FC women come up short in seven-goal thriller
For the third straight home game, a depleted FC United women’s side showed no lack of spirit or effort but came up short in a close game.
The pattern seemed to be set early on as Barnsley no. 11 Emily Brett, who proved a thorn in the side to FC, latched onto a through-ball on the right of the area but was blocked by FC keeper Chloe Ainsworth. Play immediately went down to the other end though and FC United captain Kirsty Chambers hit a cross-shot from a tight angle on the left that flew wide across goal.
Chambers then managed to get past a defender on the left to put in a low ball that Chelsea Flanagan stabbed wide of the near post with a first time touch.
There were further chances for the Reds as Ashleigh Hayes shaped to shoot from the edge of the area only to have the ball whipped off her toes by Natalie Watson. Anya Donelan then latched onto a ball over the defence down the left. The resulting cross looked to be bouncing away to safety until Flanagan pounced at the far post, forcing a point-blank save from keeper Serena Clarke.
It was something of a wonder that the game reached the midway stage of the first half before the deadlock was broken. And it was in favour of the visitors as left-back Madison Foye whipped over a cross that allowed Brett to score with a point blank diving header.
Moments later, Barnsley looked to double their lead with Michalska latching onto a header over the defence to send a shot from the right side of the area dipping just over the bar.
The Reds managed to draw level with a superb opportunist effort from Flanagan who, faced with two defenders just outside the top left corner of the area, found the angle and spot to curl a right foot shot into the far corner.
However the Yorkshire side were quickly back on attack with Michalska forcing a standing save from Ainsworth with a header from Foye’s cross and soon afterwards re-took the lead when Csomor played a ball in to Shaw on the right of the area who touched the ball inside before scoring with a low left foot shot inside the near post.
In a flurry of activity just before half time, both keepers were forced into saves. Clarke stopping an angled right foot effort from Flanagan and Ainsworth parrying away a shot from Michalska. But Barnsley found the target again to take a 3-1 lead into the break when Brett crossed from the right and Michalska held off a challenge from Katie O’Gara to score.
FC were dealt a blow with the enforced half time withdrawal of influential skipper Chambers, who’d been struggling with an injury since the early stages of the game. Even so, there was no let up in the flow of chances as the second half got under way. Ainsworth dived bravely to claim the ball at the feet of Brett after the Barnsley forward went through one-on-one. Ashleigh Hayes then had a shot on the turn blocked by Clarke.
Corie Mather was shown a yellow card after what looked like an accidental coming together with Michalska. And there was a let off for FC when a mis-placed back-pass from Hunt let in Shaw, who put Brett in sight of goal but the shot was over the bar.
Barnsley were given more cause to regret the missed chance that would probably have sealed the points for them when FC United pulled the score back to 3-2 not long after. Flanagan put a ball into the area for Rigby to touch past a defender before scoring with a low shot into the bottom right hand corner.
Urged on by the Broadhurst Park faithful, FC sensed an opportunity to get something from the game. Keeley Goodwin sent in a ball from the right which Ashleigh Hayes was unable to connect with, allowing the ball to run through to the far side where namesake Beth Hayes (on as a half time substitute) fired wide back across goal.
But the scores were levelled after Donelan hit a shot on the run against the bar that dropped for Ashleigh Hayes to scramble in at the left hand post. However the delight of the home crowd was short-lived as, only two minutes later, Brett beat the offside trap to score with a low drive from the right of the area to make it 4-3 in the visitors’ favour.
Barnsley’s goal came under a period of sustained pressure without FC ever quite managing to create a clear cut chance. And the visitors almost scored on the break as Shaw held off Mather to go clear but was forced wide by Ainsworth and gave away a goal kick.
There were a couple of chances for FC to grab a late equaliser with O’Gara trying to find Ashleigh Hayes with a ball which was taken bravely by Clarke near the edge of the area. With just a minute to go, Beth Hayes tried an ambitious shot from some way out on the left that sailed wide across goal. Finally a late scramble saw Donelan and Flanagan both have shots blocked in the area as Barnsley held on for the three points. The only consolation being that the Christmas and New Year break might have come at a convenient time and allow more squad members to be back to or near full fitness when the team are next scheduled to take the field away to Newcastle United on Sunday January 9th.
Report by Phil Bradbury
FC Player of the game: Chelsea Flanagan
Referee: Alex Beeley
Assistants: Jordan Brooks & Jacob Widdowsworth
Stats - courtesy of Paul Hinson (FC United first)
Shots on target: 7-9
Shots off target: 7-4
Free kicks: 2-7
Corners: 4-2
Offsides: 3-0
Yellow Cards: 2-1
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 417-206
Possession: 67%-33%
FC women come up short in seven-goal thriller
For the third straight home game, a depleted FC United women’s side showed no lack of spirit or effort but came up short in a close game.
