Gillingham Ladies took a point from their home game with top of the table West Ham Ladies on Sunday afternoon.

Danni Farmer probably had the Gills best chance of the game while West Ham’s best chance came through Stacey Little. West Ham had the first chance of the game when Becky Merritt crossed for Gemma Shepherd who saw her effort go wide.

There was a lengthy stoppage in the third minute when Leah Jones challenged Nikki Duncan for a Lauren Williams shot, and ended up needing treatment from the physio. In the 11th minute Danielle Carlton played a ball to Natalie Crinean but her shot on goal was just wide of the near post.

With 16 minutes gone a ball over the top from the Gills defence set Leah Jones away but she couldn’t keep her shot down as it sailed over the bar.

In the 23rd minute Deanna Cooper swung a free-kick into the area from the half way line and Danni Farmer headed wide. Shortly after that Natalie Crinean was to get a shot away but it went wide of Nikki Duncan’s post.

Just before the half hour mark Gemma Shepherd crossed into the Gills area and Carly Roache couldn’t quite force Sarah Quantrill into a save. In the 40th minute both sides fashioned chances on goal with first Stacey Little firing straight at Sarah Quantrill.

Then Natalie Crinean set up Leah Jones at the other end only for the winger to fire just wide of the far post.

Half Time 0-0

West Ham came out the quicker of the two sides and the first chance of the half fell to the Hammers when Jess Barling fired over from the edge of the area. Again in the 48th minute Barling was involved with West Ham’s next move, her free-kick found Shepherd who fired over from distance.

With 51 minutes on the clock Kelley Blanchflower fired at goal from distance and forced Sarah Quantrill into a save that was cleared from danger by Sian Cheedy. On the hour mark Natalie Crinean picked the ball up in midfield before advancing towards the West Ham area, but she couldn’t quite get a shot away, and was crowded by the West Ham back four.

In the 82nd minute as well worked Gills move saw Danielle Carlton cross into the West Ham area, she picked out Laura East who fired well wide of goal. The Gills best chance of the game came in the 84th minute when Danni Farmer picked up the ball in midfield. She turned and fired a shot on goal that saw Nikki Duncan make a fine save and palm the ball around her near post for a corner.

That was the last real effort on goal from either side and a point was most likely a fair result and both sides deserved something from the game.

Full Time 0-0

Gills: Quantrill, Williams, Cheedy, Cooper, Jones S, Carlton, Tune (Hardaker, 47), East, Jones L (Ashton-Jones, 86), Farmer (c), Crinean (Phillips, 80)

Subs not used: Smith, Taylor

West Ham: Duncan, Grafton, Barling, Sullivan, Duxbury, Roache, Morgan, Little, Shepherd, Blanchflower, Merritt

Subs: Stimson, Hein, Abegglen, Munro

Pic supplied by Julian Hart Photography