SWFA 1st Division – 2007/2008
Falkirk Ladies V Bishopbriggs Ladies
Sunday 14th October @ 2:00pm.
“3 points for stuttering Bairns”
A selection headache presented itself to Coach Wilson today ahead of the important clash V Bishopbriggs Ladies at the Pace. No fewer than 8 players were unavailable through injury and illness leaving only 14 fit players for selection.
So with a few positional changes for the players to cope with and captain for the day Shirley Martin wearing the arm band in place of the injured Clare Harris, the ladies took to the field.
The opening passage of play witnessed what must be the fastest goal in SWFA history by far and it was for the Falkirk Bairns. Bishopbriggs took centre and played the ball back into their midfield, however Laura Yuill latched on to the ball and simply played Alana Marshall through on goal and as expected she coolly slipped the ball past the keeper to open the scoring. The exact time on Coach Wilson’s watch was 10.78 seconds (1-0).
This was the perfect start for the home side as this would hopefully settle any nerves that the ladies had. Just how would the visitors respond to this early set-back? We only had to wait 2 minutes for a response as the referee awarded a very soft penalty to the away side as Natalie Stewart was adjudged to have tripped the attacker in the penalty area. Lady luck was on the Falkirk side as the ball rattled the cross bar and away to safety.
On 9 min Laura Yuill had a cracking opportunity to extend the lead but she managed to blast the ball over the bar from 6 yards with the goal at her mercy. Falkirk will always create problems for any defence and a corner from the right after 19 min was met by Becky Robertson but she headed over the bar.
As if the injury list wasn’t bad enough at the club, Natalie Stewart was carried from the field after 27min with the aggravation of an old ankle injury. Sarah MacLennan came on as sub. Falkirk kept pressing for the illusive 2nd goal, 29 min, and Alana Marshall almost broke through with her 2nd goal as her left foot shot beat the keeper but cannoned off the post and was cleared.
The home side were awarded a free-kick some 25 yards from goal, 30 min, which to be fair looked yet another soft award. Stand-in skipper Shirley Martin drilled a fantastic right footed shot low and past the keeper into the back of the net (2-0). At this point the visitors looked dead and buried on their feet with the Bairns in the ascendancy.
A passage of play before the half time break saw the visitors win consecutive corners, 40 & 43 min, however the Bairns managed to clear their lines on each occasion.
Half-Time: Falkirk Ladies (2) V (0) Bishopbriggs Ladies.
Coach Wilson stressed the importance at the break to his players about maintaining concentration and to search for the killer 3rd goal early in the second half as this would effectively end the tie as a contest.
On 48 min the third goal of the game arrived, however it was for the visitors. Not for the first time this season a defensive error allowed Ruth Gourley to find space in the penalty area and her fine drive beat keeper Renny (2-1). This was not the start that Coach Wilson was looking for from his side and so it was not surprising to hear some words of encouragement coming from the home dug-out.
Falkirk pressed the visitors back line and forced a corner after 56 min. As the ball was played in Laura Yuill was adjudged to have fouled the keeper and the attack was gone. As the game moved from end to end Alana Marshall picked the ball up just inside the Bishopbriggs half, 62 min, and her surging run at the defence resulted in her shooting just over the bar.
The inability to defend properly was to raise its ugly head again for the home side after 70 min. With a Bishopbriggs player laying injured deep inside the Falkirk half the sensible decision would have been to put the ball out the park. However as the back line tried to clear the ball, it only resulted in Ruth Gourley gaining possession and shooting past Keeper Renny again for her 2nd goal (2-2).
This was now a real test for the home side as they know how vital it is to keep up the pressure on Inverness and Dundee United at the top of the league. On 73 min the Bairns were given a stroke of luck. Recent signing Emma ‘Kirky’ Lyons swung a corner in from the left and some how the ball hit of a Bishopbriggs defender and nestled in the back of the net (3-2). The goal was later registered as an own goal.
On 74 min Laura Yuill was replaced by sub Vicky Ross.
Nicole Letford was causing all sorts of problems down the right flank and on 80 min her teasing cross to the back post was met by Vicky Ross who headed just wide.
In the final minutes of the game Alana Marshall turned in the penalty area, 87 min, and was then unceremoniously dumped on her backside after a clumsy challenge by the visitor’s defender. Stand-in skipper Shirley Martin placed the ball confidently on the spot. To say that the resulting kick was poorly struck was a slight understatement and the keeper saved with ease.
This proved to be the last opportunity in the game and so brought another welcome 3 points for the Bairns in their quest for championship glory.
Full-Time: Falkirk Ladies (3) V (2) Bishopbriggs Ladies.
Coach Wilson Commented: Given the current injury crisis at the club I am delighted to have secured another valuable 3 points. To be so comfortable at the half time break and to then let slip a 2 goal lead was very disappointing.
The players must learn to maintain concentration for the entire 90 minutes as teams will look to punish any slackness. Hopefully some of the current injured players will be fit to return to training this week and so increase squad selection for next weeks trip to Dumfries.
Next up - SWFA 1st Division – Dumfries Ladies V Falkirk Ladies.
Sunday 21st October 07.
