Luton Town Ladies 1st XI v St Albans Ladies 4th XI

A brace of bizarre events led to Luton Town Ladies’ early lead being extinguished and St Albans ending up 3-1 winners this Saturday.

Luton started confidently and for the first period of the match they were well on top with the majority of play being in the opponent’s twenty three metre area. Conversely St Albans were initially sluggish and even when they did manage to gain possession Luton’s strong challenges ensured that their success was short lived.

Luton would not have to wait long for their first goal. A well-directed ball from Emma Whitehall out wide on the left found a lively Rachel Shadbolt on the top of the circle. The rapidly developing player skilfully controlled the ball, turned and showed great awareness to slip the ball to attacker Charlotte Dunham who calmly put it past the St Albans keeper.

Unfortunately for Luton the goal seemed to awaken St Alban’s from their initial slumber and although Luton continued to dominate, especially around the attacking circle, the visitors started to find opportunities. In a period of play that Luton will want to forget St Albans grabbed the chances that Luton unwittingly offered them and ensured that the home side would not stay ahead for long. It was quite against the run of play when St Albans broke away and drew level, but it was sadly a sign of things to come.

In a moment that was more Laurel and Hardy than Moore and Charlton a complete lack of communication between Luton defenders led to St Albans second. With Janet Gray and Ayse Samiloglulari both confidently leaving the through ball for the other to deal with the St Albans attacker must have thought that Christmas had come early and graciously accepted the gift of the goal.

Samiloglulari must have wondered whether she would have been better off staying in bed shortly after this when the unfortunate defender used her foot to deflect a somewhat innocuous cross through goalkeeper Shannon Smith’s legs and into the net. Half time 3-1 to St Albans.

Despite Luton continuing to have the majority of possession after the break, although perhaps to a slightly lesser extent than they had done in the first half and undoubtedly playing the more penetrating hockey throughout the game, they lacked the finesse up front to make any impression into the visitors lead. Full time 3-1 St Albans.

This week’s man of the match award went to midfielder Emma Whitehall, whilst Captain Charlotte Dunham must have felt somewhat bewildered after being conferred as this week’s Mare of the Match. In fairness to Dunham the final mention has to go (in true Apprentice fashion) to ‘the one that got away’, as Ayse Samiloglulari must surely have been relieved not to receive the award for the third time this season.