Cullompton Rangers LFC
A Happy New Year for Cully
Gloucester 1 Cully 5
7th Jan
Despite not playing since November the Cully girls produced an impressive performance away to Gloucester City, coming away 5-1 winners. A gritty and determined Cully team started the game well on a cold afternoon in Gloucester, despite the influential a previously ever-present midfielder Catherine 'Curly' Wright absent with a serious hand injury the team gelled and had a good run of play in the opening minutes. Starting with a 4-5-1 formation the girls had the midfield domination and looked dangerous on the flanks with Rachel Javan on the left and Kim Betlem on the right. It was this combination that led to the first goal after 20 minutes. Good play from central midfielder Emma 'Redders' Redwood found striker Angie Pope in space running towards goal, Pope passed the ball out wide to Kim, whose strong cross was deflected into the Gloucester goal by an outstretched defender. Gloucester then had a good spell of pressure as they looked for the equaliser. They won a succession of corners and produced a chance on goal from one of these. The shot was bravely smothered at close range by Midfielder Josie Copp who flung herself at the ball.
The defence of Kerry Powell-Tuckett, Karen 'Bucky' Buck, Sam Bell and Kaylee Symons organised well and thwarted most of the chances created by the home side. Cully soon extended their lead, an excellent goal the result of a superb goal started at the back. Kerry won the ball at right back and played a short ball to Sam beside her, Sam passed into midfield, Josie found Redders who switched the ball wide left to Rachel. Rachel made a darting run up the left wing and hit a great cross over the top to Pope. Popes run was timed to perfection and she met the ball first time and lobbed the keeper finding the back of the net. Jess was unlucky not to make it 0-3 just before the break as she shot just wide of the post from the edge of the box.
The home side started the second half at lightening pace and put Cully on the defensive immediately. With 2 minutes they won a corner on the left and pulled a goal back. The Gloucester player beat defender Bucky to the ball and clipped a great ball into the top of the net just beating Maxine Coupe who got one hand to it. Right back in the game Gloucester continued to pressure and Gaffer made a change at the back as defender Sam picked up a slight leg injury. A straight swap saw a welcome return for Becky Maunder who made the short trip to Gloucester from her Uni digs. The defence adapted well, Becky linking up effectively with right back Kerry, who was having a solid game at full back. With the game still in the balance the Gaffer made another substitution which proved to be decisive. Emma Jones came on for Redders and Gaffer reverted to a 4-4-2 formation, Javan partnering Pope up front saw Jones slot in at left wing. Kim combined well with Pope on the right, Pope put a low ball across the 6 yard box which was drilled into the top of the net by Jones with her first touch.
With the 2 goal cushion once again the girls settled and again went back to playing neat and more flowing football. With 15 minutes to go Jess Hooper put the game beyond reach with the visitors fourth goal. Kim once again in the thick of it won the ball on the right and played in Jess, she ran into the box looked to shoot on the right but turned inside, beat the defender and thundered a left foot shot past the keeper. Showing good fitness and determination Cully continued to pressure the home defence, they rewarded for this shortly before the final whistle Josie competing with Pope for goal of the game. Josie capped a fine performance with a top quality strike, running with the ball she skipped past one defender and from 25 yards struck an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner of the net.
The girls and the Gaffer were pleased with a strong performance, they hope to take this forward to next weeks game when they visit Exeter Uni for the third time this season, this time in the quarter finals of the Devon County Cup.