HWFC In League Cup Win
FA League Cup
Hampstead Womens FC 2 Katabella FC 0
Sunday, 11 March, 2007
Playing 4-4-2, HWMFC attacked from kick off and found that they could break down the Katabella defense with ease. Within the first five minutes two chances had come their way, the best one to Carly Grayston who was playing an inspired match in an attacking central midfield role. Winning the ball with her head in the centre of the park, she dragged the ball through two defenders and running into the box created a clear-cut opportunity for herself. Although she could have taken an extra touch she chose to shoot from the edge of the box hitting the side netting.
HWMFC pressed from the ensuing goal kick and some good interplay between Ellie Bard and Kate Freeman played in Forbes who, running past her defender cut inside the area and unleashed a fierce shot from just inside the box. The Goalkeeper could not keep it out although she got a hand to it and the home side went 1-0 up.
Although they play their football one division higher than Hampstead, Katabella could not break down the Hampstead back line with Marcus, Liz Berks, Dani Benjamin and Linsey Roberts clearing everything that came their way. On 22 minutes, Benjamin won a crucial header in defense and played in Grayston who turned her defender before spreading the ball to Sasha Stewart. Stewart nutmegged her approaching defender and played a defense-splitting pass to Freeman who running through clean on goal could only manage a snap shot which went wide. But the constant pressure was going to tell and it did on 31 minutes when after some excellent play in midfield by Bard & Stewart, Green was fed the ball on the right wing.
Running down the line and under pressure from the left back she turned her defender one way and then another and although being pressured off the ball, used her strength to shoulder the defender away from the ball and then cutting inside, lifted the ball from an acute angle from just inside the box and watched it curl over the Katabella goalkeeper – a great solo goal and put HWMFC 2-0 up.
Katabella had time for just one attack in the whole half when a mix up in defence let in one of their attackers who turned and shot inside the area but having had nothing to do for almost 40 minutes Mifsud needed to be aware to make sure she got her body and hands behind the ball. A clean save and quick release to Roberts who played in Green led to another Hampstead chance but this was squandered and the ref blew for half time at 2-0.
A very heavy pitch made this difficult conditions and the effort put in by the team in the first half was now starting to show. Katabella had a lot of possession in the first 20 minutes of the second half but with Roberts and Berks at their best and Benjamin and Marcus cleaning up the loose balls, they found no way through and could not make their possession tell. In fact the first clear cut chance of the second half fell to Hampstead as Grayston who was having her best game of the season was put clean through by Stewart. Her shot was saved but a poor goal kick let in Hampstead again and this time it was Freeman who missed the chance to capitalise.
Still Hampstead kept pressing and some neat footwork from Forbes out on the left hand side played in Stewart who ran past her defender and into the box. As she turned the defender to come inside and shoot she just seemed to get her feet caught in the mud and the shot at goal was saved by the keeper.
Although Katabella forced three corners towards the end of the game they could not penetrate the Hampstead back line and with Mifsud keeping a clean sheet in goal it seemed more and more likely that the team from North London would progress to the next round.
When the ref blew for full time the Hampstead team were exhausted having given everything they had for the full 90 minutes. This was an exceptional team performance – full of grit, commitment and a desire to win.
Hampstead Coach Brad Solomon said after the game: “My players are very tired but they gave everything and deserve this victory. Grayston’s first half performance was exceptional today and it was exciting to watch especially Green’s solo effort for the second goal.
“If we can take that kind of determination and committed performance into our next three league fixtures we will surely earn ourselves promotion.”
HWMFC next play on Sunday 25th march away against Fulham FC
TEAM:
MIFSUD, ROBERST, BERKS ( c ), BENJAMIN, MARCUS, GREEN (75MINS), BARD, GRAYSTON, FORBES, STEWART. FREEMAN.
SUBS: MEILLMAN (75 MINUTES)
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Carly Grayston
