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Updated 24.10.01 20:19

Accrington Stanley 5 v 3 Greyhound Gunners

Team From: (1)Lloyd,(2)Holbrook, (3)Openshaw, (4)Fairbrother, (5)Colley (c), (6)Woolley, (7)Else, (8)Bradbury, (9)Cloney, (10)Winstanley, (11)Eaves, (12)Hayes, (13)Blakeley

The Gunners arrived at Accrington on Sunday in upbeat mood, only to be greeted with a pitch that would do well to pass any inspection. Small puddles in the goalmouth nearest the changing facilities had joined together, in the persistent rain, to become a pool. Leaving at least half of the six-yard area, covered in surface water. While the centre circle, in patches, contained four inches of standing water. However, given both sides eagerness for the game to go ahead, the referee passed the pitch fit to play.

The Gunners named just one change from the team that started the previous week against Urmston. Colley returning after a two-week absence took up the central midfield mantle vacated by Whalley. Blakeley remained on the bench with Hayes, who returned to the Gunners fold after a very brief retirement.

The Gunners kicked off trying and failing with a new set piece, conceding possession straight away to the home side. It didn't take Stanley long to press forward, Fairbrother being called upon to concede a throw ten yards out within the first few seconds. Fairbrother was called upon again soon after, halting a break down the right with a solid blocked challenge. From the clearance however, Stanley managed to push on in the midfield, allowing Watson to hit an early dipping shot from 25 yards, that clipped the cross bar as it went over.

The home sides midfield adapted better to the conditions in the early stages, with the Gunners struggling to find their feet. However, the Gunners rearguard settled well and when in possession the Gunners had plenty of players looking to receive the ball and push forward.

Stanley looked to build on their midfield superiority, gaining the upper hand, from goal kicks by either side. Attacking each clearance with grit and determination they consistently beat the Gunners to the ball, enabling them to feed their forwards at will.

Following a Stanley break on seven minutes, Lloyd was called upon to spring from her goal as a shot came in from 18 yards out. The Gunners keeper did just enough as the solid right footed effort whisked passed her left hand upright.

The Gunners first real attack almost broke the deadlock on nine minutes. Openshaw, looking more accomplished with each game, played a weighted ball down the right into the path of Else. Else managed to outwit her marker and attract Dobson off her line, before producing an angled cross, towards the far post, which took Dobson out of the game. Cloney, flying in from the left, threw herself feet first at the ball, as it rolled across the six-yard box. Despite getting a touch on the ball Cloney could only look on as it went the wrong side of the upright.

Stanley's midfield, still winning possession from goal kicks, took full advantage on fourteen minutes. A Lloyd clearance was picked up by Stanley and played into Watson just outside the Gunners area. Taking the ball on, Watson placed a firm shot to the left of Lloyd, into the bottom corner of the net from 18-yards, to make it 1-0.

Else looking the likely Gunners outlet left her marker on the floor following some tricky footwork on twenty minutes. Having beaten the last defender Else put in a cross that just evaded Cloney who had made up yards to get into the area.

Straight from the Stanley goal kick, the home side again took advantage producing a shot on target within three touches. The goal kick was picked up unchallenged in centre field then played through to Watson who forcing her way towards the box produced a dipping effort that Lloyd did well to take on the floor at full stretch.

On twenty-two minutes, Else again caused problems down the Stanley left. Forcing Dobson to knock the ball round her near post for a corner. Stanley managed to knock the Gunners corner clear, and then mounted a speedy counter attack. Watson, again took up possession, this time from just inside her own half, then forced her way passed the Gunners central defenders. As Lloyd came off her line Watson pushed the ball round the keeper before knocking the ball home.

The Gunners when further behind just after the half hour, again after a Gunners set piece. Stanley cleared a Gunners free kick won by Openshaw on the Gunners right. From the clearance the Gunners defence and certain Stanley players stopped expecting the offside flag. However, the flag never appeared and Bartley was clear. With Lloyd approaching Bartley coolly lifted the ball from 25-yards over the oncoming keeper into the empty net.

The Gunners eventually getting to grips with the conditions and the midfield pushed forward themselves from their own goal kick after thirty-six minutes. Cloney taking the ball on down the left had no support as she entered the Stanley penalty area, but managed to hold the ball up as her team mates pushed forward. Cloney, ended up flat on her face as she lost possession, with two defenders harrying her. Bradbury took up the ball as it broke towards the edge of the box and as she tried to turn, a Stanley defender impeded her. The referee initially blew for a free kick but on closer inspection realised the incident had taken place inside the area so awarded a penalty. After brief uncertainty, Else stepped forward to place a convincing right-footed effort to the right of the keeper, to give the Gunners a chance at 3-1.

Bradbury buoyed by her penalty award started to produce the determination and grit that she sometimes has difficulty displaying. In fact the whole of the midfield increased their work rate following the goal. Producing the steady workflow needed to give their defence a break and their forwards the ammunition required to score goals.

