Sutton’s women recorded a comfortable victory against bottom of the table Ebbsfleet at a murky Rochester Utilities Stadium, moving back in to the top five of the London & South East Regional League above Dorking Wanderers following their 5-4 defeat at Barking.
U’s went in front in the 14th minute when Brianna Gilbert-Lawal broke down the right and crossed low for Emma Spear to lift a shot over the goalkeeper (below left), and after Nadia Sabania had sent a header just over from a corner U’s doubled the lead when Sabania returned a free kick from the goalkeeper in to the path of Millie Cutler, whose shot from distance found the empty net (below right)
Before half time Spear was denied by a fine save, but Sutton came out strongly at the start of the second half and Amy Warren collected a crossfield ball from Spear and created space on the edge of the penalty area to send a low left foot shot past the keeper (below left). Five minutes later Beth Humphrey attacked on the left and sent a cross in to the penalty area where Gilbert-Lawal nipped in between the goalkeeper and a defender to take the ball round the keeper and roll in to an empty net (below right).
Sutton continued to dominate, with Louise Dunne coming closest with a shot that was saved by the goalkeeper’s legs and Maddy Heavingham-Ford denied by a combination of goalkeeper and defender, and inside the last five minutes substitute K’Shaela Burch-Waldron celebrated her return with two quickfire goals, both from close range, the first (below left) as Cassie Chase collected a Humphrey free kick and played the ball in to her path, and the second (below right) after Hannah Baptiste had dispossessed a home defender on the edge of the penalty area. Spear almost scored with the last kick of the game but again the home goalkeeper, who had been struggling with injury throughout the second half, made another good save.
Sutton: M Taylor, E Oliver, E Meehan, M Heavingham-Ford, B Humphrey, A Warren, E Spear, N Sabania, M Cutler, B Gilbert-Lawal, E Clark. Subs all used H Baptiste, K Burch-Waldron, P Langley, C Chase, L Dunne.
Congratulations to Hannah Baptiste and Gabby Williams who both represented their countries last week in Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, Hannah coming on as a substitute for Guyana in their 4-0 win over Antigua and Gabby also off the bench in Trinidad & Tobago’s 2-2 draw against Honduras.
The development side drew 1-1 at Croydon this afternoon, with Abbie Measures the scorer and U’s now four points behind leaders Dorking Wanderers with a game in hand.
Photo Credit: Leora Jesner (main) Simon Spear (goals)
