Match Report
Back on 12 October the reds prevailed in a tense challenge cup first round shoot out after Kirsty Chambers had equalised the game in the dying seconds. The efforts of both United and Chorltonians were subsequently voided as, under the competition rules, the game should have proceeded to extra time before penalties. The home side’s appeal was upheld and four weeks later the teams did it all again with FC United triumphing 2-1, but not without some late drama as the home side almost forced extra time.
The first half was cagey and largely forgettable but United hit their stride around the hour mark as Shellby Wolstencroft scored from 25 yards and Kirsty Chambers doubled the lead with a tap in from a yard out. Aimee Cooke then won a penalty and saw her spot kick saved before Chorltonians set up a tense finish as Elizabeth Livesey scored from range.
In due acknowledgement of Remembrance Sunday, referee Graham Warner presided over an impeccable two minutes silence and the home side then got the game underway. The opening exchanges largely saw the home team in the ascendancy and on five minutes the pacey number seven, Jordanna Shaw broke behind the FC defence but fired wide of Mary Priestner’s goal. Having played each other twice already this campaign, familiarity was the victor in the early stages of the game as both sides contributed to a disjointed and cagey first half.
The majority of any real chances in the first quarter hour came the way of the home side as both Ellie Taylor and Shaw came close with Priestner pouncing on a loose ball having blocked Shaw’s initial effort. United’s first meaningful effort came on 20 minutes as Feiruz Abdullahi got behind the home defence and from a tightening angle stung keeper Natalie Callaghan’s hands as she parried the effort away for a corner which flew cross a crowded six yard box without anyone able to apply the all important touch.
Chorltonians went straight back on the offensive as Ellie Caddick robbed a hesitant Jess Tonge on the edge of the FC area and fired past the dive of Priestner with the post coming to United’s rescue. Shaw couldn’t control the rebound and United cleared the danger. This sparked FC into a positive response as Jess McCarrick came close to heading home from a corner and substitute Aimee Cooke pounced on the loose ball and fired through a crowd of bodies forcing Callaghan to hold on well.
A positive spell of United pressure resulted in Shauna Ward skewing a shot wide from distance and after Chambers released Abdullahi down the right the subsequent cross narrowly evaded the lung busting charge and slide of Cooke with Callaghan beaten. In the last significant action of a goalless first half Chorltonians’ Jamie Leigh-Blake fired harmlessly wide.
As United got the second half underway, it was the home side who settled soonest and Chelsea Patient saw off their first foray. Despite the home side pressure it was Chambers who had the best effort of the early exchanges; flashing a shot across Callaghan but just wide of the far post. Just before the hour, following a spell of FC ascendancy, Wolstencroft tried her luck from distance, her shot bouncing just in front of Callaghan on the soft, churned ground and deceiving the keeper on its way into the bottom corner.
Wolstencroft’s strike drew a good response from the home side and Priestner made a fantastic double save from Shaw to preserve the slender advantage. As Chorltonians pressed for an equaliser they inevitably left gaps and Abdullahi exploited this down the right latching onto a through ball, driving to the bye line and squaring to the unmarked Chambers who tapped home from close range to double the lead on 70 minutes.
Just minutes later, McCarrick sprayed a fantastic pass wide to Beth Hayes who cut the ball into the area where Cooke was bundled over for an undisputed penalty. Cooke herself took responsibility but her shot was directly at Callaghan who held on comfortably to launch Chorltonians upfield where shortly after, Elizabeth Livesey halved the deficit with a superb shot from 25 yards that dipped over Priestner, giving the keeper no chance.
With ten minutes still to play plus a protracted period of time added on the home side had several chances to force extra time but a resolute United held firm and saw the game out to finally settle the first round Challenge Cup tie. At the time of writing the reds are due to make their fourth visit of the season to Hough End as they return to league action against today’s opponents next Sunday. Get yourself to that football ground as the unbeaten reds bid to keep the pressure on league leaders Beechfield.
