Luton Town Ladies 1st XI v Tring 1st XI

Luton Town Ladies First XI travelled to RAF Halton this Saturday to face Tring 1st XI. With spirits high from the previous week’s victory, their first since the end of September, the team were determined to chalk up some more points on the board and enter the second half of the season within striking distance of the main pack in the 5 Counties Premier Division.

Luton welcomed the return of Jean Limpitlaw to the defence after a period out nursing a sore finger, well they did for the first 5 minutes anyway (we’ll come to that shortly), but were without super striker S.S. Starkey who’s sniffles had caused a last minute withdrawal (and let’s face it no-one is satisfied with that).

Luton's preparations for the game were as usual quite outstanding. A highly tactical team talk from Captain Charlotte Dunham summarised the plan- pass, score, let in less goals than them and win - simples. This was followed by a warm up which was typically cohesive with Dunham deciding a bit of cross country was what was needed, setting off at 4 minute mile pace out of the venue and around local country lanes. Strangely no one followed, the majority of the pack content with sticking to the traditional gentle jog and stretches within easy reach of the pitch.

Dunham’s mini marathon must have done her good as she returned to actually win the toss, something of a rarity this season. This gave the impetus to Luton to make a solid start to the game which they did, piling on the pressure from the start. However it would not have been a Luton Town Ladies 1st XI match had they not given the opposition at least a one goal headstart within the 1st five minutes. Returnee Limpitlaw was happy to oblige, mis-timing a simple clearance that the Tring forward could not fail to then slot home.

Luton were not slow to reply and it was not long before Captain Charlotte Dunham picked up the ball at the top of the circle and buried the ball in the back of the net with a scintillating strike. It would have been simply ridiculous to think that Luton could go into the break on level terms so they duly gifted the opposition a goal to put them 2-1 up at half-time.

To say Luton had the best of the play throughout the game is an understatement. Luiza Uziello destroyed the midfield with her mazy runs that would ultimately hear her named as player of the match. Clare Busby and Jean Limpitlaw made some solid tackles at the back and Kerri Stinton was determined throughout. It is also a fact that Luton were much better with the ball on the end of their sticks than when they tried to pass or shoot and had these two fairly essential elements been a bit better the final scoreline would have looked a lot more impressive. Rachel Shadbolt seemed to be able to do anything but score, but was not alone in clearly misunderstanding the rules seemingly deciding that the aim of the game was to pass the ball to the opposition goalkeeper (Luton actually managed to do this very well). The best example came when Claire Elizabeth ‘Sharkey’ Shaw Philby took a quick hit out, passing a hard, but uncharacteristically accurate ball to Rochelle Lewsey. Lewsey who has begged, pleaded and done god knows what else to get a go up front had finally got her opportunity thanks to Starkey's absence. Determined to get herself onto the scoresheet she had clearly decided not to participate in any aspect of the game outside her own 23m area and thus found herself completely alone without another player within 50m of her and only the (really small) goalkeeper to beat. Trapping the ball really well a goal looked like a certainty, but how wrong could we be. The shot went in directly at the keeper who couldn't have believed her luck as she cleared the ball. The hapless youngster could only stand by and rue the glory that could have been.

Luton had to wait until midway through the second half for their equaliser. Centre midfielder Emma Whitehall was fouled as she moved into the attacking 23m area. As the opposition ambled away Whitehall drove forward spotting the totally unmarked Rachel Shadbolt at the back post. After receiving the ball Shadbolt recognised the fact that she would be murdered right there and then if she did not pull Luton level and thus slotted the ball into the corner of the basically empty goal.

Of course Luton did their best to make things difficult for themselves. With Jean Limpitlaw completely free on the left a simple push out to her was the obvious ball, but Sharkey instead creamed the ball down the centre of the pitch straight into Claire Busby’s foot. This happening once would have been bad enough, but the poor defender was assaulted again in a similar manner not 5 minutes later and must have wondered just what she had done to warrant such violent treatment.

So with 5 minutes to go and 2 goals a piece it was looking like the points when (yet again) Whitehall was subjected to a mis-timed tackle just outside the circle. Kerri Stinton was well placed to receive the ball out wide, but Whitehall decided this was not the time to mess around. Driving across the top of the D to the left she left two of the oppo’s defenders flailing, entering the circle she tried to turn and contemplated shooting, but the angle was not there. Surrounded by defenders it looked like the midfielder had nowhere to go, but with some tricksy 3D skills she spun past the final defenders as they chopped away. With no one left to beat except the goalie who had left an inviting gap to their right there was no way the ball was going anywhere except the corner of the net. A stunningly sexy goal to seal the match (if I do say so myself). Final score 3-2 to Luton.

Claire ‘Sharkey’ Shaw received this week's mare of the match for attempting to incapacitate not only the opposition, but also her own teammates.