First Team Match Report
CCLFC 3 - 2 Sporting Club Albion
League - 13 September 2009
Match Reports by Adam Etheridge

The Coventry City Ladies underlined their Championship credentials with a commanding performance as they defeated Sporting Club Albion 3-2 at Westwood Heath. Goals from Natasha Lynch, Robyn James and Helen Dermody were enough to secure three points for City and keep their winning start to the season rolling on.

Lynch opened the scoring from the penalty spot to give her a goal in each of the Sky Blues’ first two games. James had earned the spot kick as she was hacked down from behind whilst closing in on Natalie Hall’s goal. Dermody had set the move in motion with a smartly taken throw-in picking out the lively James. Captain Lynch coolly slotted home the penalty into the left hand side of the net handing City an eleventh minute lead.

Sporting were back on par just two minutes later as Gemma Clarke’s clearance was charged down by Ashley Neville. The ball fell kindly to the striker and she was able to level the score firing across Sarah Morgan and into the back of the net. Abbie Hinton almost fired the Baggies into the lead moments later but her long range effort clipped the top of the stanchion.

England youth prospect Nikki Miles unlocked Albion’s defence with a pinpoint through ball unleashing James. The former Sporting striker latched onto the ball and lobbed Hall to restore Coventry’s lead in the 21st minute of a game that was proving a wide open contest. City began to dominate the match as half time approached with good chances falling the way of Jade Formaston and Leanne McKenna. Morgan was called upon twice to make great saves, standing up well to both Neville and Hayley Phillipowsky to ensure Coventry held a deserved lead at the break.

Into the second half the game continued at a frenetic pace, Lynch spurning Coventry’s best chance, heading narrowly over after Formaston skipped past two players to pull back from the by-line. Both players were involved in City’s third. Lynch collected an Albion long ball and spread play wide to Natalie Wilcox, the full-back nudged on to Formaston who charged down the right before laying back to Wilcox. The attack minded right-back floated a ball across the area that found its way to Dermody who drove home from 15 yards.

Albion made the final 30 minutes uncomfortable for the Sky Blues, Ali Forbes was adjudged to have impeded Phillipowsky in the area. The prolific striker stepped up to score an identical spot kick to Lynch’s effort. Sporting huffed and puffed but never looked likely to snatch a point and it was City that almost added a fourth. Dermody played Cherelle Archibald clean through, but on her weaker left side the second half substitute could only fire wide.

Paul Cudby will now prepare his team for the visit of Crewe Alexandra next Sunday. The Sky Blues won both encounters comfortably last season as the Cheshire outfit narrowly avoided relegation. The match is scheduled for a 14:00 kick off at Coventry University’s Westwood Heath Sports Grounds. Entrance and parking are both free of charge.