Cullompton Rangers LFC
Cully hit 5
22nd April 2007
League v Bath City (1-5)
Due to work commitments Cully were forced to travel to Bath City with only 10 players. The 10 that were available did the manager and themselves proud and ironically played some of their best football of the season. With several players out of position in a 4-5-1 formationthe girls adapted well and created a host of chances in the first 15 minutes.
Playing up the slope and facing the sun in the first half, Bath City tried to exploit the back three by playing the ball over the top of the defence. The initial pressure was thwarted by Kerry Powell-Tuckett, Chrissy Daniels and Bucky (karen Buck), and Cully attacked with promise.
The first goal came after just 10 minutes when some neat passing from defence lead to a breakaway. Chrissy took the ball from the back and found Goughy (Laura Gough) on the right. Her penetrating run took her to the edge of the box where she passed to Curly (Catherine Wright) on her inside. Curly made no mistake with a low shot placed well into the bottom left corner of the net.
Both teams continued to play good football in a well tempered game which was officiated excellently by both the ref and his assistants. Maxine Coupe was responsible for Cully keeping the lead when, on 20 minutes, she superbly clawed the ball from the top corner and over the bar. The shot from the Bath striker seemed destined for the back of the net but Max was as ever on her toes and agile.
Goughy, playing as the lone striker was running the defence ragged and came close to doubling the lead. Jess Hooper and Angie Pope also had chances. The second goal came just before the interval after Cully won a corner. The ball crossed in by Curly was initially cleared by Bath but fell to Bucky who had drifted forward for the corner. She ran with the ball and played a defence splitting pass to Angie who found space on the right. Angies pinpoint cross was excellently finished by Goughy who thundered her header into the ground and past the keeper.
The second half started brightly for Cully, the girls appearing to favour the space created by only having 10 players. Going down the hill the players were running with the ball more, to prevent their passes travelling to far. The three midfielders of Rachel Javan, Curly and Emma Redwood combined well and linked up with wide players Jess Hooper and Angie. Both teams created chances, although Bath were confined more to shooting from distance not being able to find the crucial ball into the box.
Jess made it 0-3 mid way through the second half when she gambled on a ball from Rachel and was rewarded for her running. Rachel played a ball forward to Jess coming in from the left. The defence closed down Angie as she went to meet the pass, deceiving the Bath player Angie dummied the ball to leave Jess through on goal. As the keeper advanced to narrow the angle Jess knocked it neatly past her into the empty net.
Max was unlucky not to get an assist when her mammoth free kick split the defence and found Goughy through on goal. She was unlucky with the ball bouncing high and running away from her as she lofted her shot over the bar. Bucky was then denied a rare goal by the Bath crossbar. Pushing forward in the final 20 minutes she won a ball in midfield and after beating one player passed it the Redders (Emma Redwood) free on her right. Her thunderous shot was well charged down by the Bath player but fell to Bucky again. Her speculative up and under from 25 yards hit the crossbar and out to safety.
Goughy made it 4 soon after, again being rewarded for her endless running. After an excellent ball from winger Pope, Goughy chiooed the keeper from just inside the box. Curly also got her brace with one of her trademark free-kicks from 30 yards. Her accurate place kick left the keeper no chance, and the referee commenting "I can't believe that just happened!"
With the last kick of the game Bath were on the scoresheet and rewarded for their spirit and determination. A penalty was a result of some indecision in the Cully defence and an unlucky bounce hit the hands of Rachel. Max was unlucky not to keep a clean sheet but the Bath captain unleashed a thunderous penalty into the top of the net.
An excellent performance by the 10 players of Cully leaving the Gaffer with some selection and formation headaches ahead of the County Cup final on Tues night. Kick off at 19:30, Coach Road, Newton Abbot.