Three out of Three for the Ladies

United made it three wins on the bounce in the proverbial game of two halves by doing what their high flying visitors were unable to do and that was to keep a clean sheet when playing into the strong wind.

The opening half hour belonged to the visitors as United struggle to get out of their half and were reliant on stand in keeper Nicole Haines keeping, last ditch tackles by Ellen Surtees and Clara Stringer and the base of the upright from a Charlie Pitkin shot to keep the match goalless.

The best United could muster was Tiff Newland and Beks Lowes shooting wide in quick succession and May Hamblin seeing her shot saved by Erin Leonard on thirty one minutes. There was still a scare for the hosts in the fortieth minute when a New Milton shot crashed of the cross bar and back into play.

The second half was a complete change for United who dominated the half and it was not until the final five minutes when chasing the game that New Milton caused the home defence problems. As earlier as two minutes after the restart Ellie Vaughan was denied by Leonard with Rosie Page-Smith’s follow up cleared of the line for a corner kick.

The positive running of Newland and Lowes was a constant thorn in the visitors defence added to dangerous corners by Lowes and it was from one corner than Newland opened the scoring from short range after sixty seven minutes for her first United goal.

Woodley maintained the pressure and were rewarded with a second goal five minute later when Page-Smith fired home a clearance from another dangerous Lowes corner and was denied by a fine Newland save ten minutes from time.

Realising time was against them New Milton started to apply pressure that required Eva Thomas to head clear a cross, see the follow up go wide of the home goal and Nicole Haines being required to deal two close range efforts.

Next up is another inform team, Alton who visit Bulmershe Pavilion on 5 March 2017