Sunday 19 March 2006

Woodford 1 - Barwell 2

Barwell ended the season in fine style away at Woodford.  On a pitch which held little grass the away team were up for this game from the first blow of the whistle.  Hayley Wright and Tess London had a couple of early shots to put the home team on their back foot for the first part of the game.  Great running down the right wing by Emily Mann aided in setting up the first goal with a super strike by Laura Perridge into the top corner of the goal. 

Barwell again maintained possession with Jayne Hough and Sue Grewcock working well together in holding play in the midfield with solid challenges and by setting up passes to the front two.  The defence could afford to push up and Mel King made some mazy runs from defence to add pressure to the home team. 

Catherine Hewitt and Claire Cannaby held their ground with solid centre back performances which held off any potential shots from Woodford.  A great one-two by the away team saw Woodford again in defensive mode but this time the skills of Tess London firing a powerful shot past the keeper paid off for Barwell who went two ahead at half time. 

 Right from the second half whistle Barwell put pressure on Woodford and Lottie Higgins made some great saving challenges in the right back position.  Woodford got a lucky break when a challenge for the ball on the edge of the box was deemed a foul and they had a penalty awarded.  Amy Derbyshire dived the right way but was unable to make contact with the ball and Woodford got one goal back. 

After a substitution and a freak accident to Mel King, which led to her being taken to hospital, Barwell had to re-arrange their play to bring on Claire Cook and Yvonne Moran.  Woodford threw everything at Barwell for the last 10 minutes with shots reigning in but the away team were valiant and managed to contain the pressure until the final whistle. 

This hard fought match was Barwell's last game of the 2005/06 season but with the team playing and succeeding as it has in the last two games then it looks optimistic for next season at their new ground.

Team: A Derbyshire, M King, C Hewitt, C Cannaby, L Perridge, J Hough, S Grewcock, E Mann, H Wright, T London, L Higgins, Y Moran, C Cook
 

Sunday 12th march 2006

Barwell Ladies 3 - Woodford 1

Barwell Ladies FC completed their last game at Kirkby Road ground in winning style against Woodford.  A frantic start by both teams saw end to end play and an early strike by midfielder Jayne Hough was palmed away by the Woodford keeper. 

The away team hit a long shot which set up the first goal of the match.  Barwell came straight back with some creative play and some great teamwork.  Solid defending by Mel King and Claire Cannaby enabled the home team to set up a number of attack.  A through ball from Becky Leatherbarrow saw Hayley Wright go on a mazy run and shoot inside the box the the ball was deflected and Tess London used her pace to latch onto the ball and calmly slot away the equaliser. 

Emily Mann worked tirelessly on the right wing to get crosses in but Barwell were unlucky not to be ahead at half time.  Straight from the off Barwell upped their game with some good possession play and great passing moves and the combination of solid tackles and determination by Sue Grewcock and Jayne Hough in midfield let to Barwells second goal with a brave header between post, goalkeeper and defender by Laura Perridge.  Amy Derbyshire commanded the Barwell goal and made some tremendous saves to keep Barwell ahead. 

The home team were now in commanding style and a well worked corner saw Catherine Hewitt power a shot from outside the penalty area over the keeper for Barwell third.  Substitutes Lottie Higgins and Yvonne Moran maintained the push by Barwell right to the final whistle.  This was the return of the old style by Barwell and they came away with a well deserved 3 - 1 win. 

 Next season Barwell Ladies FC will be re-locating and aiming to build on their 11 years of success in League 1. 

Next Week away at Woodford.  2.00pm kick off

Team: A Derbyshire, M King, C Hewitt, B Leatherbarrow, C Cannaby, L Perridge, J Hough, S Grewcock, E Mann, H Wright, T London, L Higgins, Y Moran

Sunday 20th November 2005

County Cup: Barwell 2 - Oadby 3

In a hard fought game Barwell were unlucky to bow out of the county cup with a 3 - 2 defeat by local rivals Oadby.

Barwell began the game well and applied the pressure from the start, Some great work in midfield from Lotty Higgins and Sue Grewcock made sure the Barwell forwards were constantly fed balls. Playing on the right wing Emily Mann made some great runs on and off the ball.  Clare Cannaby then fed the ball to Lotty Higgins who controlled the ball well and placed a great shot into the Oadby goal only for the ref to disallow the goal for handball. With both teams creating chances it looked to be to be going into the break a draw. But just before half time an Oadby break saw the ball cleared by the Barwell defence only to be picked up on the edge of the box by an Oadby player who then fired the ball into the back of the Barwell net leaving keeper Amy Darbyshire no chance.

Coming into the second half Barwell were determined to get the next goal Hayley Wright put some great crosses in from the left only to see the ball skim across the face of goal. With Barwell frustrated Oadby were again able to attack Barwell on the break and a lob over the keeper gave Oadby there second and not long after there third. Barwell we determined to get the next goal and some great defending and attacking by the back four saw Becky Leatherbarrow feed a well timed ball to Vicky keen to cross into the box and Tess London put the ball in the in back of the net from a left footed volley. This gave Barwell the incentive they needed and for the last 20 minutes Barwell played some of the best football they have played all season, With everyone giving all they had to get the next goal. Barwells hard work was awarded when Vicky Keen was dribbling through on goal when she was tackled by an Oadby player only for the ball to fall to Tess London who calmly chipped the Oadby keeper for Barwells second.

Barwell still applied pressure and a ball over the top saw Tess almost clear on goal after a great solo effort she was disappointed to see her shot go just wide of the Oadby goal. With only five minutes to go Barwell gave it there all with some fantastic link up between the back four and the midfield. But it wasn't to be Barwells day and with the final whistle the game finished  3 - 2 to Oadby. The game was a credit to both teams and provided some very entertaining football.

Team: A.Darbyshire, M.king, C.Hewitt, R.Leatherbarrow, C.Cannaby, H.Wright, S,Grewcock, E.Mann, C.Higgins, T.London, V.Keen Subs: J.Hough, L.Peridge, Y.Moran, R. Vanderbelt

END OF SEASON 2004-2005

Tuesday 26th April 2005

Barwell 5 - 5 Oadby

 Barwell ended the season with a well deserved draw against league rivals Oadby.  Due to injuries and unavailability Barwell were missing some key players and went out very determined to overcome their previous defeats against Oadby.