Report by Rob Fullen
Player of the game: Adora Yau – as in the game that never was back in October, Adora read every situation superbly and unerringly at centre half, partnered well once again by Chelsea Patient as former FC captain, centre half and birthday girl Fran Davies watched on appreciatively.
Teams 9th November 2014: Attendance: 55
Chorltonians: 1 (0)
1. Natalie Callaghan (Captain)
10. Ellie Caddick
6. Elizabeth Livesey (goal 79mins)
26. Judy Henson
3. Joy Windle
20. Jamie Leigh-Blake
8. Ellie Taylor
14. Courtney Bamber
18. Jamila Hodges
7. Jordana Shaw
4. Kate Davill
Subs:
23. Sarah Leigh-Bergin (for No10 46mins)
9. Charlay Walton (for No8 79 mins)
11. Denicha Wellington (for No18 72mins)
15. Mary McMahon
13. Alice McNaughton- Marshall
Roll on Roll off:
No18 for No14 90+3 mins
FC United of Manchester Women: 2(0)
1. Mary Priestner (Goalkeeper)
2. Amy Battel (right back)
12. Jess Tonge (left back)
5. Chelsea Patient (centre half)
8. Adora Yau (centre half)
17. Jess McCarrick (centre midfield)
9. Shellby Wolstencroft (centre midfield & goal 57mins)
6. Shauna Ward (centre midfield)
16. Charlie Evans (right midfield)
11. Kirsty Chambers (Capt, left midfield & goal 70mins)
14. Feiruz Abdullahi (centre forward)
Subs:
4. Aimee Cooke (for No12 27mins)
7. Beth Hayes (for No16 59mins)
18. Leah Hartshorne (for No6 83mins)
15. Katie Mooney (not used)
No2 for No12 71 mins
No7 for No16 85 mins
No18 for No2 90mins
Referee: Graham Warner
Venue: The Hough End Centre.
Match Report
Back on 12 October the reds prevailed in a tense challenge cup first round shoot out after Kirsty Chambers had equalised the game in the dying seconds. The efforts of both United and Chorltonians were subsequently voided as, under the competition rules, the game should have proceeded to extra time before penalties. The home side’s appeal was upheld and four weeks later the teams did it all again with FC United triumphing 2-1, but not without some late drama as the home side almost forced extra time.
The first half was cagey and largely forgettable but United hit their stride around the hour mark as Shellby Wolstencroft scored from 25 yards and Kirsty Chambers doubled the lead with a tap in from a yard out. Aimee Cooke then won a penalty and saw her spot kick saved before Chorltonians set up a tense finish as Elizabeth Livesey scored from range.
In due acknowledgement of Remembrance Sunday, referee Graham Warner presided over an impeccable two minutes silence and the home side then got the game underway. The opening exchanges largely saw the home team in the ascendancy and on five minutes the pacey number seven, Jordanna Shaw broke behind the FC defence but fired wide of Mary Priestner’s goal. Having played each other twice already this campaign, familiarity was the victor in the early stages of the game as both sides contributed to a disjointed and cagey first half.
The majority of any real chances in the first quarter hour came the way of the home side as both Ellie Taylor and Shaw came close with Priestner pouncing on a loose ball having blocked Shaw’s initial effort. United’s first meaningful effort came on 20 minutes as Feiruz Abdullahi got behind the home defence and from a tightening angle stung keeper Natalie Callaghan’s hands as she parried the effort away for a corner which flew cross a crowded six yard box without anyone able to apply the all important touch.
Chorltonians went straight back on the offensive as Ellie Caddick robbed a hesitant Jess Tonge on the edge of the FC area and fired past the dive of Priestner with the post coming to United’s rescue. Shaw couldn’t control the rebound and United cleared the danger. This sparked FC into a positive response as Jess McCarrick came close to heading home from a corner and substitute Aimee Cooke pounced on the loose ball and fired through a crowd of bodies forcing Callaghan to hold on well.
