Hampstead Women Hit Seven
HWFC continued their impressive form with a 7–0 demolition job away at Waltham Abbey.
With key players back Hampstead seemed the quicker of the two teams from the kick off and the first ten minutes was like an assault on the Abbey FC goal. The best of the early chances went to Freeman who with seven minutes on the clock fired the ball over from the edge of the six yard box after a great run from Diskin down the left hand side had let in Rebuck to cross into the box. The first goal came on 12 minutes when after a corner was sent in from Clare Rebuck, the ball was fired home from just in side the box.At 1-0 HWFC knew they could win this game and needed to push for more goals. Attack after attack brought more saves from the Abbey FC goaly and but for some poor finishing in the first half HWFC should have gone into the break at least six goals to the good. In reality it was 3–0 at half time after Freeman and Chastenet had taken their chances.
On 29 minutes, central midfielder Chastenet picked the ball up on the edge of the area and after moving the ball past two players inside the box, she turned the third defender inside out before scoring her fourth goal of the season. The third goal came on 44 minutes as Freeman found her scoring touch with a trade mark spin and shot having run on to a through ball from Bard in midfield.
The second half bought more goals for HWFC but it appeared that Abbey FC did not like being beaten so comprehensively at the own ground and their strategy in the second half was much more aggressive than in the first half. Tackles were flying in from the Abbey FC midfield and on 55 minutes the Waltham Abbey central midfielder was sent off for dangerous play as she tried to start a fight on the pitch. Her team mates applauded her as she walked off which rather than frighten the HWFC team inspired them to go and score four more goals before the final whistle.
Bard and Lewis had been linking up well in midfield in the second half and after some good play by the two of them down the right and after she had missed a chance in the first half to score, Bard bought the ball under control in the penalty area and with the goaly closing in on her, coolly slipped the ball past her. Bard & Lewis were influential in the fifth goal as well. Lewis picking the ball up on the right hand side of midfield, played inside to Bard and with a slick one-two Lewis brought the ball into the area, laying on Freeman to smack the ball home from less than 10 yards.
The pressure continued with the HWFC midfield working the ball around and trying to create chances. The Abbey keeper made a tremendous save from Freeman late on as well as from Lewis and Rebuck. Rebuck did get her second of the match late on, with pretty much her last kick of the game. The Abbey defence did not clear another Clarke corner and after what seemed like an eternity it was Rebuck who pounced on the ball inside the area and hit the back of the net with a quality finish.
At 6-0 down members of the Waltham Abbey Support team came onto the pitch and disrupted the game for a couple of minutes but when it resumed there was still time for another goal. A late substitution on 79 minutes bought Rabin on to the pitch for Rebuck and after being in the game for less than 5 minutes she turned and shot on the edge of the box low and hard into the bottom corner.
This was the last game before the seasonal break and there are now three weeks off before the next match. HWFC coach said: ”This is a tough place to come and play. There were times during the match when it was very hostile.
I’m proud that my guys did not rise to the taunts of the other team but instead showed their skill at football instead. Diskin had a great first half on the left wing and Brower played with her usual never say die commitment. All in all it was good victory which we deserved.”
HWFC are now third in the league and clear of fourth place by two points.
HWFC play their next match on Sunday 8 January 2006 against Bushey Rangers FC in the FA Challenge CUP.
