FA Women’s National League Division One (South East)
Team: McLean, Curr, Searle, Lewin, Jordinson, Carolan, Blodgett, Hennessy, Stanley, Pope, Webster
The manager’s programme notes were supplied by Ramandeep Dole and also in attendance was former R’s player, Vicky Grieve.
Into the game, and Rangers took the lead after around nine minutes. Grace Stanley had got into the penalty area, before driving the ball low into the back of the net.
The R’s then doubled their lead after Stanley had been fouled in the box. Jo Blodgett stepped up and placed the ball beyond Amy Butler.
At the other end, after running through and catching out her marker, the resulting shot was well stopped with the aid of Katie McLean’s boot.
Laura Hennessy added a third with a wonderful strike from outside the box, which entered the net via the upright.
Katie McLean had to rush forward to avert the danger, and as she did, she was kicked whilst clearing the ball.
The Actonians’ No.9 swept forward to get one-on-one with the R’s keeper, but her effort lacked power and Katie McLean then comfortably grabbed hold of the ball. Half-time: 3-0.
A few minutes into the second-half and Grace Stanley, from a position just outside the corner of the box, pulled the trigger and the ball dipped before entering the net.
Then, the QPR striker almost repeated a similar shot, but this time it flashed just wide of the upright.
The visitors pulled a goal back after Jasmine Williamson had moved across the box before slotting the ball in the corner.
As they looked for a second goal, a shot from around 20-yards was superbly blocked by Lauren Jordinson.
There have been a number of superb goals this season but the best ‘team’ one I’ve witnessed came following a move involving seven/eight close passes and one-two’s. This was then concluded with Grace Stanley slotting the ball home and nabbing herself a hat-trick!
Actonians reduced the deficit when, after around 75 minutes, and following a corner, the ball was squeezed in at the near-post. And a few minutes later, I think it was RoschelleShakes? who added a third goal.
More trickery from Ellie Searle on the wing which saw her superbly nutmeg an opponent before advancing to the bye-line, where she laid the ball off to Kasha Petit who then shot wide of the target.
Kasha Petit was put through, and, after beating a defender, her low shot was grabbed by Amy Butler.
Five changes were made during various stages of the second-half, which saw Ellen Wardlaw, Brogan Moore, Mel Hall, Kasha Petit and Millie Cutler replace Alice Curr, Jo Blodgett, Erin Pope, Frankie Webster and Grace Stanley respectively.
Steve Russell