Match Report
FC United women stormed to a third straight win thanks mainly to a five-star five goal show from team captain Kirsty Chambers.
Despite dominating the game from the start, it took a while for the Reds to make it count. An early chance saw Wild put over a good cross from the right from which a Rigby header was well saved by Alnwick keeper Stark who dived left to turn it one-handed for a corner.
Then Chambers got busy, whipping in a shot from the right - a similar angle to that from which she scored in the previous game away to Barnsley - that sailed just over and then putting the ball in the net on 24 minutes after Rigby had made a jinking run through the defence to set her up … only to be denied by an offside flag.
However the ball was in the net again a minute or so later and this time it counted. This time O’Gara was the provider with a ball over the defence that Chambers ran onto to score.
The goals then started to flow for Chambers and FC United. Number two came just after the half hour mark when she skipped past one defender, broke through an attempted tackle by Tang and scored with a low shot across goal that crept inside the right hand post. The hat-trick came in spectacular fashion with a left footed strike direct from a free kick some way out that curled away from Stark into the bottom left hand corner.
There was a wake-up call for FC within minutes though when Alnwick’s most troublesome player, Stewart hit a snap shot from the right into the side netting. However the lead was increased from a move that started from Kennerley in midfield finding Wild wide on the right who sent over the perfect cross to allow Chambers to stab home making it 4-0 at the break.
There was no let up for Stark, who was having a good game in goal for Alnwick despite what the score might suggest. A Davies cross was half-cleared and fell for Chambers to fire in a left foot shot that must have stung the keeper’s fingers.
Alnwick had a let-off when an effort from O’Gara hit the top of the crossbar but Stark had to make a save from the same player soon afterwards and rely on help from a defensive colleague to deflect Davies’ shot on the rebound for a corner.
It was 20 minutes into the second half that the lead was further increased and it came moments after a good team move from the visitors had ended with Stewart volleying wide. Chambers was the provider this time with a ball inside to Wild to fire in a shot that Stark managed to get a hand on but couldn’t keep out.
Chambers was still looking for more though and moments after the restart had a shot on the run beaten out by Stark. However the Reds almost presented the visitors with a goal when a moment of slackness in defence allowed Robinson to play a ball through for Stewart to chase but Ainsworth in the FC United goal was out quickly to smother the danger
Alnwick did manage to get on the scoresheet with 11 minutes remaining when a left wing corner found Tang at the far post, who managed to squeeze the ball in off the underside of the bar from a tight angle
Chambers wasn’t finished though and only a couple of minutes later ran onto a Davies pass down the inside left channel and threw the keeper off balance before rolling the ball into the net to make it 6-1 to FC and take her personal tally to five.
There was late consolation for Alnwick with five minutes to go when Latto and Robinson combined down the left to set up Stewart for a shot that Ainsworth blocked but McConnell was on hand to lash the loose ball on the rebound into the roof of the net.
By Phil Bradbury
FC Player of the Match: Kirsty Chambers
Match day photography (by Mark Lee): view here
Stats (courtesy of Paul Hinson):
Shots on target: 13-6
Shots off target: 13-6
Free kicks: 3-13
Corners: 3-4
Offsides: 8-0
Yellow Cards: 0-0
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 351-190
Possession: 65%-35%
Match Report
FC United women stormed to a third straight win thanks mainly to a five-star five goal show from team captain Kirsty Chambers.
Despite dominating the game from the start, it took a while for the Reds to make it count. An early chance saw Wild put over a good cross from the right from which a Rigby header was well saved by Alnwick keeper Stark who dived left to turn it one-handed for a corner.
Then Chambers got busy, whipping in a shot from the right - a similar angle to that from which she scored in the previous game away to Barnsley - that sailed just over and then putting the ball in the net on 24 minutes after Rigby had made a jinking run through the defence to set her up … only to be denied by an offside flag.
However the ball was in the net again a minute or so later and this time it counted. This time O’Gara was the provider with a ball over the defence that Chambers ran onto to score.
The goals then started to flow for Chambers and FC United. Number two came just after the half hour mark when she skipped past one defender, broke through an attempted tackle by Tang and scored with a low shot across goal that crept inside the right hand post. The hat-trick came in spectacular fashion with a left footed strike direct from a free kick some way out that curled away from Stark into the bottom left hand corner.
There was a wake-up call for FC within minutes though when Alnwick’s most troublesome player, Stewart hit a snap shot from the right into the side netting. However the lead was increased from a move that started from Kennerley in midfield finding Wild wide on the right who sent over the perfect cross to allow Chambers to stab home making it 4-0 at the break.
There was no let up for Stark, who was having a good game in goal for Alnwick despite what the score might suggest. A Davies cross was half-cleared and fell for Chambers to fire in a left foot shot that must have stung the keeper’s fingers.
Alnwick had a let-off when an effort from O’Gara hit the top of the crossbar but Stark had to make a save from the same player soon afterwards and rely on help from a defensive colleague to deflect Davies’ shot on the rebound for a corner.
It was 20 minutes into the second half that the lead was further increased and it came moments after a good team move from the visitors had ended with Stewart volleying wide. Chambers was the provider this time with a ball inside to Wild to fire in a shot that Stark managed to get a hand on but couldn’t keep out.
Chambers was still looking for more though and moments after the restart had a shot on the run beaten out by Stark. However the Reds almost presented the visitors with a goal when a moment of slackness in defence allowed Robinson to play a ball through for Stewart to chase but Ainsworth in the FC United goal was out quickly to smother the danger
Alnwick did manage to get on the scoresheet with 11 minutes remaining when a left wing corner found Tang at the far post, who managed to squeeze the ball in off the underside of the bar from a tight angle
Chambers wasn’t finished though and only a couple of minutes later ran onto a Davies pass down the inside left channel and threw the keeper off balance before rolling the ball into the net to make it 6-1 to FC and take her personal tally to five.
There was late consolation for Alnwick with five minutes to go when Latto and Robinson combined down the left to set up Stewart for a shot that Ainsworth blocked but McConnell was on hand to lash the loose ball on the rebound into the roof of the net.
By Phil Bradbury
FC Player of the Match: Kirsty Chambers
Match day photography (by Mark Lee): view here
Stats (courtesy of Paul Hinson):
Shots on target: 13-6
Shots off target: 13-6
Free kicks: 3-13
Corners: 3-4
Offsides: 8-0
Yellow Cards: 0-0
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 351-190
Possession: 65%-35%
