Crowborough Athletic Women   0

Brighton & Hove Albion Ladies   4

Sunday 03rd August 2008   (Pre-Season)

Crowborough Athletic Women warmed up for the new season with a difficult fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion Ladies.

Albion were simply too strong and overpowered the battling Crows at an overcast Alderbrook. Crowborough have had a difficult summer with all their players scattered around the south and/or away on holiday, this was the first gathering since June, and with 6 first team regulars missing, some players even coming out of retirement to help raise a side, this was always going to be tough. 

Brighton Captain Tammy Waine fired over early on, and Brighton looked the fitter of the 2 teams, if it wasn't for some solid defending by the Crows back 3 of Michelle Clifford, Hannah Marshall and Kerry Waghorn the score could have been more. Chances to break came from the Crows midfield, but came to nothing with a pacey back line for Brighton keeping Kate Bickmore out of the game.

Sinead Kerr found herself in front of goal early on, but her low drive was kept out by a fine diving save by Sam Shearman. The Seagulls broke the deadlock in the 9th minute, when Sophie Bailey played in Kerr who beat the offside trap to blast into the top corner, beating the helpless Shearman. After that, Katie Hodges found Clio Tregear, one on one with Shearman, but her effort was kept out by the goalkeeper’s feet. Minutes later, Waine advanced forward again, and her low powerful strike was denied by a fantastic diving save from Shearman, who hurt herself in the process. The visitors doubled their lead from the resulting corner, Waine struck the ball in, but Crows midfielder Terri Forward was unfortunate enough to deflect the ball into her own net. Crowborough had a few attacks down the left and right hand side via Elaine Bull and Cat Hyland, but unfortunately they came to nothing. Albion made it 3-0 before the interval, when Amy Found broke clear of the Crowborough defence, who were playing for offside, to stoke the ball between Shearman’s legs and into the net.

A completely new Brighton side started for the second half, but they continued where the first half squad left off in a scrappy 2nd period. Within a minute, Sofia Bouyi tested Shearman, with her strike held by keeper. On the hour, a Holly Williams cross was deflected by Forward towards her own goal, but was kept out by a good reflex save from Shearman. Crowborough started to look tired and not having any substitues was causing the Crows problems, with players battling on to the end, when really they should have gone off.  Jane Child found the ball for Brighton 20 yards from goal, before striking the ball beyond Shearman, but only to be denied by the crossbar. The score was then extended to 4-0 sixteen minutes from time when Bouyi turned Tracey Chapman, and bent the ball over Shearman and into the net. Crowborough have some work to do on their fitness, but team spirit is high and with new players coming back off of work/holiday, the Crows are looking forward to this season.

Match Report written by Anthony Scott, Club Reporter.