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Reserve Team Match Reports Doncaster Rovers Belles 1 - 3 Coventry City Ladies Reserves Justice was finally seen to be done when the Ressies deservedly ran out winners in this replay of the game abandoned in bizarre circumstances way back in early December. On that occasion, referee Kevin Franklin contrived to find reasons NOT to play out the last 35 minutes of a game the Sky Blues were winning comfortably, citing that an hour of daylight did not allow time for the Belles to warm up after an injury to their goalkeeper. Not surprisingly, Doncaster’s management agreed. And perhaps even less surprisingly, their offer at the time for the Sky Blues to claim the result proved to be somewhat less than genuine and the FA management committee’s ruling that the result should stand was overturned on appeal. Unfortunately for Belles, the rescheduling backfired on the league leaders. With Coventry’s senior squad decimated by illness and injuries and others unavailable over the Easter weekend, the 15 able to make the trip included a handful of first team regulars. Not even the re-engagement of the notorious one-eyed Franklin could save Belles a second time. City took charge from the start and it was no surprise when Sarah Marshall spun and fired home from 10 yards after 7 minutes. With Amanda Whalley enjoying a lot of space on the right flank and the industrious Julia Marshall driving through midfield, there were chances a plenty to increase the lead; and with a little more luck in front of goal Mel Byrne could have put the Sky Blues out of sight by half time. Half Time: Doncaster Rovers Belles 0 - 1 Coventry City Ladies Reserves The Belles’ goal continued to lead a charmed life in the 2nd half as McKenna, Byrne, Marshall and McLeod all went agonisingly close, but the old adage that a game is not safe while the lead is just one goal was never truer than when Doncaster seized on a moment’s hesitation between Kirsty Stevenson and the hitherto faultless Natasha Lynch, to nip in and toe the ball into the near corner past the helpless Kelly Cartwright on 58 mins. It is not often that you see a referee celebrating a goal, and even rarer to hear one shout “ABOUT ******* TIME!” (expletive deleted). But then, Mr Franklin is no ordinary referee. His joy was short lived however, when substitute Katy Box muscled her way through to lob keeper Kim Firth from 12 yards on 64 minutes to restore City’s lead. Mr Franklin’s increasingly frenetic efforts to balance the account hit comic heights in the 70th minute when Belles’ full back Gemma McCook reached up to catch the ball two handed, only to look down in horror when she realised she was standing fully two feet inside the touchline. She needn’t have worried. Mr Franklin hilariously chose to award a throw in to Doncaster, presumably reasoning that the ball would have otherwise gone out of play. Even the most ardent of home supporters looked embarrassed. Referee Franklin though, had more tricks up his sleeve. The final 15 minutes saw a remarkable number of free kicks awarded against the Sky Blues as every challenge for the ball was interpreted to be foul play whether or not any contact had been made, while a remarkable number of line flags were ignored as Belles’ forwards repeatedly strayed offside. They were remarkable also in that the last 15 minutes actually lasted 24 minutes as Mr Franklin played on into the gathering gloom. An amazing contrast to that day back in December when a full sun in a bright blue cloudless sky was deemed to constitute a ‘risk of injury to players’. None of this phased the Sky Blues though, and when Mel Byrne swept home Whalley’s low cross from the bye line in the 7th minute of injury time, even Mr Franklin had had enough. The final whistle was the trigger for a number of Doncaster players to vent their frustrations, not least the increasingly spiteful McCook who did her utmost to provoke a brawl, for which City’s Katy Box predictably received the reprimand. As the players left the field, Mr Franklin was refreshingly forthright. When asked by a home supporter “Could you not have done more for us, Kevin?”, he was honest enough to respond, “I did all I could". Congratulations are due to Doncaster for having effectively secured the Reserves Mids & North Div II title. We trust that the Mids & North I will enjoy Doncaster’s brand of hospitality, particularly the after match repast. With half the Coventry team still in the changing room, Belles departed for the more salubrious delights of a local MacDonalds; while the visitors were told to leave the building and finish their sandwiches on the car park. We shall miss them. Team: K.Cartwright (K.Williamson 74), D.Wilcox (K.Henson 56), K.Stevenson, N.Lynch, L.Bryenton, A.Whalley, J.Marshall, M.Byrne, SMarshall, A. McCleod (K.Box 60). SNU Z.Sykes. Coventry City Ladies Reserves 9 - 2 Oldham Curzon Coventry City Reserves kept up their spell of good form with a 9-2 victory over Oldham at Coventry University. Karen Clough and Mel Byrne led the way with hat-tricks. Ria Baker scored twice with Katy Box also on the scoresheet. Blackburn Rovers 2 - 4 Coventry City Ladies