Ladies in seventh heaven

On a warm sunny afternoon United got off to the perfect start when keeper Nicole Haines kick was headed on by Tiff Newland for May Hamblin to run onto and score of the inside off of the upright after only three minutes. For Hamblin this was the fourth successive game the winger has scored in.

Playing good football and using the flanks well United dominated the opening twenty minutes without being able to add to their score. Gradually Wargrave began to get back into the game and it needed Haines to stand strong and concede a corner when Jodie Penny faced her one on one.

The equaliser came in the twenty sixth minute when Sian Blissett's speculative cross following a short corner lobbed Haines to fall into the net.

United responded well but the closest they came to regaining the league came on the counter attack from another Wargrave corner with five minutes of the half remaining. Jasmine Clarke found Becs Lowes whose shot was blocked by home keeper Amy Cox who also blocked Rosie Page-Smith’s follow up effort. Lowes also saw Cox make a double save from her just before half time.

The second half saw United start strongly with Lowes firing over after two minutes which was followed by Cox making a double save from Tiff Newland following another Page-Smith shot being blocked while Clarke was dangerous down the left wing.

Haines was called on to parry ex-United player Alice Cartwright’s effort before Lowes scored what was to be the winning goal after fifty nine minutes, with a lob from the right hand side of Wargrave’s penalty area while under pressure from a defender.

The final thirty minutes became a scrappy affair with United struggling to retain possession and being subjected to Wargrave pressure with forward Wendy Hopper proving dangerous while Haines was called to punch a Hunt shot away. However, with centre backs Gemma Bloor and Ellen Surtees enjoying good games the visitors defence remained strong and the win was secured.