First Team, Match Reports

Gills Ladies 1-3 Charlton Ladies

Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on April 20, 2011

Despite an improved performance Gills Ladies slipped to defeat at home to Charlton under the lights on Wednesday evening.

In front of a bumper home crowd, the Gills took the lead through a Kim Dixson own goal before Charlton hit back through Gemma Bryan who netted either side of a Kim Dixson header.

The first chance of the game came in the 6th minute when Danni Farmer won the ball in the midfield before setting in Leah Jones; she took a touch and hit a shot from distance that went wide of Megan Lynch’s far post.

Two minutes later and the Gills were undone by a simple long ball over the top that set the lightening quick Gemma Bryan away; she hit a shot that was well saved by Katie Duffy in the Gills goal. The resulting corner was headed over by Katie Flack.

A free kick in the 10th minute from Grace Coombs saw Charley Clifford shoot straight at Katie Duffy without really testing the shot stopper.

The Gills were ahead a minute later, Deanna Cooper played the ball down the wing and Natalie Crinean chased it down hassled the right back into making a mistake. She then set the ball to Lauren Phillips who swung the ball into the area where with Danni Farmer challenging Kim Dixson headed into the back of her own net.

Four minutes later and the Ladies could have been 2-0 up when Natalie Crinean challenged for the ball in the centre circle and won it. She then tore through the midfield and into the Charlton box but she hit her shot straight at Megan Lynch when one on one.

A minute later and Leah Jones was played in down the right wing, her pace beat the left back but with Natalie Crinean unmarked in the six yard box the winger couldn’t pick her out with a cross.

The first sign of a Charlton come back came in the 24th minute when a ball into the feet of Gemma Bryan allowed her to take a touch, which took out Sarah Jones and hit a shot just over Katie Duffy’s cross bar.

Two minutes later Jenny Newman swung a cross into the Gills area and Kim Dixson rose highest unmarked from six yards but she headed over. On the half hour mark Charlton should have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Gemma Bryan but the referee waved play on.

Just before half time and Charlton were back on level terms when a long ball over the top found Gemma Bryan, she burst into the box and crashed the ball home into the far corner.

Deanna Cooper then made one of those runs footballers can only dream of, every pass, tackle or ball to the fact found its way back to her feet, and she tried to set Natalie Crinean away but it didn’t quite come off.

Half Time 1-1

The second half was a tail of how to finish the chances you create as Charlton took a step towards the National Premiership with two well taken finishes.

It could have been 2-1 to Charlton in the 48th minute yet again a long ball split the Gills defence and found Gemma Bryan. As she bore down on goal Vicky Ashton-Jones appeared from nowhere to make a fantastic last ditch tackle.

On the hour mark Charlton did extend their lead when a Fliss Gibbons cross found Kim Dixson, who headed home at the far post to make it 2-1.

The game seemed to lull for a period as Charlton looked to settle on their lead and the Gills looked to try and create something to get back into the game.

Charlton sealed the points with 15 minutes left on the clock when Stef Simmons crossed for Gemma Bryan, who controlled the ball excellently before firing into the bottom corner from 12 yards out.

In the 78th minute the Gills were awarded a free kick, Danielle Carlton stepped up and fired the ball into the area, it was a dangerous looking free-kick that the Gills couldn’t get on the end of.

Two minutes later and Katie Duffy was pulling off a world class that David Seaman or Peter Schmeichel would have been proud of. Fliss Gibbons hit a fantastic effort from 12 yards out that looked to be curling only for Katie Duffy to fly full stretch across her goal to tip the effort onto the cross bar.

With time ticking down the Gills lost Jay Blackie to injury, she appeared to roll her ankle and go down with no one around her, but was clearly in some discomfort and she left the field of play on a stretcher.

The result leaves the Gills really needing to get something from their final game of the season at home to West Ham next Wednesday to preserve their Southern Premiership status without relying on other teams results.

Full Time 1-3

Gills: Duffy, Williams, Jones S (Judd, 68), Ashton-Jones, Carlton, Cooper (Abbott, 70), Blackie, Farmer (c), Phillips (Overton, 81), Crinean, Jones L

Charlton: Lynch, Flack (c), Simmons, Dixson, Ali, Duggan, Newman (Bailes, 75), Coombs, Gibbons, Bryan, Clifford

Subs not used: McRoberts, Chandler, Sherwood