Cullompton Rangers LFC
Max secures 3 points
A neutral spectator would not have guessed it was top versus bottom when Swindon Spitfires entertained guests Cully at Hoopers field. Cully
narrowly beat their opponents with a 0-1 scoreline in a game that was ill-tempered and was marred by the officials.
Cully were nearly made to pay for missing a host of chances in the first half when Swindon pressured in the second period. However, Max Coupe ensured
Cully got the three points they deserved.
Cully started slowly but after about ten minutes they started passing the ball around and creating chances. Titch (Laura Carpenter) had two early opportunities,
firstly heading narrowly over the crossbar and secondly firing a great shot from 25 yards that was punched over by the keeper.
Hayley Sharrod and Kerry Powell-Tuckett played some good balls down the right, a pass then finding Curly (Catherine Wright) who's shot went wide.
Emma Redwood was the next to see her effort saved as she shot from the edge of the box following a ball from Jess Hooper on the left. When it looked like
Swindon would hang on until half time Emma was rewarded for her hard work with a goal in the 40th minute. She found herself on the right side
edge of the penalty box and fired an unstoppable shot into the opposite side of the goal.
The second half saw Swindon take advantage of the sloping pitch and pressure the Cully defence. Early on Max was tested from a free-kick, the Swindon
girl being first to the ball and Max diving to her left to put the header around the post. Soon after Max saved Cully again when the defence
were let down by the linesman. Despite at least two players being off-side no flag was raised and the Swindon attacker found herself one on one
with Max. Max was again in commanding form and saved the shot keeping Cully in the lead.
The gaffer made two substitutions in the 60th minute, Kim Betlam replacing Hayley on the right and Leanne Griffiths making her Cully debut
on the left. Leanne made an immediate impact when a ball from Laura Gough found her on the left and her shot was well saved by the keeper.
The game exploded in the 70th minute with a brawl involving players, spectators and officials. Kim Betlam played a ball up the wing to Goughy, as she went to meet the ball the Swindon defender slyly stuck her arm across and struck her in the face. Unfortunately this was missed by the officials and as Goughy retaliated the referee then interjected and pushed the Cully attacker to one side. Other Swindon players then unecessarily got involved and Cully players and supporters had to intervene. Bizarrely after liaising with his linesman the referee then asked the Swindon captain for her version of events. This inevitably saw only the Cully player punished, Goughy probably deserved her red card for retalliation however Cully were disappointed that the guilty Swindon players escaped punishment. The culprit of the strike escaped any form of card despite raising her hands to Goughy clearly for all to see.
Cully dug in and played the last 20 minutes 10 v 11, and battling also against the 3 officials. A clear penalty was turned down after the Swindon defender handled the ball in the area, but it was adjudged not deliberate. Probably the worst decision of the day was made by the referee in the 84th minute. Cully won a corner after good work from Leanne on the left found Emma, whos endless running ensured she was in the box to meet the cross. Her shot was blocked and went out for a corner. A pinpoint cross from Curly found the head of Josie Copp who made no mistake and she thundered the ball past the keeper. As the Cully players celebrated the referee raised his hand and awarded a free-kick against Josie. Despite no foul being apparent, he can only have judged it unfair that Josie was at least a foot taller than the defender and she should be penalised for that alone!! Even the linesman and Swindon supporters were perplexed and could not see why the goal was not allowed. Incensed and determined to beat Swindon and the officials the whole team dug in for the last 6 minutes plus injury time. The defence kept battling, the midfielders won their tackles and Emma, now the lone striker, kept running until the final whistle. Another clean sheet for Max, and a priceless 3 points. Cully now have a weeks break before entertaining the University of Bristol at home on October 22nd. Next Sunday will probably be spent recovering as the team host their inaugural evening of entertainment at Cully FC on Saturday night. The evening encompasses fundraising, entertainment and inevitable alcohol fuelled antics! Spare a thought for the bar staff - Bucky and Beccy who are staying sober and completing the 7 mile commando challenge on Woodbury Common early the following morning...all in the name of charity!