Herne Bay Ladies continued their winning ways with a comprehensive second win in successive weeks against an Ashford Girls side that they had put out of the League Cup seven days previously.
Bell Meadow, where Herne Bay Ladies play their South East Counties Women’s League matches, boasts remarkably good draining properties for a ‘recreational’ pitch and despite the gusty conditions the Bay Ladies entertained with some neat five yard football that would not have been out of a place higher up the Women’s football pyramid.
Carly Farrow and Kate Foster made inroads down both flanks throughout the game and the consistently solid back four restricted Ashford incursions rendering Bay ‘keeper, Breeze Handley, a virtual spectator.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t until midway through the first half that Bay took the lead. The ball fell to last year’s top goal scorer Vicky Holness, who picked her spot and hit a low drive into the bottom corner out of the reach of the goalkeeper. It only took three minutes to double the advantage. Again, Holness was involved, supplying a superb cross that was met by Carly Farrow who had timed her run to perfection.
Five minutes after the turnaround Herne Bay Ladies made the game safe. Harriet Chapman linked up well with Foster and Holness to score the first of her three goals in the match. Almost immediately, Chapman scored her second, a well worked goal with a poachers finish. Her third came from a corner from the left. Kate Foster delivered the ball right under the crossbar, Chapman rose unopposed, and directed the ball into the net to complete her second hat trick in two weeks against the same opposition.
With the three points in the bag, Bay Ladies’ manager, Anthony Deer, used the roll on / roll off rules employed at this level to give a run out to players who have had limited minutes so far this season. The final goal of the game came five minutes from time, deserved reward for Kate Foster, who ran through on goal after an excellent defence splitting pass from Sarah Holmes.
A delighted manager, Anthony Deer commented, “Partnerships have been forming over the season and now the team is beginning to reap the rewards of good positive team play and solid defending. We’ve got three cup semi-finals to look forward to in the next few weeks starting with defending the KCFA Women’s Plate against West Kent. February is a big month for us.”
Herne Bay Ladies, second in Division One (East) of the South East Counties Women’s league, are four points behind leaders Long Lane and have yet to play them at home although they can point to a 7-0 win in the corresponding away fixture.
Herne Bay Ladies Match Squad: Breeze Handley, Emma Brown, Rachel Tracy, Beth Nugent, Debbie Blackmore, Carly Farrow, Lesley Kay, Lauren Wiltshire, Kate Foster, Vicky Holness, Harriett Chapman, Bella Smith, Charlie Hayes, Emily Hayward, Elizabeth Lehan, Sarah Holmes.
Player of the Match: Harriett Chapman
Herne Bay Ladies (2) 6
Chapman 3, Holness, Farrow, Foster
Ashford Girls (0) 0
South East Counties Women’s Football League – Division One (East)
Sunday 9th February 2014
(at Bell Meadow)
Pictured: Harriett Chapman rises unmarked to head home Kate Foster’s corner and complete her second successive hat-trick.