Ascot United Women v Portishead Town Women

Report

YELLAWOMEN OFF THE MARK IN NATIONAL LEAGUE

 

Fox fires home only goal in Portishead win

 

Kate Fox scored the only goal as Ascot United Women won their first league match of the season against Portishead Women at the Racecourse on Sunday. After watching the visitors dominate the first half, boss Andy Cox’s stern half time words were enough to kickstart an improved second half from the home side, who ultimately finished much stronger in their 1-0 success.

 

Battle of bottom-two gives opportunity to get off the mark

Whilst the game itself saw the league’s two lowest sides up against each other – Portishead pointless and Ascot with one – there was a sense of optimism in the home camp as their games had come against three teams billed as the strongest. And off the back of last week’s thumping league cup win in Bournemouth, the hope was that they would earn their first league win at National League level.

 

Standing in their way were Portishead, and no doubt they would want to make something of their 200 mile round-trip from Somerset.

 

Portishead dominate but Cherry’s on top

The visitors were in total control in a largely one-sided first half – somewhat surprisingly – but all credit went to them with their high-pressing game which gave Ascot little time to manoeuvre.

 

Home ‘keeper Cherry Preisner was, fortunately, on top form with a couple of fine saves, although it was Erin Huntley’s loose pass after just 30 seconds that almost undid Ascot; Kimmi Tanner-Joyce nipping in and striking the outside of the angle of post and crossbar albeit with little target to aim at.

 

But Preisner’s flying save to claw Louis Hiott’s curling effort away in the 23^rd minute set the tone, before producing an even better moment three minutes later when she stretched every sinew to tip Phoebe Tate’s fist-time shot over the bar.

 

The home side rarely threatened and only had Molly Gladwell’s low shot to show for their effort earlier in the half, but visiting ‘keeper Esme Lamb made a routine save.

 

Visitors threaten early but eventually tire

There were more warning signs soon after the restart when Allanna Torrington’s deep free kick was nodded onto the roof of the net by visiting substitute Mia Blazey.

 

But after that, the home side began to assert their dominance, and scored what proved to be the winner just after the hour mark.

 

Gladwell’s driving run down the left paved the way for Bella Cox to cut the ball back for Fox, and she took a touch before drilling low and hard into the bottom left from just inside the area.

 

Blazey’s incredible goal-line clearance kept Cox’s 71^st minute corner from going directly into the net, before another Cox corner caused mayhem in the 81^st minute; Lamb clawing the ball away after it had cannoned of team-mate Natascha Bevan.

 

Player-of-the match Anna Machado’s stand-out display at right-back also saw her weigh-in with a near-assist – playing in Alice Balaam to tee up Anais Harney – whose shot on the turn brough another sprawling save from Lamb.

 

But Machado capped a fine afternoon with a goal-saving tackle on Portishead’s Shannon Holloway in the game’s dying embers – Holloway central and with a gaping target to aim at – but Machado read the danger to step in to a more central position and assist equally impressive centre-back Katelyn Wort.

 

Ascot United: Preisner, Machado, Cox, Huntley, Wort, Maxted, Dearlove (Balaam 46’), Lane (Fox 46’), Lloyd (Harney 75’), Delaney (Dias 66’), Gladwell (Glover 69’). Subs unused: Curr, Goulden

 

Entertainment: 3

Reporter’s Star Player: Anna Machado (Ascot United)

Attendance (estimate): 80 (10 away)