FA Women’s National League One (South-East)
Team: Clarke, Lewin, Wellesley-Davies, Gotch, Searle, Hill, Dzyadyk, Leach, Stanley, Mehmet, Makowska
Subs: Orchard, Sampson, Blodgett, D’Santos, Adebowale-Arimoro, Owen, Brooks
Natalia Makowska’s strong, but fair challenge on Sharne Harris, left the Chesham defender grounded and in need of some attention.
Five minutes in, and Grace Amos couldn’t hold onto Melis Mehmet’s cross from the right and Grace Stanley knocked the ball over.
Following a handball just outside the box, Jess Leach’s free kick dipped just over the crossbar.
Rangers took a deserved lead on 14 minutes following Ellie Searle’s cross. Natalia Makowska then guided the ball into the corner from around 20-yards.
Mr Cook booked Sharne Harris for a tug on Natalia Makowska’s shirt. Jess Leach took the resulting free kick, which ended up in the keeper’s gloves from her side-foot volley.
The home side continued to dominate and Natalia Makowska’s cross found Jess Leach, who then controlled the ball on her chest before firing over.
Just after the half-hour mark, Emily Hill let fly from a good 25-yards, which Grace Amos did well to push behind. Before the second corner had been taken, Mr Cook raced over to the Chesham bench to show the manager, Mani Asare, a yellow card.
Then, Grace Stanley’s 18-yard strike was parried by the keeper before being cleared to safety.
Rangers doubled their lead in the 44th minute after Annie Dzyadyk had set-up Grace Stanley, who then found the bottom corner.
Following a build-up from the back, Natalia Makowska took control of the ball before a heavy challenge brought her down just outside the penalty area, and she then limped off.
Jess Leach toe-poked the free kick which forced a diving save from the keeper and the ball went behind for a corner. Half-time: 2-0.
Into the second-half and Natalia Makowska smashed one just over the bar from a widish position.
Jess Leach was booked after fouling Sharne Harris.
As the R’s looked to increase their advantage, Melis Mehmet couldn’t quite reach a great ball sent across the six-yard box from the right.
Then, after the ball had come back to Grace Stanley, her lob finished just wide of the target.
The visitors had been upping their game and around the hour-mark, Kenny Clarke made a superb save and Georgie Lewin’s intervention denied Jenny Nagle a shot at goal.
On 62 minutes, Meila D’Santos replaced Jess Leach, and this was followed a few minutes later by the introduction of Fern Orchard and Juliet Adebowale-Arimoro respectively.
The final two changes were made after 75 minutes, which saw Jo Blodgett and Billie Brooks replace Ellie Searle and Melis Mehmet.
Three minutes or so later, following a good run from Juliet Adebowale-Arimoro, fellow substitute Jo Blodgett, forced Grace Amos into a flying save.
After Grace Stanley had won a corner, Meila D’Santos’ delivery was headed onto the crossbar.
Then, Lily Wellesley-Davies’ header from Jaime Gotch’s cross was well saved by the keeper.
At the other end, there was a rare attempt by the visitors when the ball was knocked into Kenny Clarke’s gloves.
Grace Amos made an excellent save from Jo Blodgett and she then did well to stop the follow-up with her legs.
On 94 minutes, after Grace Stanley had turned in the box, the R’s striker’s shot flashed just wide of the target.
Chesham had offered very little in the final third and would certainly have lost by a greater margin, but for the efforts of their keeper.
The following Sunday Dulwich Hamlet were the visitors to the Oliver Connell & Son Community Stadium.
Steve Russell