Points All Round For Ladies in First 2015 Fixtures

NHC Ladies 1’s started the season with a rescheduled fixture from the beginning of December against Christchurch at home.

A team of similar abilities, however Town were keen to avenge the 5-0 loss from their away fixture to the side. Having learnt a great deal and developed as a team since then – Coach Nic Thorpe was believed his side could bag all 3 points.

The Coach was not left disappointed as Newmarket looked sharp and not to distracted from having Christmas off and took control of the game. Brilliant one two moves and quick passing was on show and Christchurch were muted and on the back foot.

Newmarket were awarded a string of short corners and this match proved that routines can work. Di Thomas took the initial injection out to Faye Andreou. She slipped the ball right to Claire McDonnell who neatly passed back for Andreou to put away a tidy flick inside the keeper’s right post. This was one of the first times Newmarket have scored in the first half of a match and first as a team all season.

The second goal was produced with hard work and calling from Town. On the counter attack Tania Fisher broke with the ball and passed right Player of the Match Lydia Evans. She passed to Thomas who made good headway down the right wing took the defenders out wide and then intelligently passed the ball back to the P spot. There Vicky Sievewright was on hand to find Claire McDonnell – she reached the ball and stretched the ball over the line – just out of reach of the final defender.

The final goal was an exact replica of the first and Captain Andreou takes her tally to 3 this season.

Next week the Ladies 1st team play Norwich City 1’s who will be incredibly tough to beat but Town are again determined to cancel out the 6-0 defeat they faced on the home leg.

Newmarket open the second half of the season with a strong 0-4 win over St Neots.

A great opening for Newmarket with a goal from a short corner within the first 6 minutes, a strong precise injection from Becca Bunning found Cassie Edgar-Ayms who did a double slip with Mel Podd to enable Cassie Edgar-Ayms to aim at the left post where Olivia Haste was waiting to sweep the ball into the goal.With Angel Fayers dominating the right wing with control and accuracy it didn’t take long before some lovely linked play between Fayers, Edgar-Ayms, Tracy Cockeril and Anna Sambrook pushed the play up the pitch, with another great pass into the D Clodie Rolph found the back of the goal making it 0-2

After half time Sue Bullimore (goal keeper) was kept on her toes with some fantastic saves one off the line with her stick when the attack managed to break through the strong Newmarket Defence of Sarah Ganiford, Jessica Felton-Page, Bunning And Lou Barker. Newmarket once again started to dominate the game, Edgar-Ayms picked up a rebound shot 50 minutes in and blasted the ball into the centre of the goal rattling the back board making it 0-3

The final goal was scored from a short corner by Edgar-Ayms making the final score 0-4. Next week top of the league Haverhill travel to Newmarket.

Player of the match was Tracy Cockeril, Nelly was Sarah Ganiford.

Newmarket 3rds returned after the long Christmas break to face Cambridge City 5s on a chilly and blustery day. Newmarket started brightly with good attacking play down the flanks with Sophie Bell and Hannah Kelly getting forward at every opportunity, feeding Hannah Fox and Bea Jones, who formed the strike partnership. The first half saw chances for both teams with Newmarket coming closest with some good build up play from central pairing – Lydia Willmott and Helen Hansgate. However, strong defensive performances by both teams and in particular Newmarket 3’s ‘Wall of Steel’ Rachel Pegg, Phoebe Peacock, Rebecca Barnes, Janie Harrington and Man of Match Keeper Claire Spiers, saw the half time score 0v0.

The second half began with both teams coming out looking for goals. City found their’s first from a short corner. Newmarket responded positively and levelled soon after from a rapid counter attack. Jones latched on to a perfectly weighted through ball from Kelly before out pacing the retreating City defense and calmly slotted the ball past the keeper for 1-1. The remainder of the match saw opportunities for both sides to snatch victory, but with both keepers shutting up shop no more goals were scored.

Teddy: Bea Jones

MoM: Claire Spiers