Reserves Coventry City Ladies Reserves recorded a fine victory at Blackburn Rovers with a 4-2 win. Katy Ward, Lauren Lockwood, Kelly Henson and Zoe Sykes netted for Mark Howard's team. Coventry City Ladies Reserves 6 - 3 Lincoln City Coventry City Ladies Reserves continued to do well in their WPL Reserve League Second Division Northern fixtures with a 6-3 home win over Lincoln City. Lauren Lockwood, Mel Byrne and Lucy Morgan all scored two goals apiece. Doncaster Rovers Belles 1 - 2 Coventry City Ladies Reserves The Coventry Ladies' Reserves match at Doncaster was abandoned after 55 minutes when the Belles' keeper, Megan Cuttell, sustained an injury to her neck. Referee Kevin Franklin unaccountably chose to end proceedings with 45 minutes of daylight left and 35 minutes left on the clock, claiming that "he couldn't re-start without allowing the players of both sides to have 15 minutes warm up, by which time he wouldn't be able to play two halves of equal length". Perhaps not surprisingly, with Belles' 100% home record in serious jeopardy the Doncaster side were only too quick to agree. The Sky Blues led 2-1 thanks to two quality strikes by Ria Baker on her return to the club after a n absence of over two years, and were in control and looking likely to add more. Steve Clarke's protests that his side were ready to re-start and did not need 15 minutes were waved aside, amid unnecessary and inappropriate comments about a lack of consideration for the girl who had been injured. Everyone at Coventry City Ladies FC would, of course, like to express our best wishes to Megan Cuttell for a speedy recovery. Coventry City Ladies Reserves 5 - 0 GB Deaf Women On a cold, wet dog of a day at Henley College, the Sky Blue Reserves showed great resolve to overcome both the elements and the stubborn resistance of a spirited GB side to repeat their win of a fortnight ago With many local fixtures wiped out by the weather, the hardy few prepared to brave the bitter cold and torrential rain, were joined by onlookers from at least two rival ladies’ football teams. They were treated to a highly competitive game that was always closer than the final score would suggest. Zoe Sykes got the Sky Blues off to a flying start with a well-struck shot from the edge of the area after just 5 minutes, and debutante Jo Ryan looked to have added a second with a goal superbly fashioned by the four U16’s making their first appearances at senior level. Cathy Smith brought the ball over the half way line before finding Ziggy Gowlett wide on the right. Gowlett played a neat one-two with Ali Forbes, skipped past her marker on the touchline, then sent in a hard low cross that was flicked in on the volley at the near post by Joanne Ryan. Play was called back though, when the referee spotted a linesman’s flag for the ball having gone out of play. Lauren Lockwood did make it two on 12 minutes, but any notion that the visitors’ spirit would be broken after City’s opening blitz was soon to be dispelled. The goal served only to stiffen the resistance showed by the GB side; for the next hour they played their part in a game in which both sides passed the ball about well and were always looking to go forward. In the last quarter though, the Ressies’ greater fitness began to tell. Lauren Lockwood completed her hat trick with two typically trademark Lockwood goals, bursting directly through the heart of the GB defence at pace and finishing with low strikes into either corner. Then on 85 minutes, Jo Ryan finally got her due reward with a spectacular right-footed rocket from 22 yards. Fine interplay between Lockwood and Linda Scott teed the ball up in space just outside and to the right of the penalty area, and the youngster showed great composure to look up and measure her stride before rifling the ball high into the roof of the net. The final whistle came as welcome relief in the gathering gloom, but it was heartening to hear the observations of one observer who had in fact witnessed only the second half. “I may be freezing cold and soaked through, but that was the best game of football I’ve seen all season” Particularly pleasing for the Sky Blues was the form of U-16 debutantes, Cathy Smith, Ali Forbes, Joanne Ryan and Sigourney ‘Ziggy’ Gowlett. 15-year-old Cathy Smith was asked to play in an unfamiliar right back role, but she showed great maturity on the ball and combined well down the right flank with Ziggy Gowlett. The pair were a continual threat to the visitors all afternoon. Ali Forbes forged a rock like partnership at the centre of defence with Kerry Williamson, and Jo Ryan provided real pace and menace alongside Lauren Lockwood up front. MotM: Linda Scott ~ fine captain’s performance; good leadership and encouragement throughout. Unlucky not to get on the score sheet with a fine header late on, that struck the inside of a post and was saved on the line. Team: Georgina Perry, Cathy Smith, Ali Forbes, Kerry Williamson, Kirsty Stevenson, Sigourney Gowlett, Linda Scott, Zoe Sykes, Lauren Lockwood, Jo Ryan. Coventry City Ladies Reserves 4 - 0 GB Deaf Women City Ladies Reserves were four goal victors in a friendly to help the Great Britain Deaf Association