LTHC Ladies 3rd XI 1 vs Lutterworth Ladies 1st XI 0
LRHA Ladies – Division 1
Saturday 30th March 2019
Loughborough Town Ladies 3rd XI set up for the final time this season at home against Lutterworth Ladies 1st XI. With a potential promotion spot at second in the table up for grabs, Town needed to win the game to draw level on points with Market Harborough Ladies 2nd XI after their game was conceded by Roundhill leaving the fate of the table in Town’s hands.
Prior to the game, Lutterworth showed disorganisation as they lined up in the same colour shirts as Town’s home kit. After much confusion, Lutterworth donned red shirts and Town hoped their lack of organisation would continue into the first half. Despite only having ten players, Lutterworth did exactly the opposite. They exposed space in midfield that Town just couldn’t seem to dominate. After a few spells in Town’s D, Lutterworth weren’t able to capitalise and Town managed to settle into the occasion.
Joint MOM, Julia Symons quickly recognised the need for transferring the ball in order to maximise Town’s chances of breaking away from the cluttered midfield. Ellen Johns and Grace Jones were able to expose the space down the wing linking up with Sam Dalby in the final 25. After a flurry of chances, the game seemed to be at a stalemate. Town didn’t give up, fighting hard into the second half but still only managing a score of 0-0 at the 50th minute mark.
In the final quarter of the game, two penalty corners were won by Town, with Beth Johnson stepping up to strike which was readily discarded by the Lutterworth keeper. Amanda Conradie exploited Lutterworth’s defence as Town pushed harder for the goal they so desperately needed. Keeping their foot on the gas, Lutterworth were not without chances but Iris Broekhuijzen, Vicky Ashenden and Hatty Bates denied their efforts on goal.
Continuing to pressurise Lutterworth, Kamma Hvass and Rachel Taggart linked up well down the right wing but Sarah Rose was unable to capitalise on their crosses. Town’s chance came in the 65th minute after a counter attack that began with a superb clearance by Selena Cox in goal, the foundations were laid deep in Town’s own half by Ruth Lyons and played rapidly through midfield, catching Lutterworth by surprise. Before they could react, joint MOM, Sam Dalby, had taken the shot and the ringing of the ball hitting the backboard triggered an eruption of cheers from the home side and fans. Town had finally managed to take the lead but now needed to defend it until the final whistle. Playing with all 11 players in their own half, Town became impenetrable, clearing ball after ball off the sideline. Despite taking such a deep stance, Town still managed a few attacking spells. After what felt like an eternity, the whistle was blown and Town now find themselves finishing second in the league table on a goal difference of +42 above Market Harborough’s 2nd XI +33.
In their first season, Town’s Ladies 3rd XI have managed a 12 game unbeaten run that lasted from October 28th to March the 23rd. They have taken 6 points from promotion contenders Charnwood Sileby and Market Harborough after losing to both in the first half of the season. They have played and won more games than any other team in their league with a winning tally of 12 without any games conceded in their favour. They have achieved the highest goal difference in the league, scoring a total of 56 and only condeding 14, whilst finishing on the campaign with 37 points.
