Away at Reading FC Women (Tadley Callena FC, Reading ) FA Women’s Premier League. 07 April 2013, 2.00pm kick off.
Next Match:
Mike Hall (Wellington)
Referee:
1-0 (Grace Rapp – 72)
Goals:
Cornwall, Osman, Grogan
Substitutes Not Used:
Howard, Brazell, Edwards Williams, Keehan, Whitton, Radburn, Cook, Bray, Lawton (Osman – 75), Rapp
Yeovil Town Ladies:
”It was difficult in a game like this for us to pick out any individual player as the whole squad worked so hard to get this result, but the players player award deservingly went to Jade Radburn who dominated midfield and caused Millwall much frustration with her ball winning in the middle of the park.”
”This win has come at a crucial time as there is still plenty to play for. Our ladies now have a run of five away games in a league and it is still open after stealing points from top of the league Millwall. Next week we will face second place Reading Ladies, and if we get a result against them it will make things really interesting in the race for promotion. We now have the best form in the league with five straight wins, but we have to earn every result and will take each game at a time to try and finish as high as mathematically possible.
Manager Sarah Lawler said after the match: “This the game reflected the desire this group of players have to perform and work for each other. We were so proud of how they kept their lead despite the pressure from the opposition, and felt they deserved to come away with three points given the effort and discipline they all showed.
The second half started with a wakeup call for the home side when Millwall rattled the bar from a free kick. This spurred Yeovil to get a grip of the game and play more directly. After a quick switch of wide players Cook cleverly flicked the ball into the six yard box where Rapp bravely threw her body into a challenge across the defender and poke the ball around the ‘keeper to score. This galvanised the Glovers who went on to display a fantastic team effort to defend their lead for over thirty minutes, and also had a couple more chances to further their score. In the last ten minutes Shannon Osman replaced Lorton who had put in a good shift. To freshen up the pressure Yeovil had to hold on the ball as the opposition did not give up and pushed them to the whistle with a great example of Premier League football for the supporters.
At half time Yeovil knew there wasn’t much between the two sides and it would take massive concentration at the back to keep a clean sheet, and real determination to push on and try to create more chances to punish Millwall.
The Glovers soon responded to this pressure by getting the ball down and dominating midfield areas with player of the match Jade Radburn playing exceptionally to break up attacks alongside Kirsty Whitton. The Glovers were seeing more possession towards the end of the half and built up a few great chances with excellent crosses from top goal scorer Laura Bray and Katie Cook, but Grace Rapp and Justine Lorton could not get a shot in. Lorton caused Millwall real trouble in the first half with her trademark moves, and managed to create space to pass and cross, but no end product could be produced.
It didn’t take long for Millwall to try and spoil Yeovil’s excellent league form by winning three corners in the space of fifteen minutes, but the Glovers remained calm and organised to deflect any pressure. Millwall’s power house and top goal scorer Emma Whitter managed to muscle through to shoot which was well saved by keeper Beth Howard. Millwall continued to press and stretch the home side, but the back four of Emma Brazell, Rosie Williams, Michelle Keehan and skipper Rachael Edwards were solid and protected the Yeovil goal valiantly, with Howard organising in behind. Early in the game there were a number of corners and crosses flying across the home side’s 18 yard box but Yeovil managed to control the pressure and the experience of skipper Edwards and the long serving Brazell showed.
Due to an excellent cup run and some poor weather this was Yeovil’s first league game in 2013. Millwall are a top side, so Yeovil’s team selection was a statement showing that the management has great belief in the squad by calling up four players who’s preferred position is centre forward starting as the front two and wide players to go for nothing less than three points.
GRACE Rapp scored a sensational second half goal at Wells on Sunday as Yeovil Town Ladies returned to league action in style with a memorable 1-0 victory over top of the table Millwall Lionesses.
