Rebuck Goal Earns Women A Point
HWFC's Player-of-the-Match Ellie Bard
Hampstead Women’s Football Club 1 Camden City FC 1
Sunday, 20 May, 2007
Starting briskly HWFC attacked from kick-off and within three minutes were 1-0 up. Some excellent control in the middle of the park by Ellie Bard, played in Kate Freeman whose slick through ball found Lucy Rebuck running through the Camden defence and when she latched onto the ball she moved the ball from right foot to left before slotting the ball beyond the reach of the Camden keeper.
HWFC sensed they could really notch up a big win but they were unable to finish their chances. Five corners in the first half all found their way to either a post, or the goalkeeper and a couple of half chance fell to Deeple Patel who was unable to find the target with her strikes.
Playing without six first team regulars, this was a good opportunity for squad players to make their mark and Claire Jones made the best impression with an impressive display on the left wing. On at least four occasions she picked the ball up on the half way line and was able to run the line with ease, turning her defenders (she was marked by two players) one way then another before linking well with Rebuck, who on one occasion should have done better with her snap shot which the goalkeeper saved.
Lucie Young, in goal for HWFC had very little to do in the first half except calmly claim one corner and in fairness the HWFC defence did not seem troubled at all during the first period.
The second half started much the same as the first with HWFC having all the play. Bard and Freeman were controlling the middle of the park and on 44 minutes only a great double-save from the Camden goalkeeper stopped HWFC from doubling their lead. Jones received the ball from Bard in the middle and ran out wide, before turning two defenders to cut inside the box. Laying the ball off behind the defenders she was able to play in Rebuck who turned and shot low to the goalkeepers left, but somehow the keeper saved it, knocking it out to Patel who from eigh yards out saw her shot parried by the keeper again. This double-save not only kept Camden in the game but also seemed to inspire them to wake up and for the last third of the game it was HWFC who were under pressure.
Camden sustained the pressure well, forcing three successive corners and it was the third one that led to their equaliser. As the ball came in from the right hand side, Patel cleared the first ball with her head but it just looped up in the air. The Camden forward was the first to react and her looping header beat Young and with only seven minutes to go the score was 1-1.
HWFC tried to push for the winner and even had a good shout when Jones and Freeman linked well to create another half chance for Patel, who bought the ball down well before striking it wide.
When the ref blew for full time Camden seemed relieved to have saved a point and HWFC felt they had missed a good chance to open the campaign with a win.
Their next match is in two weeks time against British Airways FC.
HWFC Team:
Young, Lewis, Roberts, Berks ©, Marcus, Jones, Freeo, Bard, Gadgil, Patel, Rebuck (50 minutes)
Subs: Elstein (not used), Caplin, (50 minutes)
Player-of-the-Match:
Ellie Bard
