Club News
Gillingham Ladies Reserves 4-0 Castle Colts
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on January 31, 2010
Gills Ladies Reserves maintained their unbeaten run as they overcome a plucky Castle Colts side 4-0 on a mud bath on Sunday.
The Gills left it late in the first half before Gemma Ridge gave them the lead and that was the way it stayed until half time.
In the second half it was more of the same until Sammy Lester headed home her second goal in two games. Kylie Overton soon made it 3-0 with a well taken goal before Charlotte Abbott rounded off the scoring in a devastating five minute spell for the Gills.
Manager Sean Edwards made three changes from the side that beat Gravesham in the League Cup last time out. Kirsty Goodall replaced Amy Russ who was promoted to the first team squad, but their game was called off. Gemma Ridge came in after an excellent substitute appearance against Gravesham at the expense of Hannah Corrall and Charlotte Abbott replaced Lauren Harris.
It took until the ninth minute for the Ladies to register their first shot on target in a game that was hampered by the conditions of the pitch.
Kylie Overton picked up the ball outside the area and hit a shot that was saved and palmed away from danger by Jemma Thripp in the Colts goal.
In the 15th minute Kirsty Goodall had a great chance to put her side 1-0 up, but she hit her shot agonisingly wide of the post after being put through by Charlotte Abbott.
Leanne Stevens swung in a dangerous looking corner in the 20th minute, there was an attempted clearance by Chelsea Wallace but she only succeeded in slicing it towards her own goal. It was eventually cleared off the line by Rebecca Zaboiska to spare her team mates blushes.
The Gills came mighty close just a minute later when Kirsty Goodall played in Kylie Overton, she hit a snap shot that crashed back off the cross bar.
Just as half time approached and the Gills got the goal that their play in the first half deserved. Leanne Stevens played a precise ball to Gemma Ridge and she chipped the ball over the keeper, to score her second goal in two games.
Half Time 1-0
In the 50th minute the Gills won a corner thanks to good chasing and harassing from Kylie Overton. Once again Leanne Stevens swung in a dangerous corner but it was cleared by Castle Colts.
Just two minutes later and the Gills should have doubled their lead, when Kylie Overton passed to Kirsty Goodall, and she hit her shot straight at the keeper from 12 yards out.
Kylie Overton again went close soon after, this time it was strike partner Charlotte Abbott who played her in, and from an acute angle her shot hit the outside of the post.
Sean Edwards then started to ring the changes as he tried to add some more attacking impetus to his side. First Lauren Harris replaced Kirsty Goodall and then Chloe Phillips replaced Gemma Ridge.
It nearly worked instantly as Kylie Overton played in Lauren Harris, but her shot was straight at the keeper, who had no problems despite the tricky conditions in getting down to save it.
Then came a devastating five minute spell for the Gills that resulted in three goals and put the gloss on a hard fought victory for the Ladies.
Leanne Stevens once again swung in one of her dangerous corners in the 75th minute. This time the Castle Colts defence had no answer to it and Sammy Lester rose highest at the near post to head into the top corner and made it 2-0.
Charlotte Abbott played a superb ball that split the Castle Colts defence down the middle in the 77th minute. Kylie Overton raced onto the ball and hit a well timed shot past the keeper into the bottom corner from an acute angle, to effectively seal the game at 3-0.
In the 81st minute Charlotte Abbott put the icing on the cake when she added the Gills fourth, and no more than the striker deserved. This time it was Kylie Overton who returned the favour by playing a ball through to Abbott she raced onto it and with just the keeper slotted it underneath her and into the bottom corner.
Full Time 4-0
Gills: Nunn, Bolden (c), Foster, Lester, Scott, Goodall (Harris, 65), Stevens (Corrall, 83), Massey, Ridge (Phillips, 68), Abbott, Overton
Castle Colts: Thripp, Zaboiska, Ivens, Clarke, Reeves, Upstill, Relph, Seymour, Hague, Wallace, Fisher
Subs: Freeman, Burns, Nicols