Captain's Blog
Captain’s Blog: We’re winning in the rain!
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on November 30, 2009
This week I’m going to fill you in on this weekend’s match – or should I say, swimming gala!
In all honesty I didn’t think Sunday’s match would go ahead. On our way to the match the heavens opened and we were all waiting for the call to tell us to turn around because the game is off but the call never came. Even up to 1:30pm we weren’t completely sure that the game would actually go ahead. It took some unusual measures to get the game on, as people were helping to dry out the pitch…with towels!
After a quick warm up the game was on – coin flipped, whistle blown. Enter the groundsmen, demanding the game didn’t go ahead. The referee then took the bold decision to ignore them!
With the game finally underway, the first 15 minutes saw Enfield put the pressure on us. It was really hammering down and we couldn’t get hold of the ball. It all started very sloppy, I think Enfield must have had around six corners in the first 10 minutes.
The girls worked hard and we cleared everything then, against the run of play, Farms managed to score a screamer even though she was carrying a small poodle on her head. (Farms’ hair + rain = poodle head!)
Enfield were still attacking, but it was nothing we couldn’t handle 
Laura East made a great challenge on the six-yard box, denying Enfield an almost certain goal.
The second goal came from another trademark shot from Dan that the Enfield keeper got a hand to, but Nat followed it in for a simple but vital second goal. To much relief on both sides the rain had eased off by halftime.
The second half got underway with a few changes made by Enfield. They tried to outrun us with some pace up front but our well-organised defence had everything under control
Dee had to go off early in the second half as she took a knock to her ankle but the beauty of having a big squad is that we have quality on the bench. On came Anna Broad, who got stuck in straight away, giving the Enfield midfielders no time on the ball.
Enfield pushed and pushed but were unable to break through our defence. The girls worked so hard for each other, knowing that any lapse in concentration would give Enfield the chance to get back into the game.
We kept the pressure on and Ash was rewarded for her hard work by intercepting a backpass from an Enfield defender then coolly taking it round the keeper and slotting it home to make it 3-0.
Ian made one last change by replacing AJ for Chabs. The game was far from over – Enfield were still working hard to get back into the game but the girls stood their ground and could almost taste the Third Round!
The final whistle couldn’t come soon enough and there we are, in Round Three of The FA Women’s Cup. It was a well-deserved win and an all-round great performance. Job done!