Bad Day At The Office For CALFC

This afternoon saw CALFC make the trip to face Liverpool Marshall Feds Ladies at IM Marsh Campus in the FA Women's Premier League off the back of a narrow 2-1 defeat at Leeds Ladies the previous weekend.

Liverpool Feds were quick off the mark and started brightly with a couple of early defensive errors from CALFC forcing goalkeeper Kara Townsend into a good save to her right. It was clear to see from the beginning that the hosts were going to use a long throw as one of their weapons with a number of deliveries into the box causing problems.

The first attack from CALFC came after 12 minutes with striker Amanda McGuire running at the Liverpool Feds defenders before just getting nudged away from the ball in the area. We were putting some decent pressure on the Feds back four and producing some nice link-up play as we looked for a killer cross into the box.

The threat from the Liverpool Feds midfield and wingers was noticeable and after 19 minutes they took the lead with a well delivered cross finding the striker free in the area to head past Townsend. The home side were looking dangerous, switching play and trying to catch out the CALFC defence but we managed to deal with the threat until the 28th minute when the Feds centre midfielder ghosted through unmarked before receiving a through ball which was slotted home to make it 2-0.

A difficult period of the game for CALFC got worse three minutes after the half hour mark when a Feds corner found a rising midfielder who wasn't really contested by our defence to powerfully head past Townsend. Five minutes later it was 4-0 after some good link-up play took it into our area before the ball was finished past Townsend. We were finding it difficult to get going, not closing Feds down enough and getting camped in our own half for a large amount of the first half. The first real shot on goal for CALFC came in added time when Amanda Fallon found some space just outside the area however her strike went over the bar.

After a disappointing first half, Nick Pearce and Liam Salt were looking for a response after the break and to gain some pride. Feds had an opportunity two minutes in after a loose Katie Nuttall clearance found it's way to the striker in the box who dragged her shot wide of the post. The best chance of the game for CALFC quickly followed when Beth Grice was sent free on goal down the right but the shot was sliced just wide into the side netting.

That miss came back to bite us as five minutes later Feds neatly played the ball around the CALFC defence before a low cross from the left fell perfectly for a substitute who's weak effort squirmed under the diving Townsend to make it 5-0. Following the goal we continued our attempts to produce in the final third, mainly through the pacy Grice who's dipping cross found McGuire just outside the six yard box however the header was straight at the keeper.

As the second half wore on more of the play was in the midfield areas with the game a lot closer than the first half although Feds looked comfortable in possession. With 20 minutes to go Townsend was on hand to make a superb save, spreading herself brilliantly to turn a shot over the bar after a scramble in the box. A free-kick from Leanne Derry a couple of minutes later into a group of players in the area picked out Beth Ragdale however she failed to find the target.

CALFC were much improved in the second half however attacks were just breaking down before we could get a shot off as Beth Radcliffe came on to make her debut replacing McGuire. As the game headed into the final ten minutes, Emma Lambourne was played through on goal but unfortunately the Feds keeper won the foot race and was able to clear as the home side were looking to keep possession in the Crewe half and wind the clock down.

The home side could have made it 6-0 in the final stages however a low, driven cross was excellently cut out by full back Tori Howard to deny a one-on-one opportunity with Townsend. We kept going until the end, attempting to play some good football and getting stuck into tackles before the final chance of the game came from some brilliant solo work by Fallon. The striker/midfielder did brilliantly to beat a number of Feds defenders before firing towards goal, which found it's way to Lambourne however the delivery was too powerful to turn in.

A bad day at the office for the Alex Ladies particularly in the first half but an improved performance after the break is something which needs to be taken into an important home game against Blackpool Wren Rovers Ladies next Sunday at the Cumberland Arena.