Ladies stand alone as unbeaten league leaders

It was a great weekend for Spurs Ladies as a Wendy Martin brace secured a 2-0 home win over Lewes – and with table-toppers Cardiff losing for the first time this season at the hands of Charlton, they marched back to the top of the FA Women’s Premier League South as a result.

Prior to the weekend’s matches, Spurs and Cardiff were the only unbeaten sides in the division, with Cardiff at the summit on goal difference.

But goals in each half from Martin on Sunday (February 12), coupled with Charlton’s 2-0 triumph over the Welsh outfit, put Karen Hills’ side back at the summit.

They’ve now won 22 and drawn one of their 23 games in all competitions this season.

Above: Celebration time against Lewes on Sunday.

SPURS LADIES 2-0 LEWES LADIES
FA Women’s Premier League South

Report from Khalid Karimullah at Cheshunt FC, Theobalds Lane
Photographs with thanks to Wu's Photography

Spurs Ladies’ will to win was prevalent against a well-organised Lewes outfit as it became a case of persistence paying dividends at Theobalds Lane on Sunday.

Wendy Martin’s double in a 2-0 win sealed the deal for three vital points to emphatically send the Lilywhites back to the summit of the FA Women’s Premier League South.

The visitors started brightly following Rebecca Carter’s pacing run down the inside right channel, but her zipped 18-yard strike wasn’t to test Toni-Anne Wayne at her near-post. Lucia Leon recycled possession with Bianca Baptiste, whose intricate flick set the former away into the area, but Tammy Waine came across to block her close-range effort.

Josie Green picked up possession deep before spreading a driven pass through to Leon, who burst forward and let fly but was again denied by Waine. Renee Hector’s pass over the top was then latched onto by Baptiste, her low driven cross picked out Riana Soobadoo on the edge of the area and she set up Martin, whose curler was kept out by Waine’s header off the line.

Green and Soobadoo combined to send Leon away on the right flank, she picked out Martin whose flick to the far-post allowed Nikita Whinnett to strike at goal, only to be denied by Lauren Dolbear from close range.

Georgia Bridges charged forward looking to play Carter in behind, who was matched by Hector hustling for possession. Baptiste picked out Whinnett who prodded through to Martin to strike one – at first she was kept at bay by Dolbear but the keeper could do nothing on the second attempt after 34 minutes.

Eartha Pond’s deep left-flank cross was inches away from being guided home by Martin, Carter then escaped the off-side trap for a one-on-one at the other end but Wayne smothered the space as Hector and Jenna Schillaci recovered to provide cover.

After the break, Soobadoo pounced onto possession, playing across to Pond, whose swerving strike edged wide. Baptiste’s byline cross then found Whinnett whose chested control towards Martin saw her piledriver blocked by Kelly Newton.

Leon manoeuvred past Rachel Palmer, ultimately seeing her cross evade Martin and roll across the face of goal. Palmer then played Bridges over the top for a one-on-one, but Wayne again got down low to make a vital save.

As the game went on, Sian Heather broke forward, cutting in from the right and curling into the far bottom corner, but the linesman was quick to signal off-side, which gave Spurs back the impetus. Green latched onto possession, curling one from 20 yards which forced Dolbear to come across to make a diving save.

Sophie Mclean drove forward, finding Baptiste who played in to Martin, who was denied by Dolbear on the turn. Baptiste then went on a lung-bursting run prior to her dipper being tipped past the post by Dolbear with Kelley Blanchflower lying in wait.

Five minutes from the end, Schillaci’s in-swinging corner was met with a towering header from Martin who guided the ball over Dolbear and into the far corner to complete the win.

Spurs Ladies: Toni-Anne Wayne, Lucia Leon, Jenna Schillaci (c), Renee Hector, Eartha Pond (Leah Rawle 76), Josie Green, Riana Soobadoo (Kelley Blanchflower 57), Sophie Mclean, Bianca Baptiste, Wendy Martin, Nikita Whinnett (Abbie Bensted 89). Substitutes (not used): Maya Vio, Megen Lynch (GK).