Features
The Season that was … Part Three
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on June 17, 2011
In part three of the season that was we take a look back at the games that would eventually define the Ladies season.
With an extended break due to the bad weather and the usual winter break in women’s football it wasn’t until January 9th that the Ladies saw some competitive action.
Ebbsfleet United were the first opponents of the New Year in the second round of the FA Cup at Stonebridge Road.
They strolled into the third round for the second season in a row thanks to a hat trick from Leah Jones and goals from Danni Farmer, Laura Jeffery and Natalie Crinean.
As holders of the Kent Cup it was a trophy that the Gills were looking to defend but the next weekend they exited at the semi-final stage at the hands of a full strength Millwall Lionesses team.
It was a bad game for the Gills and Emma Beckett had Millwall two-nil up in the first four minutes with a brace with one coming from the penalty spot. Kate Longhurst and Harley Bennett made it 4-0 before half time. In the second half the game was much more even and Meghan McKeag fired home the fifth and final goal of the game in the 75th minute.
In the League the Ladies were back in action at home to Keynsham Ladies a game that they would eventually lose 2-1.
The Gills took the lead in the 49th minute thanks to an excellent strike from Laura Jeffery on the edge of the Keynsham area.
Keynsham were back level with six minutes when the Gills failed to clear their lines at a corner and Louise Hutton fired home off the inside of the post. They went ahead with only 15 minutes left when the Gills made a hash of a clearance and Polly Wardle fired home from 12 yards out. 
The Ladies rounded off January with a fine victory over Queens Park Rangers Ladies at home to get their season back on track.
An excellent first half display saw the Gills race into the lead and there was no way back for QPR, the goals came from Lauren Phillips, who scored twice and Natalie Crinean.
In the 9th minute a Natalie Crinean back heel found Lauren Phillips who tucked her shot into the bottom of the net. A short while later and Phillips turned provider when her cross picked out Natalie Crinean and her bullet header flew into the top corner.
Shortly before half time and the Ladies secured the three points when a Laura Jeffery shot was parried into the six yard box and Lauren Phillips followed the ball up and tapped it home.
February began with a visit in the FA Cup from high flying Reading Ladies and no one will forget this game in a hurry.
The Ladies raced into a two-nil lead thanks to Lauren Phillips who bagged them both. Natalie Crinean laid the ball off to Lauren Phillips who fired a shot into the bottom corner. At the start of the second half a Danni Farmer free-kick was spilled into the path of Lauren Phillips who poked home again.
Natalie Crinean then raced through one-one with the keeper but she saved well from the Gills striker as she looked to make it three-nil.
What happened next is part of one of those bizarre moments in football that you don’t see often and are probably unlikely to see again.
Watts made it 2-1 shortly after the Gills went close, before three minutes later before Fletcher poked home after the Ladies failed to clear a corner. A minute later and Watts was putting Reading ahead when she danced around two challenges and fired in from the edge of the area into the top corner.
Not to be left out Fletcher was back in on the act shortly after when she rounded Sarah Jones and fired into the top corner. It was 5-2 just two minutes later when Chambers poked the ball into the back of the net from a corner.
The scoring wasn’t done there and the Gills got on the score sheet again just a minute later to cap a remarkable spell of football. A Deanna Cooper ball was played through to Natalie Crinean and she chopped the on rushing keeper to make it 5-3.
It was back to the League the day before Valentine’s Day when the Ladies travelled to Ship Lane to take on West Ham Ladies.
The Hammers went ahead in the 18th minute when an Emma Thomas free-kick flew into the net off of the head of Sarah Jones.
Ten minutes later and the Gills were further behind and again it was from a set piece as Stacey little headed home unchallenged from six yards.
The Gills best chance came from Danni Farmer as she went though one on one with the keeper but the West Ham shot stopper was equal to her shot.
A week later and the Ladies were on the road again as they travelled to Wales to take on Cardiff City in one of their longest away trips of the season.
It looked ominous for the Gills when they went behind to a Terry Beddows goal with just four minutes on the clock.
However, the spirit and belief shown by the girls was second to none as they scored twice to come away with all three points.
Deanna Cooper made a great solo run in the 49th minute which saw her take on three Cardiff defenders beating them all, and bursting into the box and firing past the Cardiff keeper.
The winning goal came in the 70th minute; Danielle Carlton advanced down the left wing and played a 20 yard pass into the path of Danni Farmer. She expertly peeled off the defender to create some space before placing the ball through the keeper’s legs.
It was yet another game on the road for the Gills as March began as they headed down to Keynsham Ladies for their latest match.
Unfortunately they couldn’t quite make it back to back wins on the road. It was looking good when Lauren Phillips put the Gills in front in the 10th minute.
The Gills conceded after the hour mark from another set piece, and once again the ball wasn’t cleared and the Keynsham striker poked home.
Five minutes later and Keynsham stole all three points as a free-kick was headed on to the Keynsham striker who fired the ball past Katie Duffy.
