WGC 1st XI v Potters Bar 1st XI

13th March 2010

(scroll down to the bottom of the page for photos)

On Saturday Potters Bar Ladies 1s made the short journey to the University of Hertfordshire to play local rivals, Welwyn Garden City 1s.

Potters Bar dominated early possession of the game and produced some excellent passes through midfield via Anna Walker and Caroline Stanners up to Bar’s forward line allowing Laura Pointing on the right wing to run at her defenders and produce crosses into the circle.

It was Bar that took the early lead with a quick pass into Sarah Jowett in their attacking circle by sister, Faye Jowett, even though Sarah was fowled the umpires allowed play to carry on and Sarah struck the ball into the back of the goal.

Potters Bar had been without a win in 2010 and were determined this week to make amends and it showed in their more confident passes and much improved team play. Bar found themselves eager to attack and had a number of chances to strike on goal but the Welwyn Garden City keeper had a fantastic game and saved the strong hits that were coming her way. Bar needed to rethink ways to get around the keeper as the strong hits were easily being saved.

A run up the right wing by Pointing, beating her defender, provided a cross into the circle that Sarah Jowett connected with and produced a perfect top corner sweep to beat the Welwyn keeper and to double Bar’s lead.

Going into half time Bar had one more chance to attack with Lucy Edwards on the left wing and Sarah Jowett linking perfectly to fool the Welwyn back line. The initial strike on goal was by Edwards however Jowett was on hand to complete her hatrick and to give Bar a 3-0 lead going into half time.

At the beginning of the second half, Bar seemed to have lost their concentration and allowed Welwyn to get right back into the game. The Welwyn centre forward was causing trouble for Bar’s defence and produced some great shots on goal that Mo Gough was just able to push away from danger. However, Welwyn’s determination paid off and they were able to out-do Bar’s defence and pull off a shot on goal that was just out of reach for Gough to save.

Potters Bar had experienced being in the lead and losing games far too often this season and needed to focus their concentration in defence to keep Welwyn at bay. The majority of the second half saw equal possession from both teams and both having scoring chances.

Bar’s final goal came from a run through midfield from Stanners who was fouled just outside Bar’s attacking circle, the umpire blew for a short corner, which Stanners injected to Walker who passed the ball back to Stanners whose first shot on goal was saved but was on hand to follow up her initial shot and placed the ball just out of reach of the Welwyn keeper to give Bar a 4-1 victory.

Potters Bar are back at home next week to face Havering at Dame Alice Owens School at 12pm.

Team: Mo Gough, Claire Moore, Ruth Spencer, Karen Lawson, Faye Jowett, Viki Ayres, Caroline Stanners, Anna Walker, Sarah Jowett, Laura Pointing, Lucy Edwards, Caroline Partridge

Goalscorers: Sarah Jowett x 3 and Caroline Stanners