Rubery Ladies 3 Belgrave Bullets
2 (28/01/07)
Having lost 10-0 to Walsall on home turf the previous
week Rubery were desperate to get back to winning ways. Rubery had a few
changes in the side with the main one being the first and second choice
keepers were unable to make the game so Kelly Lippett stepped in.
Rubery started off poorly and unable to string passes
together and the opposition had the majority of possession beating Rubery to
the ball every time. This led to a dubious penalty decision when Emma Cope
'used her strength' to win possession. Belgrave scored from the penalty spot
to put Rubery behind. In the 40th minute Rubery managed to get a hold on the
game resulting in Kylie Owen being one on one with the keeper and on her
weaker left foot she striked the hall high into the keepers right hand side of
the net to bring the score level. Rubery then got the momentum going and from
a corner the ball got caught in the legs of several players before Gemma Nicol
on the edge of the area placed a shot which came off a defender and went in,
however it was a close call but the referee gave it as it had indeed crossed
the line.
Second half. Rubery kept pressing and were rewarded
with their third and final goal. Katrina Battersby played a one two with Emma
Cope and with the help of the wind the ball swirled over the keepers head.
Belgrave started to work harder after the goal and scored their second however
Rubery held on and were rewarded with another three points.
Rubery Ladies 0 Walsall Ladies
10 (21/01/07)
A second half collapse ended with
Rubery conceding 8 goals.
22nd October 2006
Belgrave Bullets 2
Rubery Ladies 5
Scorers - Cope, Harper 2, Stevenson & Nicol
After the performance last week the girls went
into this week’s game with loads of confidence and self belief, but the first 10
– 15 minutes the girls didn’t get going from the start and got put under
pressure. Lucky for us Belgrave didn’t take advantage. The girls then lifted
their game and started playing some good football and creating some good
chances. Then 25 minutes into the 1st half we got the break we were looking for,
with the throw on the right played inside to Gemma Nicol to lay a perfect pass
across the box for Emma Cope to put a stunning lob over the keeper for her 5th
goal in as many games. As the half progressed Rubery created more chances with
Kylie coming the closest but for only the keeper to make a good save denied her
effort. Then Belgrave finally got into our half and Emma Cope made a great
tackle but for only the ref to make a mistake resulting in a free kick which
Belgrave scored from 1-1. The girls didn’t give up and showed good character and
belief and stepped it up another gear whilst getting a hold of the game. As the
half drawed to a close Gemma made a run through the middle of the park and
played a lovely pass between centre half and Full back for Keshia Harper to run
onto and lash the ball into the net, 2-1 Half Time.
As the second half started Rubery Started as they left off playing some good
football and putting in some good challenges. This psyched the girls up. They
had they attitude that they wasn’t going to loose. Within minutes Kylie went
through with the keeper. With the keeper making a good save only for the ball to
fall into Keshia's path. Who unleashed and effort from a tight angle into the
far corner of the net, 3-1. The girls were well on top and were once again
rewarded for their efforts with a Laura Stevenson free kick that beat the
goalkeeper and defender at the post making it 4-1. As the home crowd got behind
their team this encouraged them to put pressure on our back four, as they were
awarded with a goal from a good build up, 4-2. As the minutes passed by, the
weather was getting worse and this had an effect on the overall game play. But
as usual Rubery didn’t give up and were once again rewarded with a stunning
effort from Gemma Nicol who deserved her goal.
POM – Nicola Wilkinson * Also Best Wishes from the whole team to Emma
Claire. We all wish you a speedy recovery from your injury.
15th October 2006
Ladies 1 Birmingham Medics 1
(Ladies lose 4-1 on penalties)
This was the girl’s
first cup game of the season and they could have been in the next round had it
not been for the penalties. The Rubery team had quite a few first team changes
as three midfielders were out meaning that Laura Bromley normally a centre
back had to make the switch into centre midfield with Kim Wiseman in her
place, Whilst Emma Moggan filled in the other centre midfield position with
Nicola Wilkinson playing on the left wing and Emma Cope switching to the right
wing.