Half Time 3-1

The Gunners waited until fifty minutes to introduce Hayes from the bench replacing Bradbury who had started to look jaded following a solid fifteen minutes in midfield. Hayes took up the wide midfield role while Cloney moved inside.

Else continued to push forward creating problems for Regan down the Stanley left. However, Regan's persistence paid off for Stanley as Else twice failed to get any power in her shots after working hard to outwit the defender.

On fifty-six minutes, it was the Gunners turn, to turn defence into attack. Eaves cleared a Stanley corner towards Colley near halfway. The Gunners captain played in Hayes in the inside left channel, taking a couple of touches Hayes, sensed her chance, firing a 30-yard shot over the flapping Dobson, into the net.
On the hour, a long ball from the Stanley midfield forced Lloyd out of goal. The Gunners keeper slid out and although she had time to kick the ball clear she picked the ball up. Although difficult to see in the conditions, the Gunner's own linesman, flagged to the referee indicating Lloyd had handled outside the area. The referee could quite easily have produced a red card for deliberate handball. However, given the conditions and the lack of clear markings, he would surely have been in doubt as to whether Lloyd had knowingly handled the ball outside her area.

On sixty-two minutes Colley tried in vain to challenge Watson just outside the Gunners area, with a sliding tackle. Arriving just after the Stanley striker had played the ball. There is no doubt that Colley's challenge was mistimed and probably deserved a yellow card. However, the reaction from Watson (totally out of character with the rest of the game) was uncalled for. The Stanley striker threw herself on top of the Gunners captain, while she was still on the ground, and attempted to throw a punch. Retaliation, which has no place in football, be it professional or otherwise. The referee, who was right on top of the incident, immediately awarding the free kick, spoke to both players but took no action apart from awarding the free kick.

Personally, although I have been given other accounts of the event, I can't believe the referee chose not to show Watson a red card. It has been suggested that the referee (an experienced official) chose to negate both events thus taking no action against either player. Colley's challenge in the official's eyes may or may not have been worthy of a yellow card. However, retaliation is something that cannot be tolerated. The Football Association's current disciplinary guidelines indicate such an offence: 'attempting to kick or strike another player' has a punishment of a '21 day suspension and £10 fine.' The game of football will be the loser if events like these go unpunished.

Stanley increased their lead direct from the free kick, Bartley hitting a clinical shot over the wall and just under the cross bar giving the home side a 4-2 lead.

The Gunner's produced the move of the match on sixty-six minutes. Openshaw took a quick throw in down the Gunners right to Colley. The Gunners captain played it back to Openshaw, who in turn found Else out wide. The Gunners striker ducked and weaved as she tried to lose Regan and produced a wonderful deep cross that had Dobson in trouble at her far post. With only a weak connection Dobson would have been in more trouble but there wasn't a Gunner present to poke the loose ball home.

Lloyd produced another fine save on seventy minutes throwing herself at the feet of Watson as she shaped to shoot following a goalmouth scrabble.

The Gunners made their second substitution of the afternoon after seventy-two minutes. Blakeley replacing Fairbrother who had taken a knock to her knee a few minutes earlier. The Gunners re-organised with Colley dropping into central defence and Blakeley taking up a left sided midfield role as Hayes took up the central midfield birth.

Openshaw created a chance from nothing on seventy-six minutes. Taking the ball on halfway she produced a delightful ball behind Regan allowing Else time to run on to the ball. With Dobson sprinting from goal and Regan recovering her position, Else forged forward and played a perfect ball through the legs of Dobson, into the back of the net, from 18 yards.

After a defiant Gunners performance the game was put out of their reach with five minutes remaining. Watson a constant thorn in the Gunners side had the defence in all sorts of problems as she forged forward. Pushing down the right she used her pace to break clear and play a shot across Lloyd into the bottom left hand corner of the net, to complete her hat trick.

Within a minute Watson almost had another as yet again she sprinted clear. This time Woolley managed to do enough to force the early shot which hit the side netting.

In the latter stages the Gunners midfield certainly looked the better of the two, Winstanley produced a ball equal to Openshaw's to set up Else's goal. It left two defenders for dead allowing Else to put in a cross to the back post. Cloney unable to pick off a shot worked backwards bringing Hayes into play who fired an early effort 5-yards wide.

As the game entered the final minutes Woolley was again on hand to challenge Watson with Eaves on hand to clear. Openshaw picked up the clearance and found Winstanley who again delightfully fed Else down the right. This Else chose to play her cross in away from the keeper finding Hayes on the edge of the box. Her well hit effort finding the midriff of Dobson.

Lloyd had to be on her guard right up to the final whistle. Producing a finger tip save in injury time then having to slide across her area to prevent the loose ball creeping in.

Final Score 5-3