Owls Disappointed with One Goal Loss

Sunday saw Cleethorpes Town Ladies make their first away visit of the season at Altofts, near Castleford to face last season’s West Yorkshire League champions. After a tough start to the season, the hosts were keen to change their early season fortunes with double sessions in the week for them to be as sharp as possible. And they couldn’t have dreamt of what was ahead of them.

Starting the game for the somewhat patched up visitors was Beth French in goal, a back four of Lindsay Dye, Rosie Clark, Charlotte Townsend and captain Naomi Hardman. The midfield consisted of Gemma Hopkin and Saskia Rawbone in the centre, with Jade Charlton and Pariss Welsh on the flanks. This left Lottie Soar and Gemma Charlton up front.

After being under some pressure for the first ten minutes but still looking threatening on the break, Cleethorpes went one down with a strike from the edge of the box taking a big deflection and looping into French’s top right hand corner. This spurred the Owls into life and controlled the rest of the first half, equalising on twenty two minutes with a ball in behind for last year’s top goal scorer Gemma Charlton to run on to and lift over the goal keeper with a wonderful left foot finish.

The second half began in much of the same vein with the Owls leading the play, and rightfully taking the lead two minutes into the half from Gemma Hopkin, becoming free inside the area and firing past the hosts’ goalkeeper for a deserved 2-1 score line.

The hosts management team were frustrated with the ease the Clee Ladies were moving the ball in midfield areas, allowing the visiting team to be facing forwards much more often than back and were looking the more threatening to score the next goal and kill the game off. Then a break came from the county league champions, the striker cutting outside Townsend with the latter bringing her down for a penalty. It was put away, though within two minutes Cleethorpes again had the lead, Gemma Charlton again breaking away with a shot that bounced back to her, heading the rebound in over the advancing ‘keeper for 3-2 with 25 minutes to go.

The game didn’t settle however and with the referee pointing to his watch as often as possible, missed a kick out at the visiting keeper whilst running away from a situation, but catching Beth French’s reaction with a push in the back of the opposition striker, who took a dive only bettered this summer by Olympic hero Tom Daly in Rio. The penalty was given and French shown red for her reaction.
Rosie Clark took the gloves for the Owls and wasn’t troubled after the penalty went in right to the end of the game. Twenty minutes went by with only the ten of Cleethorpes troubling the goal, with Gemma Hopkin, converted to striker, ran in behind but sent the ball agonisingly wide of the goal, with the keeper beaten.

The game seemed to be petering out into a 3-3 draw, but after four minutes of added time, the home team striker became through on goal. Gemma Charlton, filling in at the back for the final twenty, caught her up and made what appeared to be the ‘textbook’ last ditch tackle, with the ball heading toward the corner flag in the direction of where the tackle came from. However again the referee didn’t see it that way and gave the hosts their third penalty of the second period from the half way line, as far as forty yards away from the challenge. This was put away for Altofts to take the lead and a 4-3 final score.

After the game the ladies were so disappointed to have had the lead for such a long time in the second half, manager Mason adding “That was a bitter pill to swallow today for the team, especially with the third penalty, that long after the 90 were completed. The red card put us on the back foot obviously, but we were still the dangerous team following that and it was only three penalties and a deflected goal that cost us. We couldn’t ask for more from the team, even their manager and subs were embarrassed with it game panned out. It spoiled the game. But the character the ladies showed after being a little patched up for this game was encouraging to see and we’ll come back stronger following today”.

Next week the Cleethorpes Town Ladies play at home against Ossett Albion, kick off 2pm at The Linden Homes Club.