The game started off
quite scrappy with neither of the teams getting a hold on the ball. Rubery
soon settled down and started to play some attractive football playing it
across the back line so that the play was switched. Rubery were the stronger
team in the first half creating most of the chances, eventually Rubery broke
the deadlock with Emma Cope taking several players on before slotting a right
footed shot under the goalkeeper from just inside the 18 yard box. Rubery kept
pushing at the opposition but they held on meaning that Rubery went in at half
time 1-0 up.
The second half
carried on as good as the first half with Rubery creating more chances. A bad
injury caused Kelly Lippett to come on with about 30 minutes of the game left.
Then with a break of play Birmingham Medics pushed forward and scored, much to
Rubery’s disappointment. This spurred the opposition on and they then started
playing football creating chance after chance which caused Emma Cook into some
spectacular saves to deny the opposition another goal. The game after 90
minutes stood at 1-1 so extra time occurred.
Rubery also created
more chances with the team missing an open goal. Rubery kept going but the
second goal just wasn’t going to happen.
Rubery went into
penalties, with new player Kim Wiseman scoring Rubery’s only penalty.
Team: Emma Cook,
Emily Bateman, Kim Wiseman, Kirsty Sanders, Laura Stevenson, Emma Cope, Laura
Bromley (C), Emma Moggan (off), Nicola Wilkinson, Katrina Battersby and Kylie
Owen
Subs: Kelly Lippett
(on)
Player of The Match:
The Team
Goals: Emma Cope
17/09/2006
Rubery Ladies 2 Hopwood Star 0
Rubery went into this game full of
confidence after having won 9-0 the previous Sunday. This game also had
relevant significance as the girls had drawn 3-3 with the opposition in
pre-season.
First Half: Rubery started off brightly
playing the best football with some superb flowing football that had been
prevalent over the last two friendly’s with plenty of balls being played to
the front two. The midfield plugged away to supply the through balls to the
strikers but it just wasn’t happening as the shots failed to hit the back of
the net. There were some excellent passes being supplied from both wings and
several chances went extremely close. One effort from Keisha hit the crossbar
for it to come to Kylie at a difficult angle only for the defender to clear
it. The defence were rock solid as they had been through last season and
continued to possess the same ruthless streak that teams struggled against
last season. They cleared any chances that the opposition had but were not
really troubled by them. The heat took its toll on the players but Rubery
showed how the fitness work they had undertaken in pre season has paid off as
they kept pushing forward to get the first goal. The first goal did come just
before half time. After another flowing movement, there was confusion when the
oppositions players called for offside, the referee did not blow and the ball
came across the 18 yard box from the right wing to Emma Moggan who took a
touch before placing into the right bottom corner of the net.
Second Half :
Rubery again started off the better team
creating numerous more chances. Rubery’s second goal came from a corner which
Laura Stevenson pinpointed accurately to which Emma Cope who was unmarked
headed into the net, John Terry style. Rubery looked deadly at corners and the
opposition struggled to defend them which caused the majority of them to not
be cleared but Rubery failed to capitalise on this. As the second half
progressed there were a lot of tired legs but again Rubery piled on the
pressure with Keisha sliding in at the back post but unfortunately the ball
game off the post and went wide. Laura Stevenson also had a chance on goal as
her free kick just outside the 18 yard box went inches wide of the goalkeepers
post. The game had to be paused for a while when one of the oppositions
players got injured and had to wait for an ambulance to arrive. This held up
the game for about 30 minutes and this was tough on the girls who just wanted
to get on with the game. Rubery deserved their win although the score line
could have been a lot bigger had it not been for the opposition’s keeper who
saved quite a few of the shots to keep them in the game.
Team: Emma Cook, Nicola Wilkinson,
Laura Bromley (C), Kirsty Sanders, Laura Stevenson, Emma Cope, Gemma Nicol,
Lauren Hunter, Emma Moggan, Kylie Owen and Keisha Harper.
Man of the Match: Gemma Nicol
Goals: Emma Moggan and Emma Cope
Ladies 0 AC Hayes Harriers 7
Ladies 3 Hopwood Star 3
Studley Women 0 Ladies 9
