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Updated 05.10.01 22:07

Southport 3 v 0 Greyhound Gunners

Team: (1) Lloyd, (2) Holbrook, (3) Eaves, (4) Fairbrother, (5) Colley, (6) Bradbury, (7) Else, (8)Whalley (c), (9) Cloney, (10) Blakeley

One of the bravest ever performances, by a group of players wearing the orange shirt of the Greyhound Gunners, took place at Southport. The Gunners were forced to start the game with only nine of their ten available players, as Colley was only a few minutes into her journey, as the rest of the squad arrived at Southport, due to her work commitments. With no less than five regulars unavailable against a team who started the day with a 100% record and joint top of the division, the performance by the ten players on duty cannot be over stated.

The Gunners kicked off with a defence of Eaves, Cloney, Fairbrother and Holbrook until Colley was able to join the fray nine minutes in. Cloney then reverted to the right-sided midfield birth with Blakeley making her full debut inside her. Captain Whalley took up the central midfield role with Bradbury directly to her left and Else out wide left.

The Gunners kicked off the game with the very strong wind at their backs but without any forwards to take advantage of the conditions. Given their numerical advantage it wasn't much of a surprise, when the home side pushed forward from the whistle. A wild shot from distance from the Southport right failed to test Lloyd in the Gunners goal as the ball flew yards wide. The referee provided the first bit of entertainment of the afternoon. The local official, attempted to back peddle into position only to lose his footing and end up on his backside, much to the amusement of both teams.

Holbrook, who had turned up to the game without her boots or shin pads, but had managed to bring an empty bag with her, took some time to settle. Initially allowing the Southport right, an advantage, as she failed to push out with the rest of her teammates. However, Else was on hand, on the six-yard line, to clear the danger.

The home side continued to push forward but found a resilient Gunners defence at every turn. Fairbrother with Cloney in close attendance linked solidly in the middle while Eaves on the right looked completely at ease with everything thrown her way. Holbrook, having overcome her early jitters, looked more focused as she started to visibly gel with the rest of the defence.

The Gunners had their first attack on five minutes following two throws down their left flank. Eaves took a throw twenty yards inside her own half and gained twenty-five yards as Southport conceded another. This time Cloney took the throw, from just inside the Southport half. Spotting Else's run the Gunners player launched an almighty throw over the last defender into Else's path. Taking the ball on into the box, Else tried her luck from ten yards but saw her effort blocked by a defender and ricochet off her out for a goal kick.

The Gunners playing the off side trap on six minutes were caught out as Garside kept possession and continued with her run from midfield. Lloyd was forced off her line to close the angle, as her defence struggled to recover. Lloyd was then taken out of the equation as Garside passed the ball inside with two of her teammates waiting. However, the Southport players were far too eager, both had crept forward of Garside, thus finding themselves in offside positions.

Lloyd was called to make her first save of the afternoon a minute later, throwing herself confidently down to her left to smoother the ball with a forward in attendance.

Colley arrived on the scene on nine minutes, putting the finishing touches to her attire as she jogged from the dressing rooms. She immediately took up her central defensive role, allowing Cloney to push in to the right side of midfield.

The addition of Colley had a settling effect on the visitors. She immediately settled in, breathing confidence in to those around her. Fairbrother, relieved by the arrival of her partner, began to play a more composed game playing in her teammates at every opportunity.

The Gunners, despite still having a player less, looked impressive with an air of authority within their ranks. Lloyd particularly looking like a different player than the keeper who had been between the sticks in the Gunners last game. Else and Cloney were both benefiting from the constant work by captain Whalley, (who must have covered every blade of grass on the park) along with Blakely and Bradbury in the centre.

Although the Gunners midfield, were looking impressive it was their defence who were involved at every turn. Holbrook, improving by the minute, had to be at her very best as the game reached the quarter mark. Garside, causing problems down the right looked to have broken clear but couldn't out do the determination of the Gunners left back who forced her to check back. From a difficult angle Garside still managed to get off a shot, which flew a yard wide of the near post.

Southport urged on by their bench continued to press forward but found their way blocked at every turn. On twenty-three it was Colley's turn, tracking a run down the inside left channel she stayed on her feet in the penalty area until seizing her moment and conceding a corner which the Gunners easily cleared.

Soon after, Lloyd found herself, one on one with a Southport forward, after Fairbrother had done her best to stop the run. Lloyd managed to take advantage of Fairbrother's work to take the ball off the feet of the forward just inside the box.

The Gunners were dealt a massive blow after twenty-six minutes as Fairbrother visibly struggling went down with a calf strain. With no alternative Fairbrother bravely opted to continue after a brief amount of treatment. Despite her obvious problems she carried on doing a fine job aided by Holbrook and Colley.

Eaves came to the Gunners rescue twice in the space of a minute as the game approached the half hour. Pushing further infield to help out, after Fairbrother's injury she showed immense bravery and coolness, as she threw herself in the mix as boots were flying around the six yard box to not only block shots but also clear the danger.

It was Holbrook's turn soon after to come to the rescue doing enough to put off Garside again, forcing another early shot which again went well wide.