The pattern seemed to be set early on as Barnsley no. 11 Emily Brett, who proved a thorn in the side to FC, latched onto a through-ball on the right of the area but was blocked by FC keeper Chloe Ainsworth. Play immediately went down to the other end though and FC United captain Kirsty Chambers hit a cross-shot from a tight angle on the left that flew wide across goal.
Chambers then managed to get past a defender on the left to put in a low ball that Chelsea Flanagan stabbed wide of the near post with a first time touch.
There were further chances for the Reds as Ashleigh Hayes shaped to shoot from the edge of the area only to have the ball whipped off her toes by Natalie Watson. Anya Donelan then latched onto a ball over the defence down the left. The resulting cross looked to be bouncing away to safety until Flanagan pounced at the far post, forcing a point-blank save from keeper Serena Clarke.
It was something of a wonder that the game reached the midway stage of the first half before the deadlock was broken. And it was in favour of the visitors as left-back Madison Foye whipped over a cross that allowed Brett to score with a point blank diving header.
Moments later, Barnsley looked to double their lead with Michalska latching onto a header over the defence to send a shot from the right side of the area dipping just over the bar.
The Reds managed to draw level with a superb opportunist effort from Flanagan who, faced with two defenders just outside the top left corner of the area, found the angle and spot to curl a right foot shot into the far corner.
However the Yorkshire side were quickly back on attack with Michalska forcing a standing save from Ainsworth with a header from Foye’s cross and soon afterwards re-took the lead when Csomor played a ball in to Shaw on the right of the area who touched the ball inside before scoring with a low left foot shot inside the near post.
In a flurry of activity just before half time, both keepers were forced into saves. Clarke stopping an angled right foot effort from Flanagan and Ainsworth parrying away a shot from Michalska. But Barnsley found the target again to take a 3-1 lead into the break when Brett crossed from the right and Michalska held off a challenge from Katie O’Gara to score.
FC were dealt a blow with the enforced half time withdrawal of influential skipper Chambers, who’d been struggling with an injury since the early stages of the game. Even so, there was no let up in the flow of chances as the second half got under way. Ainsworth dived bravely to claim the ball at the feet of Brett after the Barnsley forward went through one-on-one. Ashleigh Hayes then had a shot on the turn blocked by Clarke.
Corie Mather was shown a yellow card after what looked like an accidental coming together with Michalska. And there was a let off for FC when a mis-placed back-pass from Hunt let in Shaw, who put Brett in sight of goal but the shot was over the bar.
Barnsley were given more cause to regret the missed chance that would probably have sealed the points for them when FC United pulled the score back to 3-2 not long after. Flanagan put a ball into the area for Rigby to touch past a defender before scoring with a low shot into the bottom right hand corner.
Urged on by the Broadhurst Park faithful, FC sensed an opportunity to get something from the game. Keeley Goodwin sent in a ball from the right which Ashleigh Hayes was unable to connect with, allowing the ball to run through to the far side where namesake Beth Hayes (on as a half time substitute) fired wide back across goal.
But the scores were levelled after Donelan hit a shot on the run against the bar that dropped for Ashleigh Hayes to scramble in at the left hand post. However the delight of the home crowd was short-lived as, only two minutes later, Brett beat the offside trap to score with a low drive from the right of the area to make it 4-3 in the visitors’ favour.
Barnsley’s goal came under a period of sustained pressure without FC ever quite managing to create a clear cut chance. And the visitors almost scored on the break as Shaw held off Mather to go clear but was forced wide by Ainsworth and gave away a goal kick.
There were a couple of chances for FC to grab a late equaliser with O’Gara trying to find Ashleigh Hayes with a ball which was taken bravely by Clarke near the edge of the area. With just a minute to go, Beth Hayes tried an ambitious shot from some way out on the left that sailed wide across goal. Finally a late scramble saw Donelan and Flanagan both have shots blocked in the area as Barnsley held on for the three points. The only consolation being that the Christmas and New Year break might have come at a convenient time and allow more squad members to be back to or near full fitness when the team are next scheduled to take the field away to Newcastle United on Sunday January 9th.
Report by Phil Bradbury
FC Player of the game: Chelsea Flanagan
Referee: Alex Beeley
Assistants: Jordan Brooks & Jacob Widdowsworth
Stats - courtesy of Paul Hinson (FC United first)
Shots on target: 7-9
Shots off target: 7-4
Free kicks: 2-7
Corners: 4-2
Offsides: 3-0
Yellow Cards: 2-1
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 417-206
Possession: 67%-33%
