Reserves
Castle Colts 1-1 Gillingham Ladies Reserves
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on October 26, 2009
Gills Ladies Reserves battled hard to secure a late draw against determined opponents on Sunday afternoon at Ditton Community Centre.
Against the run of play Colts scored in the 14th minute when Rosie Hague broke through and rounded Jessica Nunn to slot home and make it 1-0.
It took the Gills until the 81st minute to equalise when Chloe Jamieson let fly and beat the Colts keeper to rescue a point.
Manager Sean Edwards made one change from the side that beat Anchorians reserves last weekend, with Kylie Overton replacing Annelle Massey who dropped to the bench.
It was the Gills who dominated the opening exchanges as their superior skills showed through and they took the game to the hosts.
Charlotte Thurston created the first effort of the game in the fourth minute when she put the ball into the box, it put the keeper under pressure and Chloe Phillips followed up but the ball went out for a corner.
In the ninth minute Castle Colts gave away a free kick in Leanne Stevens territory, she duly dispatched a free kick that got caught in the wind and went just wide of the far post.
Less than five minutes later and Castle Colts went ahead totally against the run of play. Rachel Hague managed to spring the offside trap and had just the keeper to beat as she raced towards the Gills goal, she rounded her and slotted home with some aplomb to make it 1-0.
This seemed to shock the Gills and it was arguably their first test of the season and it was up to them to take the game to the hosts.
They were almost back in it in the 20th minute, Charlotte Thurston picked the ball up twenty yards out and let fly. Her shot cannoned back off the cross bar hit the keeper and bounced back out into the six yard area, but the Gills could not follow up the rebound.
Two minutes later Kylie Overton played a ball over the top that found Chloe Jamieson in space and she tore into the box and as she went to let fly the keeper came out and smothered the shot.
Just two minutes before half time and the Gills could and should have been 2-0 down when Lauren Seymour picked up a loose ball and rounded Jessica Nunn; with an empty net she hit her shot wide of the far post.
Half Time 1-0
The Gills tried to change things around with Rachel Ahern coming on in place of Terri Reynolds to partner Sammy Lester at centre half.
In the 51st minute Leanne Stevens swung in a cross and it fell to Chloe Jamieson who hit a shot but it was blocked by a Castle Colts player.
On the hour mark there was confusion at the back as Castle Colts swung in a cross, it was headed half clear by Kim Bolden. It took a number of ricochets before finally being cleared by a blue shirt.
The second half turned into a battle of midfields with no clear cut chances and was broken up by substitutions for both teams.
In the 79th minute Chloe Jamieson hit a ball into the box it found Kirsty Goodall in acres of space and unmarked. With just the keeper to beat she pulled her shot wide of the goalies near post. Could that have been the Gills last chance to get something from the game?
The Gills finally got the equaliser their play deserved when Chloe Jamieson stuck the ball past the goalkeeper who despite looking dodgy all afternoon was finally beaten. This brought about scenes of immense joy for players, fans and the coaches alike.
Just two minutes later and the Gills could have gone home with all three points. A ball over the top found Chloe Phillips in space but her header was straight at the keeper, either side of her and it would surely have been the winning goal.
Full Time 1-1
Castle Colts: White, Zaborska, Ivens, Clarke (c), Reeves, Upstill, Flisher, Seymour, Wallace, Hague, Gadd
Subs Morris, Ivens, FreemanGills: Nunn, Bolden (c), Scott, Thurston, Reynolds (Ahern, 45), Lester, Goodall, Stevens (Massey, 65), Overton (Ridge, 73), Phillips, Jamieson