First Team
Norwich 0-1 Gills Ladies
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on May 16, 2010
Gills Ladies rounded off their season in style on Sunday afternoon by beating Norwich Ladies one-nil in a tight game.
The Gills finish ten points clear at the top of the South East Combination Women’s League as they head into the summer planning for the Southern Premiership.
In a tight affair a second half strike from striker Ashlee Hincks twenty minutes from time was enough to hand the Gills victory.
With the title already in the bag the manager used the game to run the rule over a few younger members of his squad. Jessica Nunn started her second consecutive League game in goal for the first team and Liv McGregor got her first start after moving up from the Centre of Excellence in the last month.
The first half was a cagey affair with both teams having played each other so often in the last few weeks. It was hard to create any clear cut chances as both teams set up exactly as the other had expected.
Norwich seemed to have the majority of possession in the open stages and for most of the half but the Gills had some of the better chances.
Ash Hincks who was just back from injury had a couple of long range efforts on goal but she couldn’t find a way past Clarke in the Canaries goal.
Just before half time Norwich could have taken the lead when they had a great chance cleared off the line by Rachel Ahern.
The first half wasn’t a great spectacle for either side and was 45 minutes of football with few chances for either the Gills or Norwich.
Half Time 0-0
In the second half Ian Varley made a tactical change and not for the first time this season his tactical change has paid off.
With Ashlee Hincks and Natalie Crinean now playing as a pair up front their pace and direct running style caused problems for the Norwich centre halves all half.
In the 60th minute great play by Hincks saw her put Crinean through on goal but she couldn’t keep her shot on target.
Rachel Ahern had a goal ruled out in the 64th minute after the referee spotted a push from Captain Becky Lyon from a corner.
Shortly after more good work from Hincks found Crinean in space once again but her shot was straight at the keeper, and she put the ball out for a corner.
In the 70th minute the Gills finally took the lead. Jessica Nunn in the Gills goal played out a fantastic ball to Ashlee Hincks. She controlled it expertly out on the sidelines before cutting inside and hitting a wonder strike into the top corner from distance.
The Gills had to with stand a Norwich onslaught in the closing minutes of the game but the defence held firm. Everything was cleared and swept up by the centre halves and the keeper Jess Nunn who marshalled her back four superbly.
The tight one-nil victory saw the Gills finish ten points clear of nearest challengers Enfield and round off the club’s most successful season ever.
The Gills now head into the summer planning for their first season in the Southern Premiership and games against West Ham and Portsmouth to name but a few.
Full Time 0-1
Girl of the Match: Deanna Cooper
Gills: Nunn, Judd (Herrett, 65), Ahern (Stevens 84), Lyon (c), Kay, Cooper, McGregor (Abbott, 84), Russ, Ashton-Jones, Hincks, Crinean
Subs: Abbott, StevensNorwich: Clarke, Larkins, McCrory, Farman, Parsons, Smythe (c), Bygrave, Garrett, Bray, Burton, Shorten
Subs: Drake, Fletcher, Morris, Farman, Manthorpe