The Gunners with only ten players found it hard to push forward but when they did they showed a certain amount of creativity along the way. After thirty-five minutes, Colley found herself in space and with time near her own area. Grasping the opportunity, the Gunners centre half pushed forward before combining with Cloney and Bradbury, who managed to play in Else on the left. Seeing her chance, Else looked to use the strong wind to try and beat Pendleton in the home goal. Unfortunately, despite getting the power she couldn't get the height and Pendleton was able to take the ball on her six-yard line without too much trouble.

Lloyd was called into action several times as the first period came to a close but the Gunners keeper helped by her back line, was up to everything thrown at her. Fairbrother and Lloyd had both tried to use the wind to push the Gunners forward throughout the half but on most occasions the wind got too much of the ball allowing Pendleton to come out and claim.

Half Time 0-0

After all the good work of the first half the Gunners knew with the wind now favouring their opponents in the second period they would have to continue playing at the same high standard if all their efforts were to count.

Southport kicked off the second half and immediately came up against Blakeley who epitomised the Gunners spirit by getting stuck in straight away.

It wasn't long however, before the home side took the lead. An uncharacteristic lapse by the brilliant Lloyd on forty-six minutes let in Garside to open the scoring. The Gunners defence were caught playing too far up field, as Garside broke clear down the right. Despite Cloney tracking Garside, she couldn't prevent the forward's shot, which found the bottom left hand corner of the net as Lloyd was caught in no mans land. 1-0.

Three minutes into the second half Fairbrother struck a fine free kick from twenty-five yards out that held up in the wind and allowed Pendleton to take at waist height. Had the kick been with the wind it would have surely have found the back of the net.

The wind initially caused problems for the Gunners as they struggled to readjust. Colley misjudged the bounce of a long clearance on fifty-minutes, as she found herself a yard the wrong side of her marker. However, as they had all day, there was another Gunners player on hand to clear the danger, on this occasion Lloyd, who took the ball on the edge of her box.

Using the wind to their advantage, Southport pushed forward in greater numbers than the first period. Winning several corners following a safety first strategy from the Gunners back line. Gunners Captain, Whalley came to the fore, during the wave of corners, dealing with each aerial threat with aplomb with several fine, headed clearances.

A left hand cross from deep inside the Gunners half just before the hour, had everyone looking twice, as Fairbrother got a touch at the near post. It looked for a moment that the centre half had turned the ball inside her own post but on this heroic day justice was done as the ball went millimetres wide for another corner. It was Whalley who cleared the danger yet again this time with the help of Fairbrother.

On the hour, Fairbrother struggling with her injury, finally had to give up a chase, unable to keep up as Meadows brushed clear. Just as Meadows shaped to shoot with just Lloyd to beat Eaves appeared from nowhere to unsettle the Southport player who went on to fire her shot high and wide.

As the second half continued Southport came up with an effective plan to combat the Gunners excellent off side strategy. They constantly choose to ignore the side of the field that contained, on many occasions several players in off side positions, and continue their pursuit down the other flank. This obviously caused confusion and consternation in the Gunners ranks as they had successfully pulled out, to catch not one but many players off side, yet they still didn't get the decision. However, Southport were playing within the rules and had found one way past the Gunners stubborn defence.

Just after the hour Lloyd was called to the rescue as Southport employed their new strategy. With no less than five Southport players caught in off side positions on the right Southport kept play on their left and bore down on Lloyd's goal with the Gunners defence up field. Lloyd continuing to show her new found confidence, scrabbled from goal, closing every angle possible and successfully saw Cinnamon's effort roll inches wide of the right hand post. Interestingly, with several Southport players trying in vain to convert the chance, had they done so the 'goal' would not have counted as they were originally in off side positions.

Lloyd was off her line again within a minute, this time forcing Garside to attempt a knick and run as she flung herself at full stretch, on the edge of the box. Garside managed to get the ball over Lloyd but put too much pace on the ball and could only watch as it trundled six yards wide.

The Gunners went further behind after sixty-eight minutes, with Garside again the scorer. A right-sided Southport corner, floated over the near post, missing out Whalley et al who had constantly snuffed out the threat from numerous previous corners and landed on the edge of the six-yard box. As Cloney adjusted to clear, Garside nipped in with electric reflexes to knick the ball off her foot and slam it home to make it 2-0.

Else carried the Gunners flag straight from the restart, taking on all comers as she strode forward into the Southport half. Having beaten several defenders Else fired in a looping shot that held up in the wind just enough for Pendleton to readjust and take just off her line.

The Gunners conceded their third of the afternoon after seventy-seven minutes. A Colley back pass caught Lloyd off her line and the Gunners keeper instinctively fell on the ball giving the home side an indirect free-kick fourteen yards out. The Gunners regrouped and made a five player wall just four yards off the line. However, a smartly taken free kick played to the left of goal left Glover free eight yards out and she was able to pass the ball home. It must be noted that Fairbrother had attempted to cover Glover's position but with only nine outfield players she was told to stay in the wall to prevent the direct approach.

With the game firmly in it's final ten minutes, most of the Gunners line up looked like they had gone through ten rounds with Mike Tyson, as they limped and crawled around the pitch. Holbrook, Fairbrother & Cloney especially looked the worse for ware each probably offering up a little prayer for the final whistle.

Colley brought the final Southport attack to an end with a well-timed challenge as everyone tired. Garside looking for her hat-trick looked to have gone clear until Colley arrived to clear the danger.

Full Time 3-0