Features
The Season so far… Part Two
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on December 28, 2010
In Part Two of the Season so far we take a look at the matches leading up to the Christmas break.
It was back to League Cup action in mid September as the Gills took a trip down to Brighton to take on Brighton Ladies.
The game was described as one of the worst that the Ladies have played as they fell to a single goal from Kim Whitcombe. The goal came in the second minute of the match when her miss hit cross somehow found its way into the back of the Gills net.
Arsenal Ladies came to town for a prestigious friendly on 17th September for the biggest friendly in the Gills history.
The Ladies may have lost the game but it was a fantastic performance against the best team in women’s football in Europe. Kim Little bagged a brace and there were goals for Jennifer Beattie and Gemma Davison. The Gills created half chances throughout the game through Natalie Crinean, Ashlee Hincks and Lauren Phillips.
Colchester Ladies made it two defeats on the road for the Ladies the following week when they took all three points in the League encounter.
Once again the Gills lost the game in bizarre style when an own goal from Lauren Williams slotted past her own keeper. The goal came in the third minute as the right back tried to play the ball back to Becky Spencer; it is something that won’t be seen again in a game of football this season.
It was the battle of the promoted teams as September drew to a close as Yeovil Ladies travelled to Martin Grove.
Once again the Gills were beaten one goal to nil as Yeovil came out on top with a goal in the last three minutes thanks to Gemma Tewksbury. It looked for the entire world as though the game was going to end in a draw, as neither side looked like breaking the deadlock.
The Lades were back to winning ways in October as they travelled back to Charlton for their League Cup encounter.
Gemma Bryan put the Addicks in front against the run of play in the 22nd minute when a long ball split the Gills defence and Bryan slotted home under Becky Spencer.
For the second time this season the Ladies showed that never say die attitude and performed a smash and grab raid to make it through to the next round of the League Cup.
In the 89th minute a Danni Farmer was met at the near post by Danielle Carlton who headed home unchallenged.
Two minutes later and substitute Laura Jeffery raced onto a through ball from Farmer and slotted into the bottom corner.
It was two wins in two games as the Gills picked up three valuable points in the League with an impressive win over Brighton Ladies.
Lauren Phillips scored her first goal in a Gills shirt in the first minute of the game and the Ladies were on top in the match from that point onwards.
Ashlee Hincks doubled the Gills lead after a long ball from Danni Farmer picked her out on the right hand side. She took one touch and hit a shot from 18 yards out into the bottom corner past the despairing dive of the keeper.
Brighton had a foothold in the game early in the second half when Leeta Rutherford headed home a corner at the far post.
The Gills sealed the points just after the hour mark when the ball broke to Ashlee Hincks and she lashed home an effort from 20 yards.
The Ladies then headed into London for a match with Queens Park Rangers who had been on a bad run of form.
Unfortunately for the Gills that run of form ended that weekend as they came away with a 2-0 victory. They went behind midway through the first half when Sandra Scalzi found the back of the net after a fine save from Becky Spencer saw the ball land in her path.
Beth Curtis made sure of the points late on in the game when she lifted the ball expertly over Becky Spencer and into the back of the net.
National Premiership side Nottingham Forest headed down to Martin Grove for their League Cup tie and promptly gave the Gills a lesson in top class finishing.
Catherine Lawson scored a hat trick and Jemma Iommi and Katie Waddell also scored as it appears Forest eased into the next round. The Gills more than matched their opponents and went close on a number of occasions through Natalie Crinean, Danni Farmer and Deanna Cooper.
The Gills then played another friendly against Super League side Chelsea Ladies. Natalie Crinean gave the Gills a deserved lead in the first half. Late in the second half goals from Emma Plewa and Drew Spence gave Chelsea a victory that they didn’t deserve.
London Corinthians were the Gills opponents in the Kent Cup Quarter Finals and to be fair to them they were no match for the Gills quality.
The Ladies ran away with the game thanks to a brace from Danni Farmer and also new signing Leah Jones who signed from Millwall on the Friday afternoon. Goals also came from strikers Natalie Crinean and Lauren Phillips as well as midfielder Jodie Mugford.
The result meant that the Gills set up a semi final against Millwall reserves that they beat in the final last season, due to the recent weather this game has yet to be played.
The Ladies have managed only one game in recent weeks and that meant a trip to Yeovil for the return League match.
The game ended 0-0 with neither side finding the all important winning goal but the Gills did go close through Danni Farmer, whose shot crashed back off the underside of the cross bar.
Unfortunately the weather has had a massive effect on the fixtures in recent weeks and the Ladies are now not in action until January 9th.