 Barwell started slow with Oadby taking the lead within 10 minutes but they soon bounced back with a great goal from Captain Tess London who powered a left footed shot in the back of the net.  Again Oadby came back and scored despite great defending from Sue Grewcock and brave goalkeeping from Nicola Sparks who had an outstanding game in goal. Barwell kept the pressure on with attacks down the wings from Kim Wilcox and Fay Londgon which enabled Kelly Henson to tap in from close range to level the game again.  At the end of the first half it was 2-2 and Barwell were optimistic they could get a result from the game.

 Oadby came out fighting in the second half and scored 2 goals in quick
succession. Solid defending from Mel King, Lucy Allsop and Becky
Leatherbarrow made sure Oadby were not going to score again. A fantastic ball from Hayley Wright who worked tirelessly in midfield, set Vicky Keen on a run to power the ball past the Oadby keeper. A return to the side for Emily Mann after a head injury saw her make some great challenges in defence to play the ball up to Kelly Henson and score her 2nd of the night with a left foot lob over the keepers head.

At 4-4 Barwell kept pushing with more shots coming from Tess London and Hayley Wright who were both unlucky not to score.  An incident off the ball in a high tempered game saw Barwell down to 10 players after 70 minutes. Oadby took advantage of the extra player and were able to score despite the efforts of the Barwell defence. A long ball from the back set Vicky Keen on another run beating two defenders to rifle a shot in to the back of the net.  This was a great team performance from Barwell in a high tempered end to end game which showed they will definately be top contenders for the league title next year.

Team: N Sparks, M King, L Allsop, R Leatherbarrow, S Grewcocok, K Wilcox, H Wright,K Henson, F Longdon, T London, V Keen, E Mann
 

Sunday 17th April 2005

Barwell Ladies 0 - South Notts 2

Barwell put in a superb performance against top of the table South Notts.  Straight from the start Barwell took the game to South Notts and produced a great team performance with Kelly Henson and Jayne Hough working tirelessly in midfield to maintain possession.  Barwell came close within the first few minutes of the game when a clearance by Claire Cannaby down to Laura Perridge who flicked the ball on for Hayley Wright to shoot just wide of the goal.  Kim Wilcox linked well with Tess London to create another chance for the home team but they could not get the lead that they deserved.  South Notts played the long ball down the field to create a shot on goal but Nicky Sparks managed her goal with some great goalkeeping. 

 The game was end to end and played at a fast pace which built up the excitement of the game and Nicky Sparks made some tremendous saved throughout the game .  It was difficult to see the difference between the teams when they went in at half time and Barwell had made South Notts concerned to get the goal they needed.  Straight from the whistle in the second half Mel King put in a number of solid tackles which proved that Barwell were just as determined during the second half. 

 Tess London created havoc for the South Notts defenders with her dribbling skills and a determined shot on goal which the goalkeeper had to stretch for to save.  A superbly worked corner by Kelly Henson, Jayne Hough and Catherine Hewitt resulted in a shot just over the crossbar.  South Notts then sent a long clearance down the field and a long range thundering shot into the top corner of the goal left the Barwell keeper with no chance and South Notts got the all important first goal.  Barwell did not give up and in true team spirit set about using their passing skills to set up the next attack.  Becky Leatherbarrow made a timely tackle to Tess London who had a shot saved by the South Notts keeper.   A slight team change resulted in a South Notts move down the centre of the field and a one-on-one with the keeper where South Notts got their second of the match. 

 Barwell maintained their passing moves and continued to challenge for play right up until the final whistle.  The game made South Notts champions of the league but the skill, determination and teamwork of the Barwell team ensured that they had to battle in one of their toughest games of the season to get the points.

Barwell have one game to play away at Oadby and should finish 4th in the league.


Team: N Sparks, M King, C Hewitt, R Leatherbarrow, C Cannaby, K Wilcox, J Hough, K Henson, H Wright, T London, L Perridge

 

Sunday 10th April

Barwell 4 – Corby Town 1

Barwell were keen to keep up their unbeaten record against Corby Town
intact. They showed great team spirit and with Emily Mann still out due
to last weeks accident, they were determined to dominate and win the tie.Still disappointed by last week’s unlucky defeat, Barwell started the
game at a slow pace. An early shot was easily palmed away by goalkeeper Nicky Sparks. It was this escape from Corby taking the lead that saw Barwellup their game. Tess London opened the scoring after twenty minutes with a calmly placed pinpoint lob, this gave Barwell the boost they needed towake them up and step up the pace even more. For the next twenty minutes, Barwell maintained most of the possession and some excellent passingand movement on the right wing by Hayley Wright saw Barwell unlucky not to increase their lead, with several shots coming from Henson, Wilcox and Perridge. With only a few minutes to go in the first half, Corby took advantage after a series of challenges saw the long ball over the toptake the Barwell defence by surprise, and a simple shot allowed the awayteam to equalise, Barwell left the pitch at half time with a one all draw, not a reflection of their domination.

With the second half under way, it wasn’t long before Barwell struck
again,just five minutes into the half, a clearance from Rebecca Leatherbarrowsaw a calmly placed ball from Claire Cannaby fall to the feet of KellyHenson who set off on a mazy run, taking on an passing three defenders, she smoothly and with great ease slotted the ball past the keeper. Fiveminutes later and Barwell came close with a fantastic cross put into the box byKim Wilcox, which was unlucky to be knocked wide for a corner. Still on top of the game Barwell took a third goal when London gained possession and took on two defenders and chipped the goalkeeper. The next twenty minutes saw Corby up their pace and Barwell found themselves in a deadlock with play going end to end. Some outstanding defending by the back four, kept off any pressure that was put on the home side and Sparks in goal dealt with any
shots safely. Hayley Wright worked the right wing well and put across a
number of balls for Laura Perridge who was unlucky not to make thescore
sheet. A clearance from Mel King saw a knock on to Catherine Hewitt who
pressured and moved through the midfield but was unluckily denied by
the strong presence of the Corby team. With five minutes of normal time
remaining, a well timed cross from London saw Wilcox head the ball into
the back of the net giving Barwell a four one lead. However, determined to fight to the end, Barwell gained a last minute corner. A well worked
set piece by Hough, Henson and Hewitt saw Hewitt’s brave attempt be palmedoff by the Corby goalkeeper, Perridge was on hand to try for a second timeonly to be denied by the cross bar.


