Cullompton Rangers LFC
Cully beat league leaders
Larkhall 1 v Cully 2
28th Oct
Cully won a tough contest at league leaders Larkhall, coming away 2-1 winners. On a wet and windy afternoon the girls fought the weather conditions and played out an excellent game of football. Assisted by the perfect pitch Cully started well and settled into the 3-5-2 formation that the Gaffer had chosen to give more attacking options. Karen `Bucky' Buck moved from left full-back to take a wing-back position on the same side, and Kim Betlem mirrored it on the right. Jess Hooper moved inside to join Catherine `Curly' Wright and Josie Copp in the centre of midfield. The back three were Kaylee Symons, Sam Bell and sweeper Kerry Powell-Tuckett. Strikers Rachel Javan and Emma `Redders' Redwood again started up front hoping to profit from their successful and fruitful partnership of recent weeks. Cully took full advantage of the extra width using Kim and Bucky on the flanks early on, stretching the home sides defence.
Having had alot of the early possession Cully capitalised and took the lead on 14 minutes. Sam picked up the ball in defence and with time and space found Redders, she turned well and put an accurate pass through to Rach. With the keeper sprinting out to close her down Rach placed a perfect shot past the keeper with the outside of her left foot. On the ascendency Cully again attacked the visitors goal, and won a free-kick 30yds out. Josie hit a cracking shot, that had the keeper beaten but thundered against the cross-bar. Redders, Bucky and Rach all chased the rebound but as it fell to Redders it got caught under her feet and she was unable to get a clean shot on goal. This scare woke up the home side and spurred them into action, attacking down the left. Having won the corner Larkhall pressured in the box and Cully were unable to clear the ball cleanly. As it fell to the edge of the box Kaylee tackled strongly, getting the ball but the player too. As some of the home side appealed for a free kick another Larkhall player picked up the loose ball and had a shot on goal. What seemed like a straightforward save was unfortunately spilt by Max as the wet ball slipped through her fingers, affording Larkhall an equaliser.
Lifted by their goal the homeside had the next two chances, both strong shots by the right winger. Max, determined to recompense her earlier error, was on hand to make a brace of saves from the shots outside the box. Larkhall found it hard to thwart the strength and skill of Josie, who was fouled on several occassions in the first half. She was nearly rewarded when she made a powerful run towards goal. Having beaten two players she unleashed a strong shot that was well saved by the keeper. Kim and Curly linked up well in midfield attacking down the right and, assisted by striker Rach, won a corner. Left-footed Jess swung the ball in, and Bucky met it near the penalty spot flicking it goal bound. Redders was the quickest off the mark, beating the defender to it, poking it into the back of the net to give Cully a 2-1 lead. Jess had the last chance of the half, just before the whistle, but dragged her shot just wide of the far post. Bucky was played in by Curly, and on the edge of the box slotted the ball through to Jess. Jess lost her marker to create space for her first time shot.
The second half saw less opportunities as both teams cancelled themselves out in midfield. Curly, as ever, worked endlessly winning tackles and headers and with Josie and Jess on top of their game they snuffed out the skillful midfield of Larkhall. When Larkhall did attack they did so on the flanks and won a succession of corners as Sam Bell tackled strongly in defence. Max found herself under pressure from one such corner, but punched cleanly to clear the danger. The strong and well organised back three of Cully prevented any more clear cut chances from the home side. Angie Pope made a welcome return from suspension playing up front for the last 25 minutes. Bucky came off and Rach switched to left wing-back with Pope joining Redders in attack. Pope nearly put the game beyond reach in the last ten minutes but was unlucky as the ball ran away as she looked set to shoot. She linked up well with Redders and found space when her strike partner passed a neat ball through. Her first touch though went slightly too far and the keeper came out to avert the danger. The whole team showed good fitness and defiance to see the game out and take the three points they deserved. A midweek fixture sees the girls play again on Thursday night, entertaining Exeter University at Speeds Meadow.