Reserves
Reserves move top with a 4-0 win away to Whitstable Town
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on March 21, 2010
Gills Ladies Reserves maintained their excellent form as they overcame Whitstable Town in a tricky game on Sunday afternoon.
The Ladies are in superb form and have yet to lose in the League this season and further strengthened their place at the summit.
Goals game from a variety of sources on Sunday with striker Lauren Harris (Pictured) opening the scoring before Kirsty Goodall added a second midway through the first half.
In the second half it was the Leanne Stevens show in terms of goals scored as she scored a fantastic 40 yard free kick before adding a fourth from the spot after a foul on Lauren Harris.
REPORT BY CHRIS DICKETTS
Manager Sean Edwards shuffled his pack once again this week as Jade Johnson pulled out last minute this handed an opportunity to Lauren Harris which she took with both hands.
New signing Megan Cavell had to settle for a place on the bench again after impressing on her debut by scoring twice against Aylesford.
The Gills looked a little out of sorts as they kicked off against Whitstable on an overcast afternoon down on the seaside.
They were quickly into their attacking stride however and went ahead after just three minutes thanks to a well taken goal from Lauren Harris.
A brilliant piece of play from Kylie Overton saw her set Harris away and she raced through and finished with aplomb for her seventh goal of the season.
The goal seemed to settle the Gills down and they began to play some of the good pass and move football that they are capable of. Whitstable were putting up a good battling performance and looked much improved from the side that got demolished 13-0 at Martin Grove recently.
The Gills went further ahead in the twenty-fifth minute when Kirsty Goodall raced clear of the Whitstable defence after another good pace from Kylie Overton. Once through the defence the winger found the bottom corner with ease to make it 2-0.
This seemed to spark Whitstable into a little bit of life and it was only through the alertness of goalkeeper Jessica Nunn that the Gills went in with their 2-0 lead intact at half time.
Half time 0-2
The Gills came out in the second half knowing that they needed to keep it tight to retain their position at the top of the League.
For a defence that had to date kept seven clean sheets this was going to be a challenge that they were surely equal too.
Whilst the Gills pressurised the Whitstable defence for most of the second half they just couldn’t find that elusive killer goal that would seal all three points.
That goal arrived in the 60th minute when Leanne Stevens stepped up with one of her trade mark free kicks. It is no surprise that from fully forty yards the centre midfielder arrowed the ball into the top corner leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
In the 75th minute the impressive Lauren Harris had another big influence on the game. She had tormented the Whitstable defence all afternoon with her direct running when she was upended in the box under the challenge of a Whitstable defender.
One of the most experienced players on the pitch in Leanne Stevens duly stepped up and dispatched the penalty past the keeper, to put the gloss on another impressive performance.
The Gills headed back up the M2 with another three points safely on the board and further underlined their title credentials by remaining unbeaten.
Full time 0-4
Gills: Nunn, Bolden (c), Foster (Jamieson, 75), Lester, Scott, Goodall, Stevens, Russ, Ridge (Cavell, 60), Harris, Overton
Whitstable: Haywood, Wellings, Adkins, Sullivan, Cooke, E Harrington, Price, L Harrington, Apps, Hopkins, Blackham
Subs: Gardner
