Hampstead Women Gain Watford WIn
FA League Division II North
Hampstead Women’s Football Club 3 Watford FC 0
Sunday, 28 October, 2007
Having been beaten 5-0 away at Watford in the first game of the season this was the North Londoners chance to take some revenge and they did so from the first whistle.
Welcoming back Bard and Patel who had both been out with long term injuries the team started well and for the first 20 minutes, despite very few chances had most of the possession. Forbes and Patel went close as the half drew on but their tame shots were easily saved by the keeper.
The first goal came on 43 minutes when Bard, playing superbly in the middle of the park battled to win the ball in midfield before turning her marker one way then another, and then spread the ball out wide. Forbes took it in her stride and drilled the ball across the face of the goal and with the Watford defense caught sleeping, Anjana Gadgil stormed in toward the back post to slot the ball home for her third goal of the season.
Within two minutes of the second half starting, HWFC had doubled their lead. Again Bard won the ball in midfield playing in Freeman who lifted the ball high into the danger zone. Lazarazou, on as a second half substitute out-jumped the Watford defender to knock the ball into Jaime Minter Greens’ path, who coolly side stepped the oncoming defender before placing the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
HWFC had around 65% possession of the second half and could have scored two more when Forbes saw her strike hit the bar, and Gadgil fired wide from close-range but the sustained pressure told in the end and with Watford tiring the north Londoners kept the Hertfordshire based team camped in their half. A poor clearance from an attacking corner allowed Roberts to try a lob from 40-yards out – and although it hit the bar, Claire Jones, on for Minter Green was in the right place at the right time to fire the ball into the top corner with 88 minutes on the clock.
Although Watford had played better in the second half, they only had one shot on Coxy Mifsuds’ goal all match and were unable to stop a powerful and confident looking HWFC. Three valuable points made it seven points out of nine in the last three games and it finally looks as though HWFC’s season is under way.
Player of the Match:
Ellie Bard
Team:
MIFSUD, ROBERTS, BERKS ©, LEWIS, SEFRYN, FORBES, FREEMAN, BARD, GADGIL, PATEL (46), MINTER GREEN (75)
SUBS: LAZARAZOU (46), JONES (75)
