Albion Women recovered from defeat at Charlton to get their Premier League Cup campaign back on track, following a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Gillingham...
Strikes from Catherine O’Hagan, Kirsty Barton and Faye Rabson ensured Albion moved level on points with the Addicks at the top of group two.The Seagulls started the game brightly, as early shots from Lily Agg and Kim Stenning went narrowly wide in the opening minutes; and showed a keenness to get the ball forward quickly.
O’Hagan broke the deadlock in the 13th minute; Tammy Waine’s corner fell into the path of the Northern Ireland international, O’Hagan, who unleashed a low drive into the net.
The Gills thought they had equalised right on half-time as Kallie Balfour capitalised on a through ball by Jade Keogh, but the linesman’s flag went up for offside, and the goal was chalked off.
Five minutes after the interval, the Gills did equalise as Keogh latched onto Danielle Carlton’s ball into the box and saw her first shot saved by Mangan, but she managed to slot home the rebound.
Jay Lovett’s side made the perfect response just two minutes later, as Barton unleashed a ferocious, dipping 25-yard strike that looped over Jackson and underneath the bar to reclaim the lead for Albion.
The points then appeared to be safe with 18 minutes left on the clock, when O’Hagan spotted the run of Rabson, who ran through one-on-one with Jackson and rounded the keeper to slot home Albion’s third goal.
But the Seagulls were destined to do things the hard way, as the away side responded almost immediately through Deanna Cooper’s strike on the edge of the area that caught Mangan out at her near post.
The match then became an end-to-end affair and both sides could have easily added to their totals; Stenning almost continued her great goalscoring form, as her left-footed shot almost caught out Jackson at her near post.
Gillingham then thought they had claimed a point, as a goalmouth scramble in the final minute forced Charlotte Carter to produce a vital goal-line clearance. The Gills also had a late penalty appeal turned down, when Mangan clashed with Charlotte Gurr inside the area.
But despite a number of scares, Albion’s defence coped well under the pressure, with Darcey James and Jodie Jacobs proving to be a solid central partnership, while Lauren Cheshire and Sara Hinton continued to be attacking threats down both flanks.
Manager, Lovett was delighted with the three points, despite making the task more difficult than it should have been.
He told Seagulls.co.uk, “I was very pleased with the way we started the game, I think we could’ve got two or three goals before we scored our first goal. The end result was very pleasing, we made hard work of it but we stuck to it and got the win.”
Meanwhile, Rabson reflected on her fourth goal of the season which ultimately sealed the victory.
She added, “I thought I took it a touch too far, but went with my right foot and put it away. I was waiting for her to make a dive either way, but it was good to slot it in.
“The manager has played me further up the field and it’s my fourth goal this season, so I’m delighted with that.”
Albion: Mangan (GK); Cheshire (Carter 76), Jacobs, James, Hinton; Agg, Waine (c), Barton; Rabson (Strudwick 83), Stenning, O’Hagan Subs not used: Adams, Somes, Parks.
Original article
Strikes from Catherine O’Hagan, Kirsty Barton and Faye Rabson ensured Albion moved level on points with the Addicks at the top of group two.The Seagulls started the game brightly, as early shots from Lily Agg and Kim Stenning went narrowly wide in the opening minutes; and showed a keenness to get the ball forward quickly.
O’Hagan broke the deadlock in the 13th minute; Tammy Waine’s corner fell into the path of the Northern Ireland international, O’Hagan, who unleashed a low drive into the net.
The Gills thought they had equalised right on half-time as Kallie Balfour capitalised on a through ball by Jade Keogh, but the linesman’s flag went up for offside, and the goal was chalked off.
Five minutes after the interval, the Gills did equalise as Keogh latched onto Danielle Carlton’s ball into the box and saw her first shot saved by Mangan, but she managed to slot home the rebound.
Jay Lovett’s side made the perfect response just two minutes later, as Barton unleashed a ferocious, dipping 25-yard strike that looped over Jackson and underneath the bar to reclaim the lead for Albion.
The points then appeared to be safe with 18 minutes left on the clock, when O’Hagan spotted the run of Rabson, who ran through one-on-one with Jackson and rounded the keeper to slot home Albion’s third goal.
But the Seagulls were destined to do things the hard way, as the away side responded almost immediately through Deanna Cooper’s strike on the edge of the area that caught Mangan out at her near post.
The match then became an end-to-end affair and both sides could have easily added to their totals; Stenning almost continued her great goalscoring form, as her left-footed shot almost caught out Jackson at her near post.
Gillingham then thought they had claimed a point, as a goalmouth scramble in the final minute forced Charlotte Carter to produce a vital goal-line clearance. The Gills also had a late penalty appeal turned down, when Mangan clashed with Charlotte Gurr inside the area.
But despite a number of scares, Albion’s defence coped well under the pressure, with Darcey James and Jodie Jacobs proving to be a solid central partnership, while Lauren Cheshire and Sara Hinton continued to be attacking threats down both flanks.
Manager, Lovett was delighted with the three points, despite making the task more difficult than it should have been.
He told Seagulls.co.uk, “I was very pleased with the way we started the game, I think we could’ve got two or three goals before we scored our first goal. The end result was very pleasing, we made hard work of it but we stuck to it and got the win.”
Meanwhile, Rabson reflected on her fourth goal of the season which ultimately sealed the victory.
She added, “I thought I took it a touch too far, but went with my right foot and put it away. I was waiting for her to make a dive either way, but it was good to slot it in.
“The manager has played me further up the field and it’s my fourth goal this season, so I’m delighted with that.”
Albion: Mangan (GK); Cheshire (Carter 76), Jacobs, James, Hinton; Agg, Waine (c), Barton; Rabson (Strudwick 83), Stenning, O’Hagan Subs not used: Adams, Somes, Parks.
Original article