MATCH REPORTS
These will be included here. Captains, please email your report by Sunday evening each week, and we will get them online asap. Thank you.
Nuneaton Ladies Firsts travelled away to Soilhull Blossomfield for a friendly for their last game before the Christmas break. After last week’s top performance, Nuns hoped to continue their winning ways but with only five of last week’s players available it wasn’t to happen.
In what can only be described as a rough and interesting game, both teams had spells of possession, although it was Blossomfield that looked the more threatening for most of the first half - keeping the Nuns keeper and defence busy. It was Nuns that created the most of the opportunities they were given. Taking the lead midway through the half when Clare Smith received a long ball, and drove into the ‘D’ committing the Bloss keeper, before switching the ball to the unmarked Nicky Bayliss to force the ball home. Smith then took the opportunity to give Nuns their second, as she swept the ball into the corner of the goal, after some swift movement up the pitch. Nuns extended their lead further as Bayliss found free in the middle of the ‘D’ to easily put a third away for Nuns.
Half time gave Bloss the opportunity to regroup and they came out hard in the second half. Their speed left Nuns struggling on a number of occasions and, despite some good spells of play as Nuns returned to their more passing game, they caused little threat to the Bloss defence in the second half. Bloss scored from a short corner early in the half which was then followed by two goals from open play and a second short corner to give them the victory.
Long Buckby Vixens.....3
Nuneaton Vixens travelled away to league leaders Long Buckby on Sunday to play their final match before Christmas.
With a lack of defenders in the team, Nuns’ youngsters Chloe Easterlow and Kara Edwards were both asked to “give it a go” - playing for a period of time out of position at the back. However, it was Nuns’ senior players that proved to be a liability at the back, unfortunately assisting Long Buckby as they took the lead midway through the first half - then not properly clearing the ball from a short corner to set them up for an easy second.
Nuns went a further goal down not long into the second half, but continued to battle, with a high level of effort shown by both Nisha Khan and Lucy Easterlow, as they battled back to defend and pressed forward to attack - both covering large amounts of the pitch.
As Nuns continued to play, their game kept improving with them gaining much more of the play in the final 15mins, as they started to move more effectively off the ball, supporting each other and moving the ball around to beat defenders, to gain a number of more successful attacks.