Team: N Sparks, M King, C Hewitt, R Leatherbarrow, C Cannaby, K Wilcox,

H Wright, J Hough, K Henson, T London, L Perridge, F Longdon, S Grewcock.

Barwell are away next week, Sunday 17th April against South Notts.


 

Sunday 3rd April

South Notts 4 - Barwell 2

 Barwell had a very entertaining day away to South Notts.  The clash between the 3rd and 4th in the League was always going to be tight and Barwell showed that they were not a push over in this first meeting of the teams this season.  During the first 30 minutes of the game the teams were deadlocked.  Barwell had much of the play and a chance by Tess London did not have the power on it to give the away team the lead.  Laura Perridge playing up front used some great ball control to hold the ball for Kim Wilcox to cross in from the left wing on a number of occasions but the South Notts team managed to clear the ball each time.

  Jayne Hough did not stop running throughout the first half and she and Hayley Wright maintained dominance in the midfield.  South Notts got their chance just after the half hour mark when the Barwell defence were caught out of position and a long ball over the top gave the Barwell goalkeeper no chance with a one-on-one with the centre forward.  Catherine Hewitt aided the midfield with a mazy run down the centre of the field and played the ball out wide to Emily Mann who used her speed to get past her marker.  Mann used some great skills to get the ball into the penalty area and Laura Perridge was just unable to get to the ball before the keeper. 

 Barwell again came back and lifted their game trying to push for an equaliser and the game was end to end.   A long ball down the right wing made Nicky Sparks come out of goal to clear the ball but the ball rebounded to a South Notts player who hit the ball first time and their second goal of the game.  Claire Cannaby made some superb clearances at the left back position to play the ball down the wing for Kim Wilcox to dribble past her player but Barwell could not get the vital shot on goal.  South Notts got their third goal with a powerful shot from the edge of the box which flew into the top right of the goal before the half time whistle blew. 

 Showing true Barwell style the away team came out and took the game to South Notts.  With Kelly Henson now in midfield and Hayley Wright up front the pace of the game quickened.  A clearance from the Barwell defence by Mel King sent the ball to Jayne Hough in midfield who linked with Kelly Henson to play the ball out to Tess London on the edge of the penalty area.  A thundering strike by London into the top of the net gave Barwell the deserved goal that they needed.  Nicky Sparks in goal made some tremendous saves and confidently patrolled the Barwell penalty area.  Rebecca Leatherbarrow sent a ball through to Hayley Wright to use her pace and skills to dribble past the South Notts defence and hit the ball into the goal for Barwells second. 

 South Notts realised that Barwell could equalise and an incident by a South Notts midfielder resulted in her being instantly red carded for an unprovoked attack on a Barwell defender.  This did not deter the Barwell team and they were dominating the final quarter of the game.  But misfortune came to the Barwell team with 5 minutes to go when Emily Mann went up for a header and clashed heads with the South Notts defender.  Immediate treatment was called for and an ambulance was needed for a serious head wound.   Shaken and concerned for their team-mate the away team let in South Notts for their forth goal even though Nicky Sparks managed to get a hand to the ball with a superb dive in goal. 

 At the final whistle all thoughts were for the young player Emily Mann who required hospital treatment and stitches but was not required to stay in hospital. 

 Manager Mel King was pleased with the whole team performance and knew that this was going to be a tight game, but all of the team gave everything they had.

Team: N Sparks, M King, C Hewitt, R Leatherbarrow, C Cannaby, K Wilcox, H Wright, J Hough, E Mann, T London, L Perridge, K Henson, F Longdon

Barwell are at home next Sunday 10th April against Corby.
 

Sunday 20th March 2004

Rushcliffe 2 - Barwell Ladies FC 2

Barwell dominated the first half of this game with some great team play.  The midfield combination of Jayne Hough and Hayley Wright closed down any attacks from Rushcliffe and they created a number of opportunities for the forward Vicky Keen and Laura Perridge.  Although Rushcliffe had a couple of attacks the commanding goalkeeping by Becky Leatherbarrow prevented any goals. 

 A ball played from Catherine Hewitt in defence to Vicky Keen who tapped it on to Laura Perridge who flicked the ball for Kim Wilcox to calmly flight the ball over the keeper into the top corner of the net for Barwells first goal.  Rushcliffe came back immediately and it led to a one-on-one with the keeper and Becky Leatherbarrow stood her ground to save the resulting shot.  Pressure came again from Rushcliffe down the left wing but Claire Cannaby used great timing to tackle the winger and play the ball to Lucy Allsopp who made a pin point pass to  Laura Perridge to cross into the box and Vicky Keen shoot just wide of the goal. 

During the second half Barwell again took control of the game and a one-two between Vicky Keen and Emily Mann resulted in a late tackle being played on Emily Mann and a penalty awarded.  Laura Perridge stepped up and placed the ball into the bottom corner for Barwells second goal.  Rushcliffe made an attack and a free kick was awarded on the edge of the box but Mel King made a flying header off of the goal line to keep Barwell in the game.  A powerful long range shot from Rushcliffe went over the Barwell defence and left no chance for the Barwell keeper. Barwell again made a number of attacking moves and with Fay Longdon on the wing she crossed the ball into the penalty area but Barwell could not capitalise. 

The game was now end to end and a corner was awarded to Rushcliffe but Barwell could not clear it and a scrappy goalmouth scramble led to Rushcliffe equalising in the 65th minute of the game.  Barwell were unlucky not to take the game but were pleased with the tremendous team effort by all players.  They are currently in 4th position in the league with 4 games to go.

