Hampstead Women Defeated By Bushey
FA Greater London League Division III
HWFC 1 Bushey Rangers FC 4
22 January 2006
A slump in form affected HWFC in this first league game after the Christmas break. Missing five first team regulars due to injury HWFC started the game brightly but could not take their chances in front of goal – Freeman squandering the best of the chances on 25 minutes as she hit the ball over the bar from less than six yards.
Rebuck, who normally would terrorise defenders with her pace was carrying a slight groin strain and as a result affected her running throughout the game.
With both teams missing chances it looked like it could be just one of those games until Bushey broke the deadlock on 41 minutes. A free-kick from just inside their own half was threaded through the defence and the Bushey striker latched on to the ball and was clean through on goal. As she blasted it into the net for 1–0. HWFC knew that they would have to pick their game up in the second half if they were going to get something out of this match.
As the second half got under way it was Bushey who were on top. Three great saves from Diskin in goal kept Bushey at bay but there was nothing she could do about the second goal for Rangers. Another freekick to Rangers on the outside left was lofted into the penalty area. HWFC did not clear their lines and as the ball bounced around the goal area and with the HWFC goaly unsighted, Bushey slammed the ball home to make it 2–0. There was still 25 minutes left of the match but Bushey were starting to take control of the game and HWFC appeared to be chasing it.
Five minutes later after HWFC were forced to make two substitutions because of injuries to players Bushey were three up. A corner in from the left was headed out the area by Grayston the HWFC captain and as it landed outside the area the HWFC defenders started to move out of their area. The ball came straight back in and with an empty penalty area, no offside given, although it was debatable and just the goaly to beat the Bushey striker strolled through to make it 3–0.
The HWFC heads dropped a little and you could see that this was not going to be their day. Another Bushey break with ten minutes to go saw their striker get a well deserved hattrick as she broke through the HWFC midfield and defence to score her third one on one with the HWFC goaly of the match.
Although beaten HWFC did not give up until the final whistle and with five minutes to play after some excellent work on the left hand side by Brower, Freeman was fouled inside the penalty area and the ref awarded a penalty without hesitation.
Fifteen year old Rebuck stood up and despite playing through the pain of an injury she kept her head and slotted the ball home high and to the left of the Bushey Goaly. It was almost the last kick of the game – a 4-1 defeat for HWFC which drops them out of the top three in the league and leaves them awaiting an away game at Waltham Abbey FC to try and make up some points and goal difference in what is now a very tight competition for the top three places.
