Wandsworth Borough Women 4 – 1 Actonians LFC Development (Friendly)

Scorers: Laura Mott 2, Kirsty Mulcahey 2.

Assists: Nic Taylor (1), Meg Ward (2)

PoM: Nic Taylor, Kirsty Mulcahey, Meg Ward (tied)

This was a game of three thirds. Being a friendly, and with several players of both sides showing that they hadn’t found lockdown too much of a struggle, it was agreed that we’d play three 30-minute sections rather than the more traditional two 45s. This ensured that all our 14 players got at least an hour each on the pitch, and smoothed the substitution process no end. I think only Charlie Spencer managed the full 90 minutes, having unwisely declared that she felt ‘fresh’ after the 60-minute break.

Despite everyone’s obvious excitement at being back on the footy field, perhaps the biggest stir was caused before the game by the presence of a Sky News film crew who for some reason wanted to know our opinion on the significance of Rebecca Welsch refereeing the Port Vale v Harrogate Town game on Monday. I offered to do a few impressions for the benefit of their viewers but they insisted on talking to the female members of our entourage instead. Half-a-dozen of the girls were therefore encouraged/press-ganged into giving their views, with Sophie, Kirsty and Rachel avoiding the cutting-room floor and making it to the final edit. No doubt a link to the resultant broadcast is provided elsewhere in this newsletter – check it out, they did us proud!

A blistering start to the game saw us 3-0 up by the time of the first break, Motty firing one in off the underside of the bar from Nic’s through ball before adding a second with a shot that hit at least three different backsides on its way into the net. Not to be outdone, Kirsty then tried her luck from 35 yards and saw her shot sail over the Actonians keeper as she was caught marginally off her line. Three changes at the break did little at first to disrupt our rhythm and Kirsty added a fourth shortly after the resumption from another assist from the industrious Meg Ward. The game than settled into a pretty much equal contest, with both sides understandably tired as we entered the final third. Actonians managed to pull one back without really promising to add further to that total. Amy Jenkins came out of goal for the last ten minutes to give her a taste of the glory game up front, her place ably taken by our number two number one, Chloe Russell.

All in all a very welcome, competitive run-out for the ladies and a perfect warm-up for the rejigged league which starts this Sunday. Great to be back!