Next week Barwell are at home against Corby.  2.00pm kick off

Team: R Leatherbarrow, M King, C Hewitt, L Allsopp, C Cannaby, E Mann, K Wilcox, J Hough, H Wright, V Keen, L Perridge, F Longdon
 

Sunday 23 Jan 2005

Birstall 3 - Barwell Ladies 2

Barwell had another great team performance against top of the league Birstall.  During the first ten minutes Barwell were defending their area and could not create any attacking moves.  Superb goalkeeping by Nicky Sparks kept the away team in the game.  A clearance by Claire Cannaby to Emily Mann on the right wing and a one-two with Jayne Hough in midfield got the Barwell attack underway. 

 Tess London used great control to take the ball around the defence and hit the ball confidently into the back of the net.  Birstall were not expecting to be a goal down and came back with an attack which resulted in a challenge just inside the penalty area and a penalty awarded.  Nicky Sparks held her concentration and Birstall hit the inside of the goal which rebounded out and the quick reactions of Mel King cleared the ball to safety. 

 It was now end to end stuff with Birstall being very physical in their challenges.  A long ball over the defence led to a hard hitting shot and the home team manage to get an equalizer.  Again Barwell created an attack and Hayley Wright playing on the left wing used her pace to beat her defence and have a shot at goal only for it to be cleared by Birstall.  A defensive clearance by Becky Leatherbarrow to Mann caused major problems for Birstall and Laura Perridge was in the right place to receive the ball and calmly slot the ball into the back of the net for Barwell to lead again.  During the last few minutes of the first half a goal kick was reacted to by the Birstall player and they managed to equalize before the half time whistle went. 

The second half brought out Birstall with more physical tackles and Barwell remained calm despite the challenges.  Sue Grewcock in midfield made some solid tackles and set up Catherine Hewitt who went on a mazy run through the centre of the field from defence and was harshly brought down.  King stepped up to take the free kick and a goal mouth scramble was cleared by Birstall.  Lucy Allsopp came on for Leatherbarrow and used some great timing to tackle the Birstall forwards.  A long ball over the top of the Barwell defence where a close offside decision went the home teams way led to Birstall gaining the lead for the first time in the game. 

With true team spirit Barwell remained positive and during the last 10 minutes of the game they pushed forward but to no avail.  Once again a great team effort and Barwell were satisfied to show that they could more than match the top of the table team and be equal in terms of play, if not in the final result.

Team: N Sparks, M King, C Hewitt, R Leatherbarrow, L Allsopp, C Cannaby, E Mann, J Hough, S Grewcock, H Wright, T London, L Perridge

Next week Barwell are home against Corby.  Kick off 2.00pm

 

Sunday 16th Jan 2005

County Cup

Loughborough Dynamo 3 - Barwell Ladies 2

Barwell had an outstanding team performance against Loughborough Dynamo in the quarter finals of the County Cup.  Despite Loughborough being a league above Barwell on the pitch the teams were pretty equal.  From the start Barwell led the attack and Emily Mann was brought down just outside the opposition penalty area, but Barwell could not capitalize. 

An attack by the home team brought a low driven shot at the Barwell goal and Nicky Sparks was unlucky not to prevent the goal.  Hayley Wright and Tess London had great games and linked up well to cause problems for the Loughborough defence.  Clare Cannaby and Lucy Allsopp maintained the play at the back with some solid clearances to prevent Loughborough crossing the ball into the Barwell danger area.  Nearing the first half where the game had been fast flowing and end to end play some tricky footwork and a long range shot into the top corner of the net made Barwell 2 - 0 down, but the score did not reflect the great team effort by the underdog team. 

Barwell came straight back into the attack for the second half.  Sue Grewcock and Jayne Hough maintained dominance in the midfield with some solid challenges and support play for the attack.  Catherine Hewitt used some great dribbling skills in defence to take the ball to safety and play the ball out for  Mann on the right wing to take round 2 players before hitting the ball past the keeper.  Sparks in goal made some tremendous saves to keep Barwell in the game. Wright and London continued to cause problems for Loughborough and a header by London in the penalty area was unlucky not to equalize.  Loughborough had an attack and a hard hitting shot game them their third goal.  Barwell came straight back and substitute Laura Perridge had a couple of shots on goal. 

The last quarter of the game Barwell were dominant and were rewarded when Mel King played a pin point pass to Kim Wilcox who controlled the ball before calmly slotting it into the back of the net.  Unfortunately time was against Barwell and they could not equalize before the final whistle blew.  Manager Mel King was full of praise for the Barwell team in terms of individual commitment and a solid team performance.

Next Week Barwell are away to Birstall


Team: N Sparks, M King, C Hewitt, L Allsopp, C Cannaby, K Wilcox, J Hough, S Grewcock, E Mann, H Wright, T London, L Perridge
 

Sunday 9th January 2005

Wyberton Ladies FC 0 - Barwell Ladies FC 0

Barwell began the new year in fine form.  With very blustery conditions and having not played for 4 weeks the fitness of the Barwell Team was tested.  It was an evenly matched first half with Nicky Sparks making an outstanding save in the first ten minutes of the game when a high ball was collected to maintain a clean sheet. 

The front duo of Hayley Wright and Tess London used their pace to beat the Wyberton defence but a superb game by the Wyberton goalkeeper prevented Barwell taking the lead.  Emily Mann used her pace on the right wing to create chances and these were backed up by right back Mel King to launch the ball into the penalty area but Barwell could not capitalize.  Jayne Hough and Sue Grewcock made some solid tackles to win possession in midfield and through for the forwards.  When the whistle went for half time the goalless game did not reflect the creativity and passing moves of both teams. 

During the second half Catherine Hewitt and Becky Leatherbarrow pushed forward to join the attack and try to get a goal for Barwell but Wyberton used the advantage of the squally conditions and were able to clear the ball out of danger each time.  Wyberton had their best chances during the second half and Claire Cannaby and Kim Wilcox worked tirelessly on the left to defend and try to create chances for Barwell. 

