Stalemate

Hepworth entertained second placed Hemsworth at Far Lane hopeful to continue their mini run of recent good results. For the first time in weeks Hepworth were also able to able to field a strong starting eleven with three substitutes also. The home side went on the attack from the kick off and forced several corners in quick succession, one off which caused a goal mouth scramble which Hemsworth were lucky to survive. On 11 minutes Jayne Smith went on a solo run and jinked her way through several tackles before seeing her shot go just wide of goal when it seemed certain she would score. Shortly after Amy Thompson went on a run and worked her way towards goal but her shot come cross was blocked and put behind for another corner. Just 4 minutes later Thompson had another effort but shot just wide as Hepworth were dominating the game. On the half hour mark Hepworth were awarded a free kick which Rebecca Purchon dispatched goal wards the keeper palmed it away and Jo Forrest was quick to latch on to the ball and fire her effort goal wards but it was blocked in another scramble. Hemsworth were limited to long range efforts which caused no real problems for the home side and was easily managed by their quick defensive trio. The final 15 minutes of the first half were all of a similar pattern Lauren Brown went on a solo run down the left wing and her effort was desperately blocked. Lucy Page who was playing in a defensive midfield role yet spent more time teasing the away defence had many surging runs one such run resulting in her being awarded a free kick just outside the 18 yard box. The resulting free kick from Smith found Jo Forrest who's shot was again blocked and forced out of play.The second half was of a similar pattern to the first with Hemsworth showing very little in attack but yet being solid in defence if some what frantic and lucky at times. Hepworth however stuck to their game plan and passed the ball around probing the Hemsworth back four at every opportunity. Hepworth jigged things up a little bringing fresh legs on in King and Gleich and within minutes saw several chances come and go Forrest shot wide again from a Purchon free kick and shortly after her long range effort was well saved by the Hemsworth keeper. Not long after a well stuck free kick from Sophie King was pushed away again by the keeper who in the first half struggled to hold her shorts up let alone hold on to the ball. She was being called upon ever more frequently now though and blocked efforts from debutante Merita Prebrezova and Forrest and Smith yet again. This was a good performance from the home side yet was frustrating as they could not breach the Hemsworth goal but not through lack of trying. Just as the game was about finished Hemsworth had their one and only direct shot on goal though it was from distance again and some what speculative as as a 30 yard shot looked to be dipping under the bar yet Rebecca Harper who had controlled her defensive line well popped up with a great one handed save and gathered the loose ball up. This was seen by some as two points lost as Hepworth had totally dominated yet Manager John Field was happy with a point as it was a point off a higher placed team and Hepworth were now starting to find their rythm and identity again. The Keystone Europe Ltd player of the match was awarded to Rebecca Harper for her great leading role in marshalling the defence and her world class save in the dying minutes of the match.