker and Spraggon. In between, Barker managed to outfox the offside trap and skip past the FC keeper only to be denied by a superbly timed saving tackle by Hayes. FC created their first real chance when Chambers swung in a corner from the right that was missed by Newcastle keeper Donnelly but scrambled off the line by Cochrane. Davies had a shot blocked on the follow up and the ball ran back to Chambers on the right who swung a ball over to the far post where Rigby was unable to connect fully with a header that glanced wide. 

FC United suffered another injury blow with Allisha Marsh forced off midway through the first half. Meanwhile Newcastle kept up the pressure with Ainsworth making a couple of excellent point blank saves to deny Barker, who also had a golden chance to score with a header in the goalmouth but put it over the bar. 

The dam finally burst nine minutes before the break when Spraggon found room on the right side of the area to curl a left foot shot out of Ainsworth’s reach. FC’s keeper had to be on her toes again though shortly afterwards as Gibson fired in a long range free-kick for the visitors that was deflected skywards and Ainsworth had to get her bearings just right to grab the dropping ball under pressure without carrying it over the line. 

However there was no saving a right foot shot from Gibson to a ball looped over the defence that found the top right hand corner to make it 2-0. 

Gibson skipped through the defence in search of a third goal but found her shot blocked by Ainsworth. At the other end, Chambers nudged a ball inside along the edge of the penalty area to give Hartley a shot at goal that flew just over. Then in first half injury time, Barker had the ball in the FC United net on the turn but this time was denied by an offside flag. Nevertheless it remained 2-0 at the break in favour of Newcastle who, it had to be admitted, were well deserving of their advantage. 

Four minutes after the restart, FC United almost found a way back into the game when Kennerley’s shot from outside the  area rattled the crossbar and fell for Hartley whose short was smothered by the alert keeper Donnelly. A couple of minutes later though, Elson got clear down the inside-left channel and curled a left foot shot inside the near post to make it 3-0, again giving Ainsworth no chance and effectively ending any reasonable hopes of FC getting anything from the game. 

The home defence were caught cold again as Spraggon pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the FC area but shot wide. No mistake shortly afterwards though as the ever-dangerous Barker sprinted clear onto a long ball and placed her shot wide to the right of the keeper for 4-0. 

Chambers managed to get away on the right, check back and get in a left foot shot that was heading inside the near post which Donnelly did well to get across to save. But yet again, FC were punished for lax defending against a Newcastle side giving a masterclass in counter-attacking as Gibson got clear to push the ball past Ainsworth and roll a shot into the empty net for her second goal to make it 5-0. 

The six goal tally was rounded off by substitute Ferguson who hit an angled low shot from the right side of the area. Ainsworth got a hand to it but could only look on in anguish as the ball trickled into the net just inside the far post. 

FC keeper Ainsworth had stuck to her task well all through a torrid afternoon and blocked another shot late on from Elson. 

Next up for FC United Women is a trip to Chester-le-Street on Sunday 22nd August (ko 2pm) and another home game against Bradford City on Wednesday 25th (ko 8pm) by which time, hopefully, some of the missing players will be available. However nobody can be under any illusions about the task facing the team to be able to compete at this level.

By Phil Bradbury

 

FC Player of the Match: Chloe Ainsworth

Match day photography (by Mark Lee): view here

Stats (courtesy of Paul Hinson):
Shots on target: 2-14
Shots off target: 9-5
Free kicks: 10-10
Corners: 5-1
Offsides: 3-6
Yellow Cards: 0-0
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 299-192
Possession: 61%-39%

Match Report

If anyone connected with FC United Women weren’t previously aware of the size of the step the team have taken into the FA Women’s National League Division One North, it’s safe to say they are now! The Reds, who it has to be said were somewhat depleted, endured a baptism of fire in their opening game of 2021/22 against the women’s team of Newcastle United.