At the end of the game Barwell were pleased to come away with a point from the game.  They had worked well as a team to create chances and to support each other.


Team: N Sparks, M King, C Hewitt, R Leatherbarrow, C Cannaby, K Wilcox, J Hough, S Grewcock, E Mann, T London, H Wright

Next match is the County Cup away at Loughborough Dynamo. Sunday 16th January 2005 1.30 kick off

 

Sunday 19th December 2004

Barwell Ladies FC 5 - Asfordby Amateurs 1

 Barwell ended the year in great form with a solid team performance against Asfordby Amateurs.  From the first attacking move Emily Mann used her dribbling skills to take the ball into the penalty area and was brought down with a clumsy challenge which left the referee in no doubt about awarding a penalty.  Mann stepped up to take the penalty and placed the ball just wide of the goal to give Asfordby a fighting chance.  It seemed as if it was going to be one of those days with shots just over the bar and saves by the Asfordby keeper but Barwell maintained the majority of possession. 

 In the 20th minute of the game the home team got their reward with a run by Jayne Hough through the middle and a ball played to Vicky Keen who used her silky skills to take the ball through the Asfordby defence and calmly place the ball past the goalkeeper.  Asfordby came back with some long balls but Claire Cannaby had an  outstanding game in defence and managed to work well with Nicky Sparks in goal to prevent any goals.  A defensive clearance by Becky Leatherbarrow sent to ball out to Mann on the right wing who crossed the ball for Hayley Wright to hit home Barwells second of the game. 

 Solid tackling in midfield by Sue Grewcock and Jayne Hough ensured that Barwell were able to run the majority of the game and at half time Barwell felt confident in the passing and creativity of their moves.  With Vicky Keen in goal during the second half it gave Lucy Allsopp an opportunity to make an instant impact on the left wing and she combined well with Kim Wilcox playing up front. 

 Barwell maintained their control of the game during the second half and when a free kick was awarded to Barwell Mel King stepped up to float a ball into the penalty area where Kim Wilcox was unlucky not to score. Grewcock chased down the ensuing goal kick and chased the ball to put the Asfordby defence in difficulty, she won the ball and played it through to Wright to use her skill to hit the ball into the top of the net for Barwells third. 

 Asfordby came back and managed to get into the Barwell penalty area where the referee adjudged handball and a penalty was awarded. Keen in goal made a tremendous effort but could not prevent the away team their goal.  Catherine Hewitt went on a mazy run through the centre of the pitch only to be taken out with a late challenge by her opponent, the referee gave Barwell the advantage when Hayley Wright shot from the edge of the box to give Barwell their 4th. 

 The 5th goal came when Jayne Hough linked up with Becky Leatherbarrow and a ball through to Kim Wilcox who used her dribbling skills to get through the Asfordby defence and shoot at goal.  A rebound from defence gave the ball to Wright who powered the ball into the back of the net. 

 Asfordby again came back and created some of their best chances but Mel King and Claire Cannaby defended solidly.  This was a great team effort with every player giving 110% to challenge for the ball and create chances.  Barwell are confident that this team effort will continue into the New Year.


Team: N Sparks, M King, C Hewitt, R Leatherbarrow, C Cannaby, E Mann, S Grewcock, J Hough, K Wilcox, L Allsopp, V Keen, H Wright.

 Barwells next match is at home on Sunday 2nd December against South Notts.  2.00pm kick off
 

Sunday 12 December 2004

League Cup

Barwell Ladies 1 - Oadby Town 6

This was Barwells first game in three weeks and they tried out a new formation for this cup game.  With the introduction of some new players the team took a while to gel. 

 Oadby got the first advantage when their centre forward was one on one with Becky Leatherbarrow in goal and was brought down in the penalty area.  The well struck penalty within the first 10 minutes of the game gave Barwell a battle to come back in the game.  Emily Mann and Kim Wilcox who were playing out wide supported Tess London who was playing as a lone centre forward.  Although some shots were on goal Oadby packed their defence and the Barwell attack was stopped each time. 

With Barwell playing Hayley Wright in a sweeper role there was little the defence could do to prevent a long range shot from the edge of the box going over the Barwell keeper and therefore giving Oadby their second goal.  Barwell had their best spell of the first half after this goal and put together some good passing moves.  Catherine Hewitt combined well with Jayne Hough to play the ball through the centre of the pitch and a shot just going outside of the Oadby goal. 

 Again Barwell gained possession when the Oadby goal kick was brought down by Sue Grewcock in midfield and she played the ball into the penalty area but the shot by Wilcox was saved by the goalkeeper.  A long ball by Oadby out wide caused problems for Barwell and a goalmouth scramble gave Oadby their 3rd goal before the half time whistle.  This did not deter Barwell during the second half and they altered their game plan by moving  Wright to play alongside  London up front.  This immediately caused Oadby problems. 

 The pace of the two centre forwards ensured shots at goal and Barwell were unlucky with shots just past either side of the goal.  Mel King placed a free kick inside the penalty area and the ball rebounded from player to player before Oadby could clear their line.  With Barwell pushing forward a quick attack from Oadby where a long ball was hoofed down the pitch leaving Claire Cannarby one on one with the Oadby attacker.   Cannarby did not give up and chased the ball right into the goalmouth unable to prevent another goal for Oadby. 

 Barwell still kept playing and were eventually rewarded when Emily Mann played a ball in from the right wing to Wright who laid the ball off for London to slot the ball into the corner of the net.  Laura Perridge came on as another attacker and Barwell went on the attack again.  They could not capitalize on their attacking chances and even a long range shot from Catriona Shearer could not lessen the deficit. 

 The last goals for Oadby came as the match drew to a close.  This was never going to be an easy match as previous encounters between these teams has always been extremely competitive.  Even though the score was not as Barwell would have wanted Mel King was pleased with the sportsmanship and commitment of her team. 

Team: R Leatherbarrow, M King, C Hewitt, C Shearer, C Cannarby, E Mann, S Grewcock, J Hough, K Wilcox, T London, H Wright, L Perridge.

