THE WEEKLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO WOMEN’S AND GIRLS FOOTBALL Volume 11 Issue no. 5 16th September 2010 Featuring ALL the women’s Leagues Across the country ACTION Shots . (above) Copsewood (Coventry) defender Heidi Sloan gets in a tackle on Rotherham Utd striker Zuzana Pramukova (Julian Barker). (below) Bristol Ladies Union’s Sarah White tries to find a way past Falmouth Town’s Samara Sparkes and goalkeeper Clare Churcher. [email protected] Gillingham will take on Arsenal in a P.O.Box 72, Patchway, Bristol prestigious friendly on Thursday evening. BS34 8HT. This is an exciting opportunity for Tel: (0117) 9694707 the Gills to play against some of the top Fax: (0117) 9694544 women's players in the Country. Everyone E-Mail: involved with Gillingham Ladies FC is [email protected] looking forward to testing themselves Website: against the number one club in women's football. www.WomensSoccerScene.co.uk Manager Ian Varley is particularly excited about taking on the Gunners, he Editors: said: "I am looking forward to seeing my Neil Brown players test themselves against the best Mark Brown women's football team in the country." The game represents an excellent Contributors: opportunity for football fans to come along James Prickett and watch two top sides in the women's (www.jamesprickett.co.uk) game. Julian Barker Director of Football Martin Andrews KIPAX added: "If you had said to me two seasons (www.kipax.com) ago we would be playing Arsenal, I would have laughed. However, these are the Jessica Fishlock teams we are now facing week in week out. Patrick Higgins "Sadly circumstances meant we David Potham could not hold the game at our home Laura Montgomery ground (Lordswood F.C) but I am Jim Pearcy extremely grateful to all the committee at Chatham Town FC who have shown great Winners of the 2006 enthusiasm in getting this game on. I would FA National Media Award say to anyone who wants to see a top class football match to come and watch this Views expressed in articles in this game, Arsenal FC are full of international magazine are those of the subject and players. This game will give our players the not necessarily those of Women’s hunger to push forward even more." Soccer Scene and its staff. Kick off is at 7.45pm and prices are £4 adults and £1 concessions and children Issue no. 406 under-16. Front cover photo: Portsmouth’s Jade Kirby tries to hold off Mikaela Howell of Reading FC Women during their Premier League Cup tie, which Reading won 2-1 (www.jamesprickett.co.uk). Issue no. 5 - 16 September 2010 [email protected] Top teams on way through in Cup There were no major surprises in the second round of group matches in the Premier League Cup. Barnet booked their place in the knockout stages and are almost certain to finish top of Group One after a goal just after the half hour from Stacey Sowden gave them a 1-0 win away to West Ham Utd. Colchester Utd defeated Queen's Park Rangers 3-0 to go into second place, Sian Larkin bagging a double for the U's either side of a first half goal from Flo Gamby. Blackburn Rovers scored six without reply against Preston North End and are set to win Group Two. Vanessa Leat netted the only goal of the first half, four minutes before the interval, before Katie Anderton and Danielle Sheen scored in quick succession after the restart. Nikki Twohig, Nicole Emmanuel and Nichol Forster completed the tally. Rochdale went level on points with second placed Curzon Ashton by beating them 3-2. Issy Hayes gave Curzon a first half lead which was cancelled out after the break by Sam Fleck. Chantelle Parry and Steph Bell put Dale two ahead before Claire Harrop grabbed a late consolation for the visitors. One match was played in Group Three due to Cardiff City having international call ups for Wales under-19s. Watford and Coventry City battled out a 1-1 draw which leaves the National Division side needing a win from their final game to go through. Sarah Wiltshire maintained her good start to the season by giving Watford the lead seventeen minutes from time, before Milly Durrant earned a share of the spoils for the Sky Blues. Brighton & Hove Albion are heading towards the Second Round after a third minute goal from Kim Whitcombe saw them to a 1-0 victory over Gillingham. Millwall Lionesses won 2-1 at Charlton Athletic to go second, Sarah Jones' early strike for Millwall was cancelled out on ten minutes by Gemma Bryan, but Emma Whitter popped up to settle the match in the Lionesses' favour, ten minutes from time. Nottingham Forest are three points clear at the top of Group Five following their 2-1 victory away to Leicester City. Jo Potter put Leicester ahead via a 40-yard free kick but Forest were level seven minutes later, Natalie Clarke heading home a Catherine Lawson corner. The winner came just before the hour from a penalty disputed by the home side, when Leah Rawle was adjudged