Bolden's Blog
Bolden’s Blog: Sunday Muddy Sunday
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on February 10, 2010
With the snow starting to ease, the Gills Reserves were looking to continue the second season with a repeat of the success from the first half. After a 4-1 victory to Gravesham, Castle Colts were next on the fixture list. The game looked very unlikely to be played due to the pitch being very hard underfoot, but soggy on top,, with very little visible grass after the pitch had already been used in the morning.
With the first team game already cancelled, the ref agreed to start the game and continue according to the conditions, leading to some very amusing results. Much of the game could not be played along the middle of the pitch due to the thickness of the mud, although centre back Kate Foster proved that with a little determination you could run through it as often as you liked after making several decent runs forward skipping past players with ease. Gemma Ridge kept the Gills aims focused with an opening goal late in the first half. With the pitch becoming extremely slippy, conditions became very difficult and passing became a very precise requirement. Both teams persevered with the game, with Sammy heading in a corner for the second game in a row, and Kylie and Chabs following on shortly after with a goal each making the final score 4-0 Gills.
After training this week has reached a new competitive level with ” football tennis” when we are stuck indoors, the girls were grateful to hear that despite after trashing the pitch last week, this weekends game would go ahead. I managed to convince striker Charlotte Abbott that she REALLY wanted to write this weeks report on my behalf…
The reserves this weekend maintained an unbeaten run in a demolition of a weakened Whitstable Town side who turned up with just ten players. Gills put thirteen goals past the opponents but it could have been much more.
First to open to scoring account was Kirsty Goodall who struck the ball into the roof of the net after being played through by Charlotte Abbott in the 8th minute.
Just a few minutes later Lauren Harris found Charlotte Abbott who scored her first of the game. Throughout the first half Gills passed the ball neatly and created a hatful of opportunities. Chloe Phillips and Kate Foster were next on the score sheet with well taken goals. With the score 4-0 after just twenty minutes, Gills were sure the goals would keep coming and this was the case.
Chabs added her second of the game after connecting on the end of a Leanne Stevens corner. Leanne then added a goal herself after a cross come shot caught the keeper out of position. Goal seven shortly followed when a dangerous cross was turned into the net by a Whitstable player. Gemma Ridge scored after a poor clearance by their defence and Chloe Phillips put away a penalty just before half time.
Gills went into the second half confident but not complacent. Gills were unfortunate not to double the score line by the end of the game as there were plenty of shots towards goal in the second half.
Kylie Overton replaced Gemma Ridge and she was soon in the thick of it when she played in Lauren Harris who slotted home calmly. After an hour, Charlotte Abbott grabbed her hatrick. This goal could have also gone to Kirsty Goodall as the two players both pushed the ball into the net at the same time! Kylie Overton contributed to the goals with an effort which flew into the top corner.
With just two minutes left to play Kirsty Goodall found Charlotte Abbott in the box who slotted the ball into the back of the net to get her fourth goal of the match.
It was a great all round effort for the Gills and a well deserved result. We are still unbeaten and hope to keep up the same performance week in week out and get the results we need.
As for mini Gills, they were in action both this weekend and last. Facing Oxford away was never going to be pleasant, with a 6 am start on a Saturday morning, and minus temperatures, the girls did well to prepare for their first game after 8 weeks off.
With a frozen pitch many of the girls were forced to submit to wearing Astro turfs which in the end didn’t really do them many favours. After going 1-0 up in the first quarter from some fantastic composure and 1-2 passing the girls were looking good. Unfortunately, in the second quarter, a fantastic initial save from our keeper saw the ball pop up in the air from beneath her and hit our defender in the face to create a level scoreline.
Clearly distraught by the own goal, my defender valiantly pushed to get the team back in the game with some brilliant forward runs, only to be caught a little to far off the pitch leaving yet another initial fantastic save by our keeper to pop into the path of an oncoming attacker. But my munchkins don’t give up without a fight, and created a beautiful play along the wing with a well struck finish to bring the game back level to 2-2 just before the end.
Midweek training saw the FA come to visit, and although they were not present at the time of these comments (thank God!) I felt I should share with you the wisdom of some of my children….
Not long having been subjected to an interesting version of a Michael jackson dance I question the kids on their understanding of the session…
“When could you choose to play a long ball?”…I ask….the reply comes….”When I’m on the pitch!?”
“I have set up a grid with a number of gates in them, what do you think I want you to do?”….”The conga?”
Bless.
This week saw us face Charlton with a much harsher result of a 9-0 loss after Charlton demonstrated some real skill and clever play. With 4 more subs than us, the girls battled hard in every quarter and never lost their fighting spirit, and for that Matt and I are very proud of them. It is always disappointing to lose by so many, but at times, periods of play left Matt and I beaming with their passing and teamwork. Despite being unlucky enough to even concede two own goals, we realised that they had come from a player who was working so hard to retrieve the ball, she was unlucky enough to be the last player to touch it, and for that we can only praise her.
We are looking positively to facing Chelsea Away next weekend, and we wish the girls luck. After training in the snow this week, I think they are ready for anything now!
Kimi