with their preparations for the Deaflympics in Melbourne next year. The Sky Blues were ahead at the interval with goals from Natalie Wilcox and Linda Scott. They added two more in the second half with strikes from Zoe Sykes and Lauren Lockwood. Lincoln City Reserves 0 - 5 Coventry City Ladies Reserves After a poor start to the season which saw them lose their opening 4 matches, City Reserves are beginning to show genuine signs of improvement. A creditable draw against a Manchester City side laced with players with 1st team experience was followed by a comfortable 4-2 win over Blackburn Rovers, so City had good reason to feel confident for the visit to lowly Lincoln City. The game got off to the worst possible start for the Sky Blues when Jade Newbold went down clutching her knee after the first tackle of the game and was carried off. There followed a bizarre 7-minute delay while the attending ambulance driver unaccountably chose to park on the pitch. Jade's misfortune, however, proved to be Lauren Lockwood's opportunity to show just what the Reserves have been missing. Lockwood's pace and aggression provided direction and a much-needed cutting edge to City's forward play alongside Mel Byrne, and on Sunday, Lincoln simply couldn't cope. The home team enjoyed a good opening spell though, taking the game to City and getting in the early strikes on goal, largely aided and abetted by City's benevolent rearguard. Time and again it was the experienced Karen Weston to the rescue as those around her seemed intent on passing to a red shirt at every opportunity. Georgina Perry drew warm applause for a spectacular flying one handed save onto the woodwork in the 9th minute to deny Lincoln's Sarah Kennedy, after Kennedy had been invited to have a go from 20 yards with yet another ball presented on a plate by City's twitchy defence. City settled down however, after taking the lead on 14 mins from the penalty spot. Linda Scott had her legs taken away by Charlotte Spencer after jinking her way into a shooting position, and got up to convert to the kick herself into the bottom left corner. Better was to come. Lincoln keeper Kirsty Richardson had been kept busy in a sustained period of City pressure following the goal and been equal to everything the visitors had thrown at her, but there was nothing she could do when Scott was teed up some 30 yards from goal and unleashed a screamer that sailed into the top left corner of the net for City's second. Mel Byrne added the third on 40 mins with a cool chip after drawing the keeper, and Leanne McKenna was unlucky not to add more with two strikes within a minute that both hit the woodwork. The first struck the base of the post from 25 yards with no City player following up, and moments later 'Macca' hit a thunderous drive from the same spot that cannoned back off the crossbar. There was still time for Karen Clough to skip round her marker on the bye line and send a flashing left foot that brought another flying save out of Richardson, leaping high to her right to claw the ball out of the top corner. H-T 0-3 The second period again saw Lincoln start well, with Brookes and Hewitt exploiting the space and hesitation down both City flanks to get balls into the box, and forcing City's midfield to come deep to plug the gaps. On the hour, Lincoln's Spencer hit a post, triggering two City substitutions that effectively secured the game. Kath Hartley came on in midfield, enabling Leanne McKenna to switch to right back, Kerry Williamson took over at left back; and goalkeeper Perry joined the spectators as City launched a 25 minute offensive on the home goal. Lauren Lockwood showed blistering pace to outstrip her markers on numerous occasions, only to angle shots just wide of both posts, and she had another strike finger tipped inches past by keeper Richardson. She finally got her just reward though, with a goal of real quality in the 77th minute. Karen Clough rounded the full back and hit a hard, low cross that Lockwood took down expertly and blasted low into the bottom corner. One minute later McKenna was again unlucky when she soared to meet Smith's corner from the right and bulleted a header destined for the top corner, only for Lincoln's Kirsty Richardson to palm away one handed at full stretch. Linda Scott had the ball in the net again on 84 minutes after the ball had pinged all over the Lincoln 6 yard box, but was denied her hat trick when referee Bloxholme blew up for an infringement. It proved to be a brief respite for Lincoln; City promptly made it 5-0 just one minute later. Karen Clough again showed a clean pair of heels to her marker, and crossed over the heads of everyone in the middle for the ball to fall at the feet of Natalie Wilcox 8 yards out. Her shot was not particularly well struck, but when a covering defender stuck out a foot on the line, she succeeded only in slicing the ball upward into the roof of the net. From the kick off, Hartley played in inch perfect pass through for Karen Clough to race in one on one with the keeper. Encouraging cheers turned to groans though when the referee blew for full time with the goal at Clough's mercy and fully 5 minutes still left to play on the clock. Team: Perry, D. Wilcox (Hartley 60), Weston, Smith, Stevenson (Williamson 62), Clough, Scott (capt), McKenna, N. Wilcox, Newbold (Lockwood 1), Byrne. Scorers: L. Scott (2), Byrne, Lockwood, N. Wilcox. Coventry City Ladies Reserves 4 - 2 Blackburn Rovers Ladies
