Cullompton Rangers LFC
League v Gloucester
25th March 2007
Cully held in entertaining draw
Cully welcomed a home game at speeds meadow, hoping to regain three points in their replayed fixture against Gloucester City. The girls started well with neat passing football, Jess Hooper immediately making an impact on the left wing and testing the Gloucester right back. Gloucester also started brightly with their striker testing Maxine Coupe with a shot from the edge of the box. Cully took the lead on 22 minutes with a well executed goal from striker Laura Gough. The ball was won in defense by Josie Copp who switched it to Bucky (Karen Buck) on the left, she in turn found Jess who darted down the wing. Her penetrating run resulted in a corner which was taken by Curly (Catherine Wright), Goughy lost her marker in the box and lofted a superb side footed volley over the keeper.
Max was then the saviour for Cully, denying Gloucester an equaliser soon after. A wind assisted shot from the edge of the box looked to be over Max when she stretched and tipped it over the bar. Gloucester did find the net after half an hour as Cully momentarily went down to 10 players with Kerry Powell Tuckett off the pitch receiving treatment. Slightly disorientated at the back, Gloucester capitalised on a neat through ball, Bucky initially intercepted but only cleared it as far as the oncoming striker, Max rushed out the close her down but the Gloucester player finished neatly placing the ball into the empty net.
Both teams then played attacking football looking to take the lead before the half time interval. Emma Redwood and Goughy both had shots saved, and wingers Jess Hooper and Gabby Trays were making good runs on the flanks. Gloucester were also attacking with presence, but central defender Becky Maunder was doing well man-marking the main striker. Harsh words were spoken at half time, the players being reminded they were capable of better and needed to raise thier game. On the back of this Cully started well in the second half. Gabby found the back of the net after a through ball from Emma, but was adjudged to have received the ball from an offside position. Goughy showed strength and determination winning inumerable tackles and running down loose balls. She nearly turned goal provider when her cross into the box just evaded Jess. Substitute Angie Pope then had her shot from close range saved by the keeper.
Cully regained the lead with a goal from Curly who seems to be competing with herself for goal of the season. Although the free kick was some 40 yards out she knew this was still within her range. She didnt disappoint as her well struck shot left the keeper rooted to the spot. Cully were unable to get a third that would have put the game beyond reach, and Gloucester attacked in numbers. They played neat passing football pressurising the Cully defence. Max denied Gloucester with another outstanding save which epitomised her player of the match performance. From a set peice the Gloucester striker lost her marker and knocked the ball goalbound, it was destined for the corner in between post and keeper when Max launched herself to her right tipping the ball onto the post. The Gloucester players stood stunned at the save and Kerry shielded the ball until Max got to her feet. Unfortunately Max couldn't do anything about the equaliser as the Gloucester number 4 executed an unstoppable shot from close range. The ball was lost in midfield and Gloucester pounced and attacked with pace, after a promising run from the foward she found herself in the box but instead of the expected shot she unselfishly passed to her strike partner who finished well. Gloucester were inspired by the equaliser and were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty soon after. A tackle from Titch (Laura Carpenter) saw the Gloucester striker felled in the box but the ref overuled the linesman who had signalled a penalty. Both teams then went all out for the three points, each having a strong chance to win the game in the last five minutes. A defense splitting ball from Curly found Angie one on one with the keeper, a cool chip from the striker beat the keeper but went agonisingly over the bar. It was fitting that the last action of the game was another stunning save from Max, a speculative shot from the edge of the box was superbly saved with Coupe plucking the ball from the air. The game ended in a draw, a fair reflection of each teams possession and chances, Cully look forward to another home game this Thursday hosting Bristol Academy 'A' in the Pat Sowden Trophy.