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Updated 19.01.02 12:09

Leigh R.M.I 3 v 2 Greyhound Gunners

Team From: (1)Lloyd,(2)Eaves, (3)Openshaw, (4)Woolley, (5)Colley, (6)Whalley (c), (7)Else, (8)Bradbury, (9)Hayes, (10)Blakeley, (11)Cloney, (12)Holbrook

The Gunners travelled to bottom club Leigh RMI for their first game of the New Year. It seems every time the two sides meet the rain has to put in an appearance and this meeting was no different. Thankfully R.M.I.'s pitch stood up well to the downpour before kick off. Although there were patches affected by the rain, the majority of the surface was okay.

Else, a Gunners midfielder who hails from the Leigh area, showed early on how much this game meant to her. She threw herself whole-heartedly into the game conceding a foul inside thirty seconds near halfway.

The Gunners defence were the first called in to action, as Openshaw and Whalley conceded a throw and corner in quick succession, on three minutes. The former clearing the resultant corner with great authority.

On five minutes, Eaves played a Gunners free kick, awarded for offside from just outside the eighteen-yard box, into the path of Hayes. The young Gunners forward took the ball on and tried to play in Else down the right. However, an outstretched leg deflected the ball away from where the alert Blakeley was able to take possession and play in Else out wide. The Gunners wide player in space was able to set herself before delivering a Bechkam-esque cross, which just evaded both Hayes and Cloney in the penalty area.

On six minutes, the Gunners had the first real attempt on goal of the match. Hayes testing Goulding in the home goal, with a smartly taken low effort from twenty-five yards, which Goulding did well to nudge around the right hand upright.

The Gunners won another corner on eight minutes, following bright play from Else, who went on a run from halfway, and then from Blakeley, whose determination forced an error at the back. Unfortunately this corner like the previous set pieces found a home shirt on hand to clear.

Cloney started a fine Gunners move after twelve minutes with a long throw down the left. Whalley headed the throw onto Hayes, who managed to work space for herself in front of goal, before hitting a solid shot at Goulding on her six-yard line.

Gunner's manager McKean opted to switch Cloney and Else after eighteen minutes, giving both players the opportunity to have a run at different defenders and hopefully to unsettle the home side. Even at this early stage it was noticeable that several of the Gunners players were struggling with their fitness, a noticeable gap starting to appear between the midfield and the defence.

Else opened the scoring, three minutes after switching positions. Linking up with Blakely and Hayes, she took up possession, cut inside two players before hitting a rising shot from nineteen yards, which went well over Goulding, high into the home sides net, to give the visitors the lead.

On the half hour, a free kick by Hayes was well met at the near post by a RMI defender, conceding a left sided corner. Eaves's corner, was half cleared into the path of Woolley, who played the ball back in for Eaves to head down into the box. Else and a defender, competing for the ball, both lost their footing as they reached the edge of the six-yard box, with no question of a foul either way. However, Else instinctively sprang back to her feet first and hit a solid effort wide of Goulding but just the wrong wide of the near post.

The Gunners doubled their lead on thirty-one minutes. Hayes picking up the ball after a poor goal kick knocked the ball around a defender, before hitting an accurate, low shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net, giving Goulding no chance.

Less than sixty seconds later the home side opened their account for the afternoon, with the Gunners still celebrating their own goal. Bailey picked up the ball in the midfield and simply ran at the Gunners defence before exchanging passes with Wood. Going on into the box to fire a sixteen yard effort past Lloyd into the Gunners net.

The Gunners had a major let off towards the end of the first half as the greater fitness of the home side started to tell. Three RMI players were able to get the better of the Gunners midfield then overpower the defence as they forged forward. With only Lloyd to beat from fourteen yards out the equaliser looked odds on however; the home forward somehow dragged her shot wide.

Half Time 1-2

Straight from the restart Leigh went on the offensive attacking via their most productive route, straight through the middle of the park where the Gunners lack of fitness was most evident.

On forty-eight minutes, RMI managed to breakthrough the Gunners midfield and defence but couldn't get past Lloyd. The Gunners keeper managed to parry an initial shot then bravely got a touch as the forward looked to sweep home the loose ball.

Openshaw cruelly fouled near halfway almost made Leigh pay on fifty, as she played in the free kick towards the left edge of the home area. However, her delivery to the back post was misread by Cloney who pushed inside a touch too far to take advantage.