Next week Barwell are at home in a re-arranged fixture against Asfordby Amateurs.  Kick Off 11.00am
 

Sunday 21 November

Harborough Town 0 - Barwell Ladies FC 12

The Dirty Dozen

Barwell moved comfortably through to the next round of the County Cup with an emphatic win over Harborough Town.  The match was played on a quagmire of a pitch and although conditions were not perfect the Barwell team strived to create moves.   It was a good natured game and to both teams credit they continued to play football up until the final whistle. 

 Kelly Henson scored the first goal with a left foot volley in the first 10 minutes after a move down the right wing by Emily Mann.  Jayne Hough set up the next goal with a pass through the middle of the Harborough defence and Laura Perridge placed the ball in the corner away from the goalkeeper.  A clearance by Catriona Shearer in defence led Emily Mann to run on and take the ball around the keeper for Barwells third in 20 minutes.  Kim Wilcox played in a number of crosses from the left wing and this was finally rewarded with a second goal for Laura Perridge.  Sue Grewcock won challenges in midfield and played the ball out wide for Emily Mann to dribble into the penalty area and shoot for the 5th of the first half. 

 Becky Leatherbarrow had little to do in the Barwell goal but she made a couple of important clearances to maintain a clean sheet.  During the second half substitute Tess London made an instant impact with a goal after a clearance from Mel King in defence gave  London the chance to use her pace to take the ball past the Harborough defence and shoot.  Kelly Henson then used some superb skill to control the ball and dribble the ball through a number of players before shooting. 

Claire Cannaby went on a run from defence through to the penalty area where the goalkeeper managed to tap away the ball for Emily Mann to run on and score her hat Rick of the game.  Sue Grewcock and Jayne Hough moved further into the attack and each had shots at goal which either hit the post or went just over the cross bar.  But midfield maintained their shape and this also gave Catherine Hewitt the opportunity to move forward and play the ball out to the left wing for substitute Hayley Wright to shoot across goal and into the back of the net for Barwell to get to double figures. 

Neither team stopped playing and this made the game competitive and played in a good atmosphere.  A cross from  King sent  Wright on a run down the left wing for her to score her second of the game.  The final goal for Barwell came from  Mann who dribbled past the last defender to score her fourth of the game.  It was important for Barwell to get some confidence back after last weeks set back and the nature of the game made it enjoyable to play football and utilize the skills that Barwell know they have.

Goal scorers: Kelly Henson 2, Emily Mann 4, Laura Perridge 2, Tess London 2, Hayley Wright 2.


Team: R Leatherbarrow, M King, C Hewitt, C Shearer, C Cannaby, K Wilcox, J Hough, S Grewcock, E Mann, K Henson, T London, L Perridge, H Wright

Next week Barwell are at home in the league against Asfordby.  2.00 kick off

Sunday 14 November 2004

Barwell Ladies FC  1 - Oadby Town 6

Barwell knew that this game was going to be physically challenging with previous experience of playing Oadby Town.  Unfortunately the match was marred by the sending off of an Oadby player in the last 20 minutes of the game for instigating a fight and then ten minutes later another Oadby player was given the yellow card for throwing a totally unprovoked punch. 

On the playing side the first half saw Barwell get off to a slow start and they were intimidated by the tough opposition.  With a very changed side which included two new players to the team and new players at centre forward it took the first half for Barwell to settle and incorporate the new style of play.  A series of long balls resulted in a quick succession of goals for Oadby and they were 4 goals up in the first half which made it difficult for Barwell to come back but during the second half they showed a more determined and fluency to their play. 

Rebecca Leatherbarrow was outstanding in goal and made some courageous saves during the game.  Hayley Wright used her pace on the right wing to cross some great balls in for Louisa Williams, playing for the first time at centre forward, to be unlucky not to score.  Kim Wilcox and Clare Cannarby linked up well on the left of the pitch to prevent any further attacks from Oadby. 

An unlucky strike from outside of the box revived Barwells spirits and despite some tough tackling in midfield Jayne Hough and Sue Grewcock gained more possession than they had in the first half.  A foul by Oadby outside of their penalty area gave Mel King the chance to step up and float the ball into the area where Laura Perridge calmly slotted the ball past the Oadby keeper. 

 Barwell showed their team spirit and began to come back at Oadby. Catriona  Shearer and Catherine Hewitt moved up from defence to join the attack but could not break down the Oadby defence.  As their coach said at the end of the match Barwell had come to play a game of football, Oadby had come to win.  But the new look team shows signs of playing football and winning future matches.

Team: R Leatherbarrow, M King, C Hewitt, C Shearer, C Cannarby, K Wilcox, J Hough, S Grewcock, H Wright, L Williams, L Perridge, J Stocker

Next week Barwell area away in the County Cup to Harborough
 

Sunday 7th November 2004
 

Asfordby Amateurs 2 - Barwell Ladies 1


A good natured and even game spoilt with some sub-standard officialdom.  Both teams recognized the difficulty of playing with officials who effected the game.  Barwell had a few good attacking moves and Kelly Henson and Fay Longdon connecting well as centre forwards but unlucky not to score.  Jayne Hough made some great tackles in midfield to win possession for Barwell and the midfield controlled the centre of the field for balls to be played out wide for Emily Mann and Kim Wilcox on the wings to cross the ball into the attacking area of the Asfordby penalty area but Barwell could not finish. 

Asfordby opened the scoring with a nicely placed shot well out of the reach of the Barwell keeper.  Barwell kept their heads and the next half hour saw some quality passing football resulting in a well deserved goal in the 44th minute of the game. Sue Grewcock made a crunching tackle which resulted in the ball running towards the Asfordby penalty area where Kelly Henson used her pace to run through the defenders and place a shot over the goalkeeper who was well off of her line. 

The second half remained fast paced and Catherine Hewitt joined the attack with a superbly controlled run through the Asfordby midfield and played a ball out to Claire Cannaby who launched a cross into the penalty area where Longdon hit the cross bar.  Barwell stopped any attacks with Mel King and Troy Shearer making well timed tackles to halt the Asfordby attacking moves. 

