Reports
Updated 04.01.02 17:47
Greyhound Gunners 4 v 3 Accrington Stanley
Team From: (1)Lloyd,(2)Openshaw, (3)Eaves, (4)Fairbrother, (5)Colley, (6)Whalley (c), (7)Else, (8)Bradbury, (9)Hayes, (10)Winstanley, (11)Cloney, (17)Blakeley
The Gunners entertained Accrington Stanley hoping to avenge their 5-3 away defeat earlier in the season.
The Gunners lined up with Lloyd in goal, Eaves, Fairbrother, Cooley and Openshaw across the back. Cloney, Bradbury, Whalley, Winstanley and Else played across the middle. Hayes took up the initial lone striking role.
The Gunners kicked off and Cloney was immediately involved in the action. Pushing forward with vigour her early effort was unable to test Robinson in the Stanley goal going behind for a goal kick.
It didn't take long for Stanley to respond. Lloyd had to sprint from the Gunners goal as Barnes forced her way clear.
Lloyd, certainly the busier of the two keepers in the early stages, did well after three minutes. Diving at full stretch to her left she held on twelve yards out.
On five minutes Cloney pushing forward down the left did well before being touched off the ball by two defenders. Eaves, on hand to pick up the loose ball fired a shot off from the edge of the box, which had Robinson scrambling across her goal. The keeper could only look on as the ball rolled narrowly wide of the right hand upright.
With a gap appearing between the Gunners midfield and their defence, the Stanley forward line dropped off, looking to fill the gap. Bartley managed to run at Fairbrother after taking a high ball in her stride after eight minutes. With Fairbrother beaten Lloyd came from goal and did enough as Bartley completed fluffed her shot. Eaves chasing back like a train appeared from nowhere to clear.
Stanley looked the better of the two sides as the Gunners struggled to adjust against ten opponents in the early stages. Stanley winning a couple of corners which the Gunners defence dealt with without incident.
On the quarter hour, a rare miss kick by Colley allowed Bartley to get clear. Taking the ball on, Bartley looked odds on to score as Lloyd bravely through herself at her feet. However, Lloyd not for the first time in the afternoon came out on top.
As the game reached the quarter mark, Stanley continued to press forward forcing Bradbury and Cloney into defensive duties on the Gunners left. Looking to give the Gunners better shape and cause the Stanley defence problems, manager McKean opted to switch Else and Hayes.
Almost immediately the Gunners switch up front paid off. On twenty-four minutes, Hayes broke down the Gunners right. Taking a touch around a defender, she made space for herself, before playing in a delightful cross-field ball, towards Else at the far post. Else met the cross eight yards out, hitting the ball in her stride giving Robinson no chance. However, the left hand post came to Stanley's rescue. Else reacting swiftly to the rebound, hit a solid shot back at goal, which Robinson parried. Else tried again but Robinson threw herself in the way yet again. Else made no mistake at fourth time of asking, side footing the ball between the keeper and the right hand upright, giving the Gunners the lead.
Lloyd was called into action after twenty-eight minutes as Stanley pushed forward via a couple of throws. Lloyd had to pull off a smart save from an eighteen-yard effort, through several players.
On the half hour Stanley won consecutive corners, which again the Gunners dealt with easily. Fairbrother eventually clearing the danger.
On thirty-four minutes, Openshaw broke down the right running half the length of the pitch before playing in Else. Else delightfully flicked the ball over the oncoming defender but her first touch took the ball to far away from her allowing Robinson time to come out and take the ball on her six-yard box.
Cloney should have made it two-nil soon after. Working hard near halfway she won the ball and pushed forward getting past the Stanley defence. However, as she reached the penalty area she knocked the ball a bit too far in front of herself allowing Robinson to come out and clear.
Stanley continued to press as the half progressed. Lloyd along with Colley and Fairbrother had to be constantly on their guard, as Bartley and Barnes looked particularly dangerous running from deep.
