WEST BROMWICH ALBION 5 - 1 LONG EATON UNITED

 

               WOMEN'S F.A. CUP, 3RD ROUND

         The Central Ground, Coles Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B72 1NL 

                          12/12/2021,   1:00 pm Kick Off

As the weather forecast for Saturday is pretty grim I decide to go to a Sunday game instead and I notice that the WBA Ladies team are at home in the Women's FA Cup 3rd Round. They are playing at Sutton Coldfield , which is a surprise as I saw Sutton Coldfield's womens team play there too earlier on in the competition.

I manage to get to Sutton Coldfield by train without any hassle and the weather is not too bad, milder than of late and with sunny intervals too.

I have time to do some Christmas shopping, have a snack in the town centre and walk to Coles Lane.

There is a friendly guy taking the gate money and he turns out to be the Club Secretary as well. I pay my entrance fee and he tells me that the programmes have sold out but I am able to take a printed team sheet instead (thoughtful touch). 

I have time to have a cup of tea before the kick-off. WBA are playing Long Eaton United, who play in the level below them but they are either top or second in their league, so although I am expecting a home win, it's a cup match and a chance of an upset.

The teams come out at 1 pm and WBA are in their usual home colours of blue and white stripes, while Long Eaton are in their change strip of red and black.

The home team take the lead after just 2 minutes and I had not been concentrating so I only have time to see the ball nestling in the back of the net following a corner from the left. I find out that the scorer is their No.10 Evie Gallop and 2 days later watch a video clip of the goal on the WBA Twitter account. It was a great goal, where Evie flicks the ball up in the air after beating a defender and volleys it straight over the keeper's head with a lot of power. A good enough goal to grace any game and I missed it!

Long Eaton come back strongly during the following 10 minutes but without creating any clear cut chances.

              (Trina Greaves clearing this attack from Long Eaton)

Then the Albion ladies are back on the attack down the left and the visitor's keeper has to make a good save from Gallop.

They double their lead after 30 minutes when the on fire, Evie Gallop slots the ball in to the right corner of the net.

5 minutes later and the Albion No.5, Kerry Walklett puts in a great shot from the left and Leagh Kellogg manages to tip it over the bar. 

Long Eaton go very close to scoring when Tiana Hicks is put through and shoots past the oncoming Albion keeper, Poppy Bastock, only to see the ball go just wide of the right hand post.

      (Evie Gallop being closely watched by this Long Eaton defender)

The Albion immediately respond by scoring a third goal through their No.14, Leigh Dugmore, after she receives the ball from Trina Greaves on the right and her shot hits a Long Eaton defender and deflects through the keeper's legs.

Half time arrives none too soon for Long Eaton and it's hard to see them getting back in to this game today. I must admit I have been very impressed with West Bromwich so far, especially Evie Gallop of course and the diminutive, Kerry Walklett in midfield, who is a bundle of energy. 

The second period commences and it's more of the same with the Albion doing most of the attacking and they add to their tally in the 62nd minute when Shannon Stamps cleverly comes through on the right, manages to get in a shot which the keeper can't hold and it's the irrepressible Walklett who's the first to react and stab the ball in to the goal.

               (Kerry Walklett attacking the Long Eaton goal)

Long Eaton manage to score a goal of their own following an attack on the left and it's their No.8, Moriah McIntosh who does so.

Apart from this it's the Albion who are dominating this game and it's no surprise when Walklett scores again.

              (Kerry Walklett being congratulated on her 2nd goal)

But for the Long Eaton United keeper the winning margin could have been greater for the home team. West Bromwich go in to the hat for the 4th Round draw and Long Eaton have to lick their wounds and keep going for promotion from their division.

I really enjoyed this game today and I am tempted to watch WBA Ladies again in the next round if they have a home tie.

Match attendance:      72

Entrance fee:             £5 / £1 concession

Programme:              Sold out

Match entertainment: 7.5/10
 

  

SUTTON COLDFIELD TOWN LADIES 2 - 0 REDDITCH UNITED LADIES

                    Women's FA Cup, 2nd Qualifying Round,

         The Central Ground, Coles Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B72 1NL  03/10/2021 

                                   

This weekend I have decided not to go to any games on Saturday as the weather forecast is pretty dismal and I notice that it's the Women's FA Cup being played on Sunday. I have a look at the fixtures and decide to go to Coles Lane, for the Sutton Coldfield v Redditch United game at 2pm.

I get the train to Sutton Colfield, have a snack and a coffee and a quick look around the Gracechurch Shopping Centre and walk for 20 minutes to get to the ground.

I'm greeted by a friendly lady in a blue tracksuit and I pay my £3 entrance fee. Later on I think she may be the manager? 

The forecast is sunny with showers for the first part of the match and I have gone to stand at the far end of the ground by the side of the goal to keep out of the direct sunlight and under some shelter.

The teams come out with Sutton in an all royal blue strip and Redditch in all red. As soon as the game kicks off, the rain decides to start falling!

 Sutton Coldfield hit the match running and take the lead after just 2 minutes. The ball is lobbed over from the right and their No.14 heads home.

The same girl scores a second but I must confess to not seeing it as I had been checking some previous shots on my camera.

Sutton are quicker to the ball and in speed of thought and I am beginning to fear that they will be totting up a cricket score at this rate but Redditch do gradually get more in to the game and they have a few attacks of their own down the left.

They don't trouble the home goal keeper while the Redditch keeper has had to save several shots in this half although most have been straight at her.

So it's half-time with Sutton two goals to the good and Redditch will be looking to get an early, confidence boosting goal in the next 45 minutes.

Both teams are in the West Midlands Regional League, Premier Division and I have noticed the difference in class between this level and the first 2 levels of the Women's football pyramid which I have watched in the past.

The weather is mainly still rain and sometimes it's heavy too.

'The Royals' of Sutton Coldfield are attacking towards me now and they are pressing from the off again.

After 55 minutes, there is a nasty collision between the Sutton No.10 who bravely goes to head the ball with the Redditch keeper rushing out. They both collapse to the floor but fortunately they are just winded rather than injured and are able to resume after about 2 minutes.

After 62 minutes, Redditch have their best attack of the match when they have a shot turned away by the home keeper for a corner.

They have a few attacking forays down the left but it's still The Royals looking the most likely to score. I am impressed with their No.19 who seems to be their driving force from midfield (shown in action in the photo below). 

As you can see, the playing conditions got a bit too unpleasant at times but luckily the real downpours didn't last too long.

Near the end, The Royals twice go close to scoring again, once from a corner and another from a shot going just the wrong side of the post, from the right hand side.

The full-time whistle blows soon after and it's Sutton Coldfield's name that will go in to the draw for the next round.

I have enjoyed the match, much more so in the 2nd half as I got used to the style of play and admired the ladies efforts in the trying conditions. I will see if I can get in another women's match before the end of  this season.

Match Attendance:        70

Entrance fee:               £3

Entertainment value     6/10

Match Programme        None available