Hampstead Women Hit Six
FA Greater London League Division III
Waltham Abbey FC 0 HWFC 6
29 January 2006
A tough game and a tough performance is the best way to sum up this 6–0 win. Waltham Abbey did not want a repeat of the score in November when HWFC scored seven goals against them and to be fair in the first five minutes they rattled the HWFC bar and hit the post with a diving header.
HWFC took time to settle in – the exceptionally hostile and verbally abusive crowd tried to put the players from North London off but instead it encouraged them to play even better. Waltham Abbey resorted to dirty tackles and unfair challenges and the referee had to stop the game on three occasions in the first half to talk to Abbey players about their conduct.
After weathering the initial storm from Abbey, HWFC started to pass the ball around a bit better and a lovely move on 10 minutes opened the scoring for them. Rosenthal picked the ball up on the right hand side and slipped the ball to Minter-Green making her debut. A great run down the line, taking out three players from Abbey had Minter-Green in lots of space and an inch perfect cross into the penalty area was met on the volley by Freeman who herself lobbed the Waltham Abbey Goaly from 20 yards. It was an instinctive piece of brilliance. Even some of the Waltham Abbey Crowd applauded a goal which is a definite contender for goal of the season.
The goal settled HWFC a little and really they played out the rest of the first half with Abbey exhausting themselves chasing the game.
The second half was completely different. 14 shots on goal, ten on target, five in the back of the net. The rout started on 49 minutes with another great run from Minter-Green. As she crossed the ball in from the right hand side Stewart sprinted through on goal and from a very tight angle on the right hand side hit the ball into the top left hand corner for 2-0. Normal service had been resumed.
HWFC started to pass the ball to feet and from the touchline it looked like it could be a very convincing win. Abbey had no reply. Attack after attack put incessant pressure on the Abbey defence and they crumbled. It was 3-0 after 55 minutes when Stewart laid the ball off to Minter – Green having rounded two players and Minter-Green took the ball to the corner flag before whipping in the perfect cross to the six yard box. Jebreel, playing her last game before being seconded to Devon for Medical rotation dived to meet the ball and having beaten her marker nodded the ball home from five yards.
It should have been 4–0 five minutes later, when Caplin, running up from the back hit the ball from the edge of the area. The ball seemed to cross the line and hit the net but the Referees assistant flagged and the goal was disallowed. Abbey thought they had escaped but in fact this injustice drove HWFC on further. Two minutes later a corner came in and having missed an opportunity to score earlier in the game, Grayston stepped up from midfield and coolly loobbed the Abbey goaly from just inside the penalty area and the victory looked safe and certain. There was still time for two more goals before the final whistle.
Having found their passing stride during the 2nd half HWFC looked menacing. Berks and Benjamin were so strong at the back cleaning up everything that came their way and a beautiful move in the 75th minute brought HWFC their fifth goal. Berks had the ball in her penalty area after she had intercepted an Abbey attack. She played the ball to Benjamin whose first touch found Grayston on the half way line. Another one touch pass from Grayston to Stewart split the Abbey defence and an easy pull back to Caplin on the edge of the area allowed Caplin to curl the ball in to the top corner from 30 yards. It was an exquisite gaol – not just because of how it was scored but because of how it was made. It was a real team goal.
HWFC did not stop running even at 5-0 up and kept pressurising the Abbey midfield into making mistakes. Stewart and Freeman were causing terrible problems for the Abbey defence and under pressure from Stewart the Abbey goaly collected a back pass and conceded an indirect free kick eight yards out. As the Abbey team lined up on the line to try and stop another goal, Stewart and Freeman planned their move. Stewarts perfectly weighted pass to Freeman, allowed the in form striker to pick her spot and hit the ball quite sweetly over the Abbey defensive line and into the top left hand corner. It was 6- 0 and before Abbey could get the ball back to the centre circle for Kick-off the ref had blown for the end of the match.
This was a tough test for HWFC. Still suffering from terrible injuries in the team and with only eleven fit players HWFC stood tall and made the match count. Six goals will help the teams overall goal difference but in order to come third this season they must now win all their remaining games against those teams above them in the League.
HWFC coach had this to say at the end of the game: “That was tough! Until Stewart scored in the second half we seemed unable to relax on the ball. Once that goal went in we played some beautiful football. Berks was magnificent at the back, Grayston & Minter Green were exceptional in the middle and Freeman and Stewart played well together in their first match up front. For me though it was Freeman’s first goal that stands out. That goal was one of the best goals I have ever seen scored at this level – or any level - no question. Everyone who saw it just stood and applauded – it made me very proud!”
HWFC will be arranging trials on Sunday 5 February 2006 on Hampstead Heath – from 10.00am – 11.00am. Anyone who would like to attend please contact Brad Solomon, Manager, for an initial discussion. For contact details phone the MGB office on 020 8457 2333 and ask for Michelle
