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Sat 19 Sep 2015 · Premier Division
West Herts 3
Ladies 1st XI
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West Herts 3rd XI v Luton Town Ladies 1st XI
Emma Whitehall22 Sep 2015 - 17:53
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Ladies share the honours in 1st match of the season
Luton Town Ladies 1st XI v West Herts Ladies 3rd XI
It was with much excitement and high expectations that Luton Town Ladies 1st XI arrived at their first 5 counties premier division match of the season. With the late summer sun shining above them they took to the pitch with Captain Charlotte Dunham’s final words “Go hard or go home”, etched upon their minds.
Unfortunately West Herts demonstrated from the start that they were not going to let Luton have it all their own way, exerting considerable pressure on the Luton back four and keeper Shannon Smith. Throughout the first half the Luton defence battled hard, but struggled to clear their lines and it was not long before West Herts converted a penalty corner to put them 1-0 up.
Luton’s run of bad luck continued when debutant Claire McCrudden, who had made a lively start on the right hand side of the pitch, fell awkwardly twisting her knee and ruling herself out for the rest of the match.
Despite the setback Luton continued to fight to get back into the match. Last season’s league top goal scorer Suzanne Starkey came close with a couple of good chances, missing the post by the narrowest of margins. It was, with probably the best play of the game, that Luton finally managed to draw level. A fabulous passing movement down the left hand side of the pitch which culminated in Captain Charlotte Dunham with an unstoppable strike into the corner of the goal.
So it was all even at the half time break with neither team clearly on top and all to play for in the second half. Both teams were to have their chances with both keepers in particular having to be at the top of their game. The West Herts goalie did well to prevent Starkey’s short corner strikes from putting Luton ahead. Her efforts were matched by Smith at the other end of the park who made some fantastic stops, not least when scrambling across the goal and somehow managing to prevent a shot, that looked sure to put Herts ahead, from entering the goal.
Despite some good breaks from Luton in the closing minutes of the game they could not quite find the key to another goal and were disappointed to have to share the points in a contest that they felt they could and should have won.
Shannon Smith’s heroic efforts in goal earned the up and coming youngster player of the match. The heat had clearly got to defender Ayse Samiloglulari and her second half stop on the goaline, which would have been more appropriate on the football pitch, justifiably earned her the title of Mare of the match.
Next week Luton will aim to go one better against Saffron Walden 2s in their first home match of the season.
It was with much excitement and high expectations that Luton Town Ladies 1st XI arrived at their first 5 counties premier division match of the season. With the late summer sun shining above them they took to the pitch with Captain Charlotte Dunham’s final words “Go hard or go home”, etched upon their minds.
Unfortunately West Herts demonstrated from the start that they were not going to let Luton have it all their own way, exerting considerable pressure on the Luton back four and keeper Shannon Smith. Throughout the first half the Luton defence battled hard, but struggled to clear their lines and it was not long before West Herts converted a penalty corner to put them 1-0 up.
Luton’s run of bad luck continued when debutant Claire McCrudden, who had made a lively start on the right hand side of the pitch, fell awkwardly twisting her knee and ruling herself out for the rest of the match.
Despite the setback Luton continued to fight to get back into the match. Last season’s league top goal scorer Suzanne Starkey came close with a couple of good chances, missing the post by the narrowest of margins. It was, with probably the best play of the game, that Luton finally managed to draw level. A fabulous passing movement down the left hand side of the pitch which culminated in Captain Charlotte Dunham with an unstoppable strike into the corner of the goal.
So it was all even at the half time break with neither team clearly on top and all to play for in the second half. Both teams were to have their chances with both keepers in particular having to be at the top of their game. The West Herts goalie did well to prevent Starkey’s short corner strikes from putting Luton ahead. Her efforts were matched by Smith at the other end of the park who made some fantastic stops, not least when scrambling across the goal and somehow managing to prevent a shot, that looked sure to put Herts ahead, from entering the goal.
Despite some good breaks from Luton in the closing minutes of the game they could not quite find the key to another goal and were disappointed to have to share the points in a contest that they felt they could and should have won.
Shannon Smith’s heroic efforts in goal earned the up and coming youngster player of the match. The heat had clearly got to defender Ayse Samiloglulari and her second half stop on the goaline, which would have been more appropriate on the football pitch, justifiably earned her the title of Mare of the match.
Next week Luton will aim to go one better against Saffron Walden 2s in their first home match of the season.
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