There were some mitigating circumstances. FC started their first game under new manager Tom Fitton. without injured Holly Davenport and Jordon Bailey. Kate O’Gara was also unavailable. And while old favourite Chloe Wild had returned to the club, she hadn’t been able to train with her new team-mates prior to taking a spot on the bench. The game was only minutes old when FC were struck again by an injury blow when Corie Mather came out of a challenge with a badly gashed shin although she was initially patched up to carry on. 

The Reds’ goal was under siege with Ainsworth making two outstanding saves to deny Barker and Spraggon. In between, Barker managed to outfox the offside trap and skip past the FC keeper only to be denied by a superbly timed saving tackle by Hayes. FC created their first real chance when Chambers swung in a corner from the right that was missed by Newcastle keeper Donnelly but scrambled off the line by Cochrane. Davies had a shot blocked on the follow up and the ball ran back to Chambers on the right who swung a ball over to the far post where Rigby was unable to connect fully with a header that glanced wide. 

FC United suffered another injury blow with Allisha Marsh forced off midway through the first half. Meanwhile Newcastle kept up the pressure with Ainsworth making a couple of excellent point blank saves to deny Barker, who also had a golden chance to score with a header in the goalmouth but put it over the bar. 

The dam finally burst nine minutes before the break when Spraggon found room on the right side of the area to curl a left foot shot out of Ainsworth’s reach. FC’s keeper had to be on her toes again though shortly afterwards as Gibson fired in a long range free-kick for the visitors that was deflected skywards and Ainsworth had to get her bearings just right to grab the dropping ball under pressure without carrying it over the line. 

However there was no saving a right foot shot from Gibson to a ball looped over the defence that found the top right hand corner to make it 2-0. 

Gibson skipped through the defence in search of a third goal but found her shot blocked by Ainsworth. At the other end, Chambers nudged a ball inside along the edge of the penalty area to give Hartley a shot at goal that flew just over. Then in first half injury time, Barker had the ball in the FC United net on the turn but this time was denied by an offside flag. Nevertheless it remained 2-0 at the break in favour of Newcastle who, it had to be admitted, were well deserving of their advantage. 

Four minutes after the restart, FC United almost found a way back into the game when Kennerley’s shot from outside the  area rattled the crossbar and fell for Hartley whose short was smothered by the alert keeper Donnelly. A couple of minutes later though, Elson got clear down the inside-left channel and curled a left foot shot inside the near post to make it 3-0, again giving Ainsworth no chance and effectively ending any reasonable hopes of FC getting anything from the game. 

The home defence were caught cold again as Spraggon pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the FC area but shot wide. No mistake shortly afterwards though as the ever-dangerous Barker sprinted clear onto a long ball and placed her shot wide to the right of the keeper for 4-0. 

Chambers managed to get away on the right, check back and get in a left foot shot that was heading inside the near post which Donnelly did well to get across to save. But yet again, FC were punished for lax defending against a Newcastle side giving a masterclass in counter-attacking as Gibson got clear to push the ball past Ainsworth and roll a shot into the empty net for her second goal to make it 5-0. 

The six goal tally was rounded off by substitute Ferguson who hit an angled low shot from the right side of the area. Ainsworth got a hand to it but could only look on in anguish as the ball trickled into the net just inside the far post. 

FC keeper Ainsworth had stuck to her task well all through a torrid afternoon and blocked another shot late on from Elson. 

Next up for FC United Women is a trip to Chester-le-Street on Sunday 22nd August (ko 2pm) and another home game against Bradford City on Wednesday 25th (ko 8pm) by which time, hopefully, some of the missing players will be available. However nobody can be under any illusions about the task facing the team to be able to compete at this level.

By Phil Bradbury

 

FC Player of the Match: Chloe Ainsworth

Match day photography (by Mark Lee): view here

Stats (courtesy of Paul Hinson):
Shots on target: 2-14
Shots off target: 9-5
Free kicks: 10-10
Corners: 5-1
Offsides: 3-6
Yellow Cards: 0-0
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 299-192
Possession: 61%-39%


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