LTHC Ladies 1st XI 5 vs Kettering Ladies 2nd XI 1
MRHAWL – Midlands Feeder East
Saturday 20th October 2018
Loughborough Town Ladies 1st XI welcomed league strugglers Kettering Ladies 2nd XI s on Saturday, with the hope of extending their form to three games unbeaten following their away success last weekend.
From the early exchanges Town looked to be in control and after just five minutes, captain Shana Featonby made an impressive run down the right wing and picked out waiting forward Emily Hill in the circle. Hill made no mistake of smashing the ball home from point blank range for her first goal of the season, giving Town the 1-0 lead. With just 11 players for the fixture, Kettering seemed tired from the offset and Town did not have to wait long for their second. Just two minutes later, in an almost carbon copy of the first goal, new signing Katherine Laws made headway down the right and pulled the ball back across the opposition’s circle from the baseline. It was again Hill who connected with the lightest of touches to wrong-foot the Kettering keeper and double Town’s advantage. It looked like it was going to be Town’s morning as Ashleigh Godfrey, Annie Piper and Emily Burgwin ran riot in midfield, enjoying the space Kettering carelessly allowed. Before long, Burgwin weaved through the Kettering defence in an incredible 30 yard run before rounding the keeper and finding Hannah McCleery on the post who tapped in for Town’s third.
However, Town were not to have it all their own way. In their eagerness to break forward, the defensive concentration lapsed and Kettering were able to mount their own attack on Harriet Galpin’s largely untroubled goal. A defensive foot in the circle gave Kettering their first short corner of the game. Slipping straight to the right of the goal, a pinpoint lob from the Kettering captain caught Galpin and post player Featonby off guard, both unable to prevent the ball sailing high into the net, taking the score to 3-1. Frustrated, Town pressed on in the final minutes of the half and within three minutes of the restart, the in-form Emily Hill completed her first half hat-trick with a fine strike from the edge of the circle, restoring Town’s confidence into the break.
Resolving to add more to their tally in the second half, Town pressed hard from the whistle. Town’s forwards worked hard to create space inside the circle; new signing Emma Weir particularly impressing in a range of positions and earning her player of the match. Although enjoying the majority of the possession, Town’s passes in the final quarter of attack lacked their characteristic quality. Though they were awarded a number of short corners, the opposition keeper made a string of fairly routine saves to protect the score line. As it was looking as though Town would have to settle for the 4-1 score line, centre back Izzie Limb finally broke the stalemate, charging into the circle and smashing the ball with pace into the goal. Though the last few minutes were improved, the final whistle came and Town emerged as 5-1 winners. Although disappointing not to add more goals, nonetheless another fantastic result in their league campaign.