Becky Leatherbarrow had a good game in goal and commanded the penalty area well.  The third goal came in the 65th minute of the game when Barwell were in the middle of making a substitution.  The referee allowed play to continue before the substitute had entered the field of play and Asfordby took advantage of the extra player.  Barwell were left open after the Asfordby centre forward beat the Barwell keeper in a 1 to 1 to put the ball in the the net. 

The last 25 minutes were played at a frenetic pace and Barwell pushed the majority of their team forward but could not gain the equalizer.  Barwell deserved at least one point from the game and were disappointed with how the game ended but they showed team spirit.

Next week Barwell are at home to Oadby Town.  2.00pm kick off


Team: R Leatherbarrow, M King, C Hewitt, T Shearer, C Cannaby, E Mann, S Grewcock, J Hough, K Wilcox, K Henson, F Longdon, L Allsopp, J Stocker
 

Sunday 17 October 2004

Barwell Ladies FC 3 - Leicester YMCA 1

Barwell Ladies maintained their winning form with this win over Leicester YMCA.  The possession and passing between the team showed a great display and Barwell were deserving of their win. Barwell had the majority of the play in the opening minutes of the game and the defence of Mel King and Becky Leatherbarrow combined well to deflect any potential attack by YMCA. 

Catherine Hewitt went on a run through the YMCA midfield and played a one-two with Kim Wilcox on the left wing where Hewitt had a shot at goal but the goalkeeper managed to save it.  Emily Mann had a great game on the right wing and she beat her player a number of times to cross the ball into the penalty area only for the Barwell team to miss a number of scoring opportunities.  Barwell maintained possession and their hard work finally paid off with a pass from Jayne Hough through to Vicky Keen who used her strength to hold off the defender to play a ball into the penalty area for Tess London to hit the back of the net.  This stirred up YMCA and a long ball over the Barwell defence led to a one-on-one with Catriona Shearer playing in goal and YMCA managed to pull back the equalizer. 

This did not deter Barwell and they moved up a gear.  Sue Grewcock in midfield won some hard challenges and combined with Jayne Hough to close down any midfield possession.  A clearance from Becky Leatherbarrow to Tess London saw an amazing piece of dribbling skill and London went through the YMCA defence to play a pin point pass to Vicky Keen who brought the ball under control and hit the top corner of the goal for Barwells second. 

 During the second half the fitness of the Barwell team began to show.  Troy Shearer was commanding in goal and Mel King and Catherine Hewitt pushed forward to join the Barwell attack for a corner which went just over the bar.  The final goal came from a great tackle by the skilful Kelly Henson who played a ball through for Tess London to run onto and calmly place in the back of the YMCA net.  Barwell stuck to their task and maintained possession to gain the three points in a well deserved victory.  With 3 wins out of 4 Barwell are sitting high in the table and Mel King is pleased with the way the team has played during the first few games of the season.

Team: C Shearer, M King, R Leatherbarrow, C Hewitt, K Henson, E Mann, S Grewcock, J Hough, K Wilcox, V Keen, T London, A Lively.

Next week Barwell are away to LISCA
 

Sunday 3 October 2004

Corby Ladies 0 - Barwell Ladies 2

Barwell returned to their winning form with a great team display of passing and creative moves throughout the game.  The team spirit in the camp showed with this display and the Barwell Ladies team remained calm and composed as they played some creative football.  

Fay Longdon made a number of superb runs on the right wing to send in a range of crosses for the attackers and midfield to latch on to.  It was only the great display by the Corby goalkeeper which kept out the resulting shots on target.  During the first half Barwell played mainly in their oppositions half and defender Catherine Hewitt went on an outstanding run through the Corby players to shoot just past the upright of the goal.  Kim Wilcox and Emily Mann worked down the left side of the pitch to create another move where Jayne Hough controlled the ball and shot from outside the penalty area, only to be denied by the Corby keeper.  

Kelly Henson playing at centre forward was unlucky with a shot that hit the cross bar and Barwell were beginning to think that it was going to be one of those days.  A clearance by Mel King down to Tess London who played a pin point pass for Kelly Henson to calmly slot past the Corby keeper gave Barwell a thoroughly well deserved lead in the game.  Corby came straight back with attacking moves but Catriona Shearer dealt with any shots at goal comfortably.  

During the second half Barwell again went on the attack and Lucy Allsopp used her ball control to run through the centre of the Corby midfield and played the ball out wide for Fay Longdon to float in another cross but the Corby defence managed to clear the ball.  Sue Grewcock and Jayne Hough maintained domination in midfield with challenges and tackles to give Barwell the advantage.  Kelly Henson and Tess London linked up superbly in attack and when Fay Longdon played a pass through the Corby defence for the Barwell attackers to run on to it was Tess London who controlled the ball and hit the back of the net for Barwell second of the game.  Although Corby had a couple of attacking moves it was dealt with comfortably by Barwell's defence.  

During the last part of the game Aimee Lively came on as substitute and quickly got involved in the attacking moves.  Tess London deservedly won man of the match and the whole team was lifted by this win.  

Manager Mel King was pleased with the team spirit shown in the Barwell squad and the calm approach shown by all players to concentrate on their game and play effective, creative football. 

Team: C Shearer, M King, L Allsopp, C Hewitt, E Mann, F Longdon, S Grewcock, J Hough, K Wilcox, K Henson, T London, A Lively.

Barwell have no match next week.  Their next match at home 17 October 2004 Barwell v Leicester YMCA.  2.00pm kick off.

 

Sunday 12 September 2004

Barwell Ladies 4 - Wyberton 1

Barwell Ladies began their 2004 campaign in fine style with a well deserved win over Wyberton.  From the outset Barwell dominated play with superb play from all members of the team.  It was only a matter of time before Barwell gained the upper hand with a superb corner from Vicky Keen to Jayne Hough who dummied the ball and Catherine Hewitt to strike at goal.  The ball was deflected by the Wyberton goalkeeper and Fay Longdon placed home the ball into the back of the net.  Some great moves down the left wing between Kim Wilcox and Emily Mann created another chance but the Wyberton goalkeeper managed to save it.  Wyberton did create some attacking moves but the solid defending of Troy Shearer and Lucy Allsopp prevented any possible dangers.  A goal kick by player of the match Nicky Sparks to Tess London who ran through the Wyberton defence and placed a pin point pass to  Longdon to run onto and hit a perfect shot over the Wyberton goalkeeper for Barwell's second.  