to have handled in the area and Lawson stepped up to slot home the resulting spot kick and send her team into the knockout phase. Lauren Cresswell came close to adding a third for Forest when she struck the woodwork. Manchester City boosted their hopes of qualifying with a 3-2 success at Derby Reading’s Michaela Howell plays the ball away from Molly Clark of Portsmouth County. After Jo Scully had given the home (www.jamesprickett.co.uk). side the lead, Krystle Johnston and Lauren Issue no. 5 - 16 September 2010 [email protected] Beckford ensured that City were in front at the break and Lindsay Savage added a third, before Jenni Anslow pulled a goal back for Derby. Reading FC Women came from behind to beat Portsmouth 2-1 and march into the last 32 from Group Six. Pompey led for much of the game through Cassie Thorp's goal but late strikes from Gemma Sims and Mikaela Howell saw Reading home (see match report). A last minute goal from Naomi Clipston salvaged Keynsham Town a 1-1 draw against Yeovil Town, who had led from late in the first half thanks to Jemma Tewkesbury. In Group Seven, Cup holders Leeds Utd swept to the top of the table by running out 4-1 winners over Newcastle Utd. An own goal from Jo Cartwright put Leeds ahead and Carey Huegett added a double before the break. Beth Gardener reduced the arrears for Newcastle nine minutes from time, before Leah Galton rounded off the win for Leeds two minutes later. Sunderland came away from Leeds City Vixens with a 3-0 victory, Natalie Gutteridge netting either side of the interval and Kiera Ramshaw adding the other. Yeovil Town striker Jemma Tewkesbury is confident that her side's tough start to the season will stand them in good stead. The newly promoted side had to wait a week before making their Premier League bow in the League Cup against Reading and have since played two local derbies, both against Keynsham Town. "It has been a tough start but it's been a good experience being put in at the deep end," she told Women's Soccer Scene. "We know there are easier games to come so hopefully we can get points from them. "We can battle and maybe even challenge, but this year we've just got to settle into (the league) and next year push on and go for the title." Jemma smashed the South West Combination scoring record last season with 52 goals, despite playing most of the time on the wing, and she is off and running this time around having netted in both games against Keynsham. "I haven't been scoring much in pre-season," she said, "but it's nice to get underway. Confidence builds from that and the goals will keep coming hopefully." Midfielder Rachel Edwards echoed Jemma's comments and believes that the future is very bright for the Somerset club. "Reading was a difficult game," she admitted. "I thought as a team we performed extremely well and got into our stride but unfortunately they hit us with two early goals which knocked the wind out of our sails a little bit. Hopefully when we get going, we can start quicker and stop those goals going in. "Experience is going to play a part in it as we are quite a young side. It's going to take us a little time to settle down but we've got some really good players in the squad who are gifted. "We've got the talent to do it and I think we'll give teams a good run for their money and we will stay up this year. It's not about the top four, it's about settling ourselves down and going for it next year." Issue no. 5 - 16 September 2010 [email protected] NATIONAL DIVISION P W D L F A Pts GD LEADING SCORERS NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2 2 0 0 4 2 6 Natasha2 CASWELL Reading FC Women 3 BLACKBURN ROVERS 2 1 1 0 6 5 4 Beth1 BAILEY Nottingham Forest 2 LEEDS UTD 2 1 1 0 3 2 4 Nicole1 EMMANUEL Blackburn Rovers 2 READING FC WOMEN 2 1 0 1 3 3 3 Carey0 HUEGETT Leeds Utd 2 WATFORD 2 0 2 0 5 5 2 Sarah0 WILTSHIRE Watford 2 Emma BECKETT Millwall Lionesses 1 BARNET 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 -1 Lyndsey CUNNINGHAM Nottingham Forest 1 SUNDERLAND 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 -1Cori DANIELS Watford 1 MILLWALL LIONESSES 2 0 0 2 2 4 0 -2Suzanne DAVIES Nottingham Forest 1 Chloe FOSTER Leeds Utd 1 NORTHERN DIVISION P W D L F A Pts GD LEADING SCORERS MANCHESTER CITY 2 2 0 0 5 2 6 Carly3 DAVIES Aston Villa 2 ASTON VILLA 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Lindsay2 SAVAGE Manchester City 2 COVENTRY CITY 2 1 0 1 6 5 3 Emma1 BENTLEY Newcastle Utd 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Natalie1 BREWER Rochdale 1 LEICESTER CITY 2 1 0 1 4 4 3 Vicky0 CHARNLEY Preston North End 1 PRESTON NORTH END 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 Stacey0 DANIEL Leeds City Vixens 1 DERBY COUNTY 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Sarah0 DOBBY Leeds City Vixens 1 Milly DURRANT Coventry City 1 LEEDS CITY VIXENS 2 0 1 1 3 4 1 -1 Jade FORMASTON Coventry City