Reserves Afer the cup exit, there was better news for City Reserves who beat Blackburn Rovers 4-2 in a Women's Premier League Reserve Second Division North fixture at Coventry University. With Linda Scott equalising for City in the first half, the Sky Blues turned up the pace in the second with Melissa Byrne,Karen Clough and Rachel Smith giving Mark Howard's team a comfortable victory. Birmingham City Ladies Reserves 3 - 0 Coventry City Ladies
Reserves Coventry City Ladies Reserves were knocked out of the FA Women's Premier League Cup Second Round at Birmingham City. On a wet afternoon in Erdington, Mark Howard's team who knocked out Aston Villa in the First Round, showed the early initiative with skipper Kath Hartley firing wide from twenty yards in the second minute. Birmingham boss Vince Gordon fielded a strong side with eight players who have experience of the highest echelons of the female game and in the seventh minute, they took the lead when England U19 international Katy Ward got down the left and crossed for Vicky Gallagher who swept the ball past keeper Gemma Smith from close range. Six minutes later, Blues increased their lead when Gallagher netted with a superb lob from an acute angle. With Gemma Smith making some excellent saves and some heroic defending by Lynsey Bryerton, Coventry kept the home side at bay until the 72nd minute. Jenny Igoe who joined Birmingham at the start of the season after playing for the Sky Blues since the age of eight burst down the left flank to deliver a cross for Henley Academy coach and former Sky Blue Nicky Webb to rifle high into the net. Coventry City Ladies WPL Northern Division game against Stockport County at Coventry Sphinx FC was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, Mark Phillips team travel to Wolves on Sunday whilst City reserves play Blackburn Rovers at Coventry University's Westwood Heath ground Manchester City Ladies Reserves 2 - 2 Coventry City Ladies
Reserves With Coventry City Ladies Northern Division fixture at Manchester City postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, Coventry City Ladies Reserves travelled to Manchester City Reserves. Kath Hartley had missed a 24th minute penalty for Coventry before debutant Melissa Byrne put City ahead on the stroke of half-time. Fielding a strong side, the Citizens fought back with Tanya Watts scoring with 35 yard lob. Lena Baseley put City back in front in the 78th minute only for Nicky Aryegbusi to equalise thirty seconds later. Coventry City Reserves 1 - 3 Doncaster Rovers Belles Coventry City Ladies Reserves were beaten 3-1 at home by Doncaster Rovers Belles in a WPL Reserve Section Division 2 game. Maxine Knox who is making a comeback from a long term injury scored City's goal. Aston Villa 0 - 2 Coventry City Reserves City Reserves won their Premier League Cup 1st Round tie 2-0 at Aston Villa thanks to first half goals from Leona McCook and new signing Rachel Smith. Oldham Curzon 3 - 2 Coventry City Reserves City Reserves had a miserable day at Oldham Curzon. The coach broke down before it had left Coventry, the team were then held up en route and kick off was delayed for over an hour. Two goals from Karen Clough put the Sky Blues 2-1 ahead at the interval but two second half goals made added to the miserable start to the reserves WPL Reserve Section Division 2 season. Coventry City Reserves 1 - 2 Tranmere Rovers City Reserves were beaten 2-1 at home by Tranmere Rovers in their WPL Reserve Section Division 2 game with Kelly Ann Willis netting for the Sky Blues in the 88th minute. Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 Coventry City Reserves City Reserves did not fare as well in their first ever Women's Premier League Reserve Section Second Division at Sheffield Wednesday, going down 4-1 after a Jade Newbold goal had put Mark Howard's side ahead. Leamington 1-5 Coventry City Reserves City Reserves warmed up for their opening WPL Reserve Section North Division 2 game with a 5-1 victory at Leamington. Kath Hartley and Jade Newbold netted twice with Kerry Williamson sealing a good win for the Sky Blues. Willenhall Town 1-6 Coventry City Reserves City Reserves warmed up for their FA Premier Reserve League Division 2 campaign with a 6-1 victory at Willenhall Town. Leona McCook, Nat Wilcox, Jade Newbold, Karen Clough, Kelly Ann Willis and Kelly Hansen scoring the goals. Coventry City Reserves 0-2 Bristol Rovers Reserves City Reserves who will compete in the Women's Premier League Reserve Section Division Two North next season were beaten 2-0 also by Bristol Rovers with both goals coming in the second half. Sharon Porter who took the team in the absence of managers Mark Howard and Steve Clark said "This was a difficult game considering that the players had not played together before and many of our players were playing out of position and I was pleased by the way they performed." |