Wyberton soon came back with a cross into the Barwell penalty area and after a goalmouth scramble placed the ball past Barwell's goalkeeper into the back of the net.  Barwell did not let this unsettle them and  Hough and Sue Grewcock in midfield won challenges and created moves for the home team to maintain possession for the remainder of the first half.  Half time substitute Louisa Williams, who came on for the injured Kim Wilcox, made an immediate impact upon the game with her running and tackling ability.  Barwell soon got their third goal with a move through the middle of the field and  Keen used her quick feet to dribble around the Wyberton defence to calmly place the ball into the back of the net.  

Wyberton created a couple of attacking moves and made some solid challenges.  This resulted in a one on one with the Barwell goalkeeper who stood her ground and managed to deflect the ball away for a corner.  Although Barwell were pinned for a short period of time in their own defending area they remained composed and sent a long ball to  Williams who ran through and although she placed the ball into the back of the net, she was adjudged to be offside.  Barwell got their fourth goal with a pass from Troy Shearer in defence to Amie Lively who passed to  London to hit the ball past the Wyberton goalkeeper. 

 A superb start to the season for the Barwell Ladies team and Manager Mel King remains confident that this will continue throughout the season.  Barwell are at home next week against Birstall. 2.00pm kick off.

Team: N Sparks, L Allsopp, C Hewitt, C Shearer, E Mann, K Wilcox, J Hough, S Grewcock, F Longdon, V Keen, T London, L Williams, A Lively.
 

Sunday 22nd September 2004

Barwell 3 v Oadby Town 

Free-Kick Specialists seal it for Barwell

Barwell got off to a slow start against Oadby Town and gave away a corner to their opponents in the first few minutes. This was dealt with by the strong defensive action on Catriona Shearer who cleared any potential danger away from goal.   Creative moves through midfield by Lucy Allsop and Jayne Hough gave the forward line of Vicky Keen and Kim Wilcox some great opportunities in front of goal and a shot just wide of goal could not put the home team in front.  

Sue Grewcock played a ball out wide to Fay Longdon on the right wing who passed a cross into goal and  Keen shot first time at the goalkeeper who managed to block the ball but the power of the shot made her fumble the ball and Keen was quick to take advantage by calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net for the home teams first goal.  Oadby came back with some tough tackling and Emily Mann playing at the back slowed down any chances but Oadby played a one-two past the Barwell defence and a shot into the back of the net left the goalkeeper with no chance.  Barwell maintained their composure and again created moves which gave them an attacking edge.  

During the second half the game became more competitive with tough challenges and solid tackles from both sides.  Oadby won a corner and although Barwell tried to clear the ball the away team managed to steer the ball through the defending team and past the goalkeeper.  However, Barwell remained calm and played with their usual team effort as they knew they could up their game.  A late challenge on Emily Mann on the edge of the Oadby penalty area gave Mel King the opportunity to step up and place the ball over the keepers head with a superb free kick in Beckham style to secure Barwell's second goal.  Jane Stocker playing up front gave the Oadby defence problems and they had to rely on the long ball to get the ball up to the Barwell goal area.  A shot at goal was tipped magnificently over the bar by Barwell keeper Natalie Henson who had an outstanding and confident game all match. 

Another bad challenge outside the Oadby penalty area gave Rebecca Leatherbarrow the opportunity to float in a wonderful free kick over the Oadby keeper to gain the goal advantage for the home team.  Barwell remained calm and composed for the remainder of the match and it showed that the team spirit of Barwell Ladies FC is still there.


Team: K Henson, M King, R Leatherbarrow, C Shearer, E Mann, K Wilcox, J Hough, S Grewcock, L Allsopp, F Longdon, V Keen, J Stocker.
 

Sunday 15th August 2004

Mansfield Town 3 - Barwell Ladies 1

Barwell played their first friendly of the new season away to Mansfield Town.  With some new players and a chance to look at playing positions Barwell entered the match with some creative moves and good team play.  Lucy Allsop created some great moves on the right wing to send Jayne Hough through the center of the field but the shot went just wide of the post.  The midfield of Kim Wilcox and Sue Grewcock stopped any moved by Mansfield and the ball was won back by Vicky Keen to play a pass to Catherine Hewitt who hit a long range shot which hit the crossbar.  The first goal of the match came when Mansfield hit a long ball over the defence and with some good footwork were able to play around the defending player Catriona Shearer and to the far corner of the net against an unlucky goalkeeper of  Becky Leatherbarrow.  Barwell did not let their heads go down and Emily Mann in midfield created a great move when Mel King ran from defence and down the right wing to cross the ball into the box but the challenge by the Mansfield Town defence cleared the ball up the pitch. 

 A good competitive match saw both teams with possession and Mansfield Town got their second with a goal mouth scramble which saw the ball being cleared and then a shot and cleared and then a rebound off of the Barwell defence to go into the goal.  During the second half Jane Stocker made some great challenges at centre forward to put pressure on the Mansfield defence and Barwell were unlucky to capitalize on their chances.  A move by Mansfield from the right wing where a cross came in and the defending team did not clear their line and the home team gained their third.  Barwell came straight back and showed that they will work for the full ninety minutes of a match and this was rewarded with a superbly won challenge by  Wilcox on the left wing through the middle of the pitch for  Hough to run onto and with great dribbling skills through the defence and a shot at goal.  A well contested match which provided the Barwell manger some positive ideas for the forthcoming matches.

Team: R Leatherbarrow, C Hewitt, M King, C Shearer, K Wilcox, E Mann, S Grewcock, L Allsopp, J Hough, V Keen, J Stocker