Club News
Basildon Ladies 1-2 Gills Ladies Reserves
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on July 25, 2010
Gillingham Ladies Reserves got their pre-season campaign off to the best possible start with a hard worked victory over Basildon Ladies.
The Gills fell behind when a corner wasn’t cleared in the 16th minute and Gemma Ridge put through her own net, they were level just before the half hour though when Charlotte Abbott headed home.
Kylie Overton added the Gills second goal just after the half hour mark as the Gills took a strangle hold on the game.
Aaron Perry found himself up against it before kick off when he only had eleven players to pick from for his first game.
Despite the setback from the first whistle the Gills set about their job with the application of a side that were itching to get back into playing after eight weeks without football.
The opening minutes were a tentative affair as both teams sought to work each other out and adapt to their formations. It was the Gills who settled the better of the two teams and looked to start pressing going forward.
The Gills put together a good passing move in the 5th minute when Kylie Overton found Charlotte Abbott who laid it off to Gemma Ridge, her pass found Kirsty Goodall but she couldn’t quite get a shot away on goal.
In the 8th minute Whitney Judd crossed into the Basildon area, Charlotte Abbott latched onto the ball and laid it off to Gemma Ridge but her shot went wide.
The Reserves were creating chances but couldn’t find that killer instinct and that was evident in the 13th minute when Gemma Ridge’s cross was headed on by Kylie Overton but the defender got in ahead of the lurking Charlotte Abbott.
Basildon had their first real spell of pressure in the 15th minute and against the run of play they took the lead. They swung a corner into the Gills area and it wasn’t dealt with and Gemma Ridge put through her own net.
This seemed to jolt the girls into action and Kimi Bolden had a shot from distance in the 21st minute, unfortunately for the Captain her shot went high and wide.
In the 25th minute Amy Russ put a great ball across the Basildon area but there was no one at the far post to finish off the cross.
The Gills did get on the score sheet in the 28th minute when Kirsty Goodall swung in a cross; Kylie Overton challenged the keeper who spilled the ball. It slipped through her hands and fell into the path of Charlotte Abbott at the back post who headed into the empty net.
It took less than two minutes for the Gills to take the lead; good work in the midfield from Anelle Massey found Amy Russ. She threaded a ball between the two centre halves that Kylie Overton latched onto and slipped the ball under the on rushing keeper to make it 2-1.
In the 40th minute Charlotte Abbott teed up Amy Russ and her shot was just about pushed round the near post for a corner.
Just before half time Kimi Bolden played a neat one two with Gemma Ridge before unleashing a shot from distance that went just over the bar.
Half Time 1-2
The second half started to become a bit disjointed as Basildon made a number of substitutions but the Gills stuck to their game plan.
Whitney Judd crossed the ball into the Basildon area and found Kirsty Goodall but she couldn’t turn and fire her shot on goal.
Just after the hour mark Whitney Judd made her way down the left wing before hitting a ball towards Kylie Overton. It missed the Gills striker but skimmed off the central defenders head and was gratefully gathered by the keeper.
On 70 minutes Aaron Perry was dealt a blow when Charlotte Abbott was forced off after running for a ball and twisting her knee awkwardly. The young striker insisted on coming back on but was forced off in the closing minutes when she took another hefty whack on it.
In the last ten minutes the Gills began to push for a third goal and Kimi Bolden played in Kirsty Goodall but her shot went just wide.
In the 85th minute Whitney Judd found Amy Russ and shot hit a shot from distance that went just over the cross bar.
It was a good work out for the Ladies especially with just eleven players playing for almost all the ninety minutes. The Ladies take on Charlton next weekend as they step up their pre-season preparations.
Full Time 1-2
Gills: Jackson R, Judd, Foster, Jackson L, Bolden (c), Goodall, Russ, Massey, Ridge, Abbott, Overton