Lloyd getting busier as the half progressed pulled off another double save from Bailey moments later as again she was unable to hold on to the initial shot.

Despite being forced onto the back foot the Gunners still sought to go forward with Else providing the service for Hayes. Twice in the space of a couple of minutes, Else produced dazzling runs down the right before causing problems with her crosses. Hayes initially just beaten at the near post by Goulding, then able to get to the ball first and produce a delightful flick over the advancing keeper, which bounced centimetres the wrong side of the left hand post.

The Gunners looked like the stronger team as the game reached the hour, Woolley and Colley playing the best games for quite some time ably supported by Eaves and Openshaw. The back line, were forced to play so well, as the midfield were only producing sporadic bursts as their lack of fitness told. When the Gunners got their breath their play going forwards had Leigh in trouble, but unfortunately that was not often enough.

Hayes and Whalley took advantage of a lapse at the back from the home side just before the hour. Hayes closing down on a poor goal kick allowed Whalley to gain possession and a quick one-two with he teammate allowed Whalley to break into the box. Despite the attentions of two defenders she was able to get in a shot that flew six yards wide.

Cloney and Whalley combined to gain several yards down the left, from throws ins, before playing in a cross that Leigh struggled to deal with. An attempted clearance at the near post fell to Hayes eight yards out. The Gunners striker with her back to goal turned sweetly and hit a solid shot towards goal, but could only find the midriff of Goulding. Despite the RMI keeper failing to hold on to the ball, Hayes and her teammates were unable to take advantage as they had all turned away from goal.

Whalley probably the fittest of the Gunners midfield, had to switch from attack mode to defensive, soon after, as she produced two solid challenges to end two RMI break aways.

With no way through for Hayes or Else in the second period, manager McKean switched the pair just after the hour. Looking for another line of attack and prompted by Else, who continued to look to get involved McKean pitched Cloney up front with Else reverting to the left five minutes later.

After a period of Gunners pressure, Leigh started to get on top. In fact as the Gunners tired Leigh took total control of the game. Woolley and Colley in the Gunners defence never had a minute in the final twenty-five, when they weren't called upon, to halt a home attack. Leigh, acknowledging the Gunners weakness in the centre, threw everything at the Gunners. Constantly running three abreast, head on, through the middle of the field at every opportunity. Struggling to cope the Gunners started to panic resulting in half clearances which basically gave the ball the away time and again.

On sixty-five minutes, Woolley produced a well-timed challenge, inside the area to concede a corner left side. From the corner Openshaw volleyed the ball clear only for a Leigh player to pick up the ball unmarked twenty yards out. With time, the Leigh player fired in a stinging shot that Lloyd was unable to hold onto and Bailey was first to react poaching a goal from eight yards out.

The Gunners almost contrived an opening for RMI from the restart Whalley unusually slow to take the kick off allowing the home side to take possession and steam forward. Fortunately, Cloney was on hand to put an end to a promising attack. Else looking determined to get the Gunners back in front, went on a fantastic run down the left from the clearance. Beating two players with ease, Else played a delicate one-two with Bradbury before laying the ball off to Whalley. The Gunners captain then found Hayes eight yards out, but again Goulding's positioning was spot on as she saved Hayes's shot on her line.

After a brief respite the Gunners defence had to work overtime. Woolley and Colley combining to stop Bailey, before the RMI player managed to play a one-two with Wood and get a shot off which Lloyd did well to save.

On seventy minutes, Wood managed to break through the midfield twice in the space of a minute and it was again Woolley who foiled her on both occasions, producing two exquisite tackles inside and outside the penalty area.

On seventy-three minutes, Colley almost undid all her good work as she produced a couple of flicks and a header trying to clear the ball only twenty yards out. Unfortunately for the defender her final touch went astray and Bailey was on hand, yet again, to take advantage. Woolley for what seemed like the hundredth time in the afternoon cleared the danger.

All the home sides pressure paid dividends seconds later. Bailey, tantalising the Gunners defence, took two players out of the game, before switching the play to Wood, who delightfully lobbed Lloyd from twelve yards to give the home side a deserved lead.

The Gunners had a couple of chances to get an equaliser in the final ten minutes, Hayes knocking a twenty-yard free kick three yards wide. Before, a Hayes free kick from an almost identical position was played short to Else on the edge of the box but the she was unable to get a shot off as defenders pounced.

Full Time: 3-2