A positive spell of United pressure resulted in Shauna Ward skewing a shot wide from distance and after Chambers released Abdullahi down the right the subsequent cross narrowly evaded the lung busting charge and slide of Cooke with Callaghan beaten. In the last significant action of a goalless first half Chorltonians’ Jamie Leigh-Blake fired harmlessly wide.
As United got the second half underway, it was the home side who settled soonest and Chelsea Patient saw off their first foray. Despite the home side pressure it was Chambers who had the best effort of the early exchanges; flashing a shot across Callaghan but just wide of the far post. Just before the hour, following a spell of FC ascendancy, Wolstencroft tried her luck from distance, her shot bouncing just in front of Callaghan on the soft, churned ground and deceiving the keeper on its way into the bottom corner.
Wolstencroft’s strike drew a good response from the home side and Priestner made a fantastic double save from Shaw to preserve the slender advantage. As Chorltonians pressed for an equaliser they inevitably left gaps and Abdullahi exploited this down the right latching onto a through ball, driving to the bye line and squaring to the unmarked Chambers who tapped home from close range to double the lead on 70 minutes.
Just minutes later, McCarrick sprayed a fantastic pass wide to Beth Hayes who cut the ball into the area where Cooke was bundled over for an undisputed penalty. Cooke herself took responsibility but her shot was directly at Callaghan who held on comfortably to launch Chorltonians upfield where shortly after, Elizabeth Livesey halved the deficit with a superb shot from 25 yards that dipped over Priestner, giving the keeper no chance.
With ten minutes still to play plus a protracted period of time added on the home side had several chances to force extra time but a resolute United held firm and saw the game out to finally settle the first round Challenge Cup tie. At the time of writing the reds are due to make their fourth visit of the season to Hough End as they return to league action against today’s opponents next Sunday. Get yourself to that football ground as the unbeaten reds bid to keep the pressure on league leaders Beechfield.
Report by Rob Fullen
Player of the game: Adora Yau – as in the game that never was back in October, Adora read every situation superbly and unerringly at centre half, partnered well once again by Chelsea Patient as former FC captain, centre half and birthday girl Fran Davies watched on appreciatively.
Teams 9th November 2014: Attendance: 55
Chorltonians: 1 (0)
1. Natalie Callaghan (Captain)
10. Ellie Caddick
6. Elizabeth Livesey (goal 79mins)
26. Judy Henson
3. Joy Windle
20. Jamie Leigh-Blake
8. Ellie Taylor
14. Courtney Bamber
18. Jamila Hodges
7. Jordana Shaw
4. Kate Davill
Subs:
23. Sarah Leigh-Bergin (for No10 46mins)
9. Charlay Walton (for No8 79 mins)
11. Denicha Wellington (for No18 72mins)
15. Mary McMahon
13. Alice McNaughton- Marshall
Roll on Roll off:
No18 for No14 90+3 mins
FC United of Manchester Women: 2(0)
1. Mary Priestner (Goalkeeper)
2. Amy Battel (right back)
12. Jess Tonge (left back)
5. Chelsea Patient (centre half)
8. Adora Yau (centre half)
17. Jess McCarrick (centre midfield)
9. Shellby Wolstencroft (centre midfield & goal 57mins)
6. Shauna Ward (centre midfield)
16. Charlie Evans (right midfield)
11. Kirsty Chambers (Capt, left midfield & goal 70mins)
14. Feiruz Abdullahi (centre forward)
Subs:
4. Aimee Cooke (for No12 27mins)
7. Beth Hayes (for No16 59mins)
18. Leah Hartshorne (for No6 83mins)
15. Katie Mooney (not used)
No2 for No12 71 mins
No7 for No16 85 mins
No18 for No2 90mins
Referee: Graham Warner
Venue: The Hough End Centre.