After forty-minutes, the Gunners received a massive let off. Stanley attacking down their left played in a high ball that caught Fairbrother out as it bounced. Lloyd rushed from goal as Bartley took advantage but on this occasion Bartley managed to go round the Gunners keeper. Bartley's cross-shot, looked like finding the net which meant Colley was attracted towards the ball allowing Barnes to appear at the far post. Barnes beat Openshaw and Colley to the ball but the Gunners defenders did enough to force Barnes around them. However, Barnes got the better of both players, as she weaved inside the six-yard box. Unbelievably, after so much hard work, Barnes was only able to hit a weak effort at goal, which still looked like going in, until Lloyd arrived in the knick of time, to save on her line.
Else forced Robinson into a fine save, following a swift attack down the right. Her thirty-yard effort had Robinson back tracking before taking the ball at full stretch at her far post.
Stanley got the equaliser their overall play deserved right on half time. A shot thirty-yard effort from nowhere had Lloyd flapping in the Gunners goal. With the sun directly in the keepers eyes, she seemed to lose the flight of the ball briefly, but just enough for her to lose her grip on the ball, allowing it to drop through her hands and trickle over the line.
Half Time 1-1
At half time the Gunners switched tactics again allowing Else to take advantage of the space down the left and putting Hayes back up front allowing Cloney to switch flanks.
Else called Robinson into action just three minutes in to the second period, hitting a shot from thirty-yards, that had Robinson stretching on tip toe to touch the ball round the right hand post.
Hayes was guilty of a glaring miss after fifty-one minutes. Cloney played a great ball through allowing Hayes to go clear from the edge of her own half. Running on and with two defenders in pursuit Hayes made her way deep inside the Stanley area, having done all the hard work she tapped her six-yard effort wide.
The Gunners increased their lead on fifty-two minutes. A delightful team goal. Openshaw & Cloney passing the ball from defence before Hayes played in Else from inside her own half. Else pushing down the left was challenged by the Stanley right back who forced her towards the by-line. Else with few options available she took two touches to create space for herself then it a wonder shot which looped over Robinson at her near post in to the back of the net. Class!! 2-1
Having retaken the lead the Gunners looked a different team. Showing some good touches in every position on the pitch.
On fifty-five minutes Else working wonders again down the left put in a cross to the far post that Whalley headed just over.
The Gunners produced the best bit of football to date this season just after the hour mark. Cloney, Openshaw, Winstanley and Else all involved in a sweeping move that had Stanley chasing shadows. Despite there being no end product to the move, the play and confidence shown on the ball during the move was delightful to watch.
Else completed her hat trick on sixty-eight minutes. A quick break down the right by Openshaw played in Else who weaved one way then the other to try and break free of her marker. Eventually making enough space to hit a left footed shot that Robinson fumbled over the line.
Having done the hard work and given themselves breathing space the Gunners relaxed and immediately paid the price. Within seconds of the restart Riley pulled one back. Given loads of time to set herself, she hit a twenty-five yard effort over Lloyd to give the visitors a chance.
As Stanley looked to push for the equaliser the Gunners started to lose their heads. Failing to put a foot on the ball and allowing Stanley to push forward at will.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock captain Whalley tried her luck from distance after good work by Else, but Robinson was up to the task. Hayes shortly after put Robinson under slightly more pressure following her shot from the right but again the keeper saved.
On seventy-seven minutes, Accrington got the equaliser, which always looked like coming after the panic set in to the Gunners ranks. With the ball bobbling about all over the space Riley put her foot on the ball and pushed clear on her own before firing an eighteen-yard home.
With five minutes remaining the Gunners had two injury scares. Cloney and Else both suffering knee injuries but thankfully neither was serious.
With the game looking all over and the Gunners first win looking all evasive, Else produced a forty-yard shot from wide on the left on eighty-nine minutes. Robinson in the Stanley goal, caught out by the shot from distance, scrambled across her goal but couldn't get down in time to stop the ball going in. Giving Else her fourth goal of the afternoon and the Gunners their first league win of the season.
