13/1/19, 12pm, New Ferens Park, Championship
Goals – Hutton, Welsh
The first competitive game of 2019 saw a lovely away trip to Durham once again (Even though last years got postponed) but after a stay over in Durham the girls were no doubt once again to build on what they had started to build last year and what had started to begin once again in 2019, after friendly’s against Blackburn and Yeovil. I always like to mention when it is a nice day but this had to be what could only be described as a winter winderland as the wind was frantic and played havoc with the game but would be let a cold and blustery day stop us getting behind our team, you bet not. After drawing 0-0 with them at Boldmere we knew it would be a tough game and we would have to up our game once again.
Asmita Ale just about made the line up as she came out later than the rest of the players but thankfully she made it. Villa started as always do and come out the blocks fast as you could tell the wind was going to really make it hard to play balls over the top or try and move it around. Jodie Hutton pushed the Durham defence back but as she hit the ball the wind got hold of it and it came to nothing. A Durham free kick was struck across the box as Sian Rogers dived and pull her gloves away from it to see the ball wide. After 11 minutes the worst possible thing seemed to of happened as Kerri Welsh had stretched for the ball and hadn’t got back up as you could see the pain and sadness in her eyes (for anyone who knows Kerri’s past it goes straight to your heart as she has worked so hard, so many times back from injury) When the stretcher was called really feared the worst. But like we know Kerri Welsh has the heart of a Lion, and managed to limp off and after a short time she returned to the pitch which was greeted with We Love You Kezza We Do. Just as we restarted the play it was stopped once again as a clearance managed to strike Zoe Ness in the face as she went down and the play was stopped, but thankfully she wasn’t injured as she returned back to the pitch after some treatment. Phoebe Warner broke through with pace as she got past the Durham defence but her effort was just over the bar as she hit it with venom. Durham was the first to get on the score sheet which came from nothing after Asmita Ale won the ball back and Hollie Gibson mishit the pass back which ended up at the feet of the Durham player and as Sian Rogers did all she could to stop Lisa Robertson but the Durham player picked out the net as they took the lead 1-0 on the 20th minute. The comeback was just what was needed as our girls didn’t let their heads go down. Once again as so many times this season Jodie Hutton chased down a ball and put the Durham defence under pressure as she nicked the ball and drove forward and drove the ball into the net with a powerful and pinpoint finish to bring us back level at 1-1 on the 22nd minute. Villa defended well against Durham as they pressed forward making sure to clear the ball. Phoebe Warner once again put pressure on the Durham defence and linked up with our others players to get her in position to shoot but the wind took the sting away and the ball looped into the Durham keepers arms. Less than a minute later once again it was Phoebe Warner’s movement that saw her get into position to shoot but the ball once again unfortunately was straight at the keeper. Sian Rogers was collecting everything that came into the box while dealing with the wind which made the easy things alot harder than normal. Durham looked to score just before the half time whistle as the drove the ball across the box but luckily for us it was hit too hard for any of the Durham players to latch onto as the ball went out of play. On the 45th minute Phoebe Warner put Jodie Hutton through who put a great ball into the box as the keeper got a hand to it and the Durham player tried to clear it fell to Kerri Welsh who hit a cracking half volley to give Villa the 1-2 lead just before half time. Also showed what we truly know about Kerri Welsh that you can’t keep her down.
The second half started with Durham trying to catch Villa early on but Zoe Ness shot was blocked and was no way for her to get through the back line. Jade Richards nearly made it 1-3 with a header but it didn’t hit the back of the net but showed how important the next goal was going to be in the game. With the wind it was a scrappy game as anything that was given some air looped and got caught in the wind. After Jodie Hutton was running up the wing a certain Durham player went through the back of her with an elbow to her neck which wasn’t even given a foul. Less than 2 minutes later the same player hacked Jodie Hutton down the ground as she walked past stamped on Jodie to which once again the ref didn’t see (or bottled) but the player in question didn’t last much longer as she brought off the pitch thankfully so not to injure anyone else. It wasn’t long before Jodie Hutton was involved once again as she rounded the keeper but couldn’t make the finish count on her weaker foot as the ball hit the side netting. After the 69th minute Sophie Haywood returned to the Claret And Blue side after picking up a knock in the Manchester City game as she replaced Alison Hall. Durham had the ball in the back of the net on the 71st minute but it didn’t count as their player was a long way offside. Not too long after Durham drove the ball past the post and could feel something was coming and unfortunately we was right as a scramble in the box off a corner as the ball evaded everybody but Becky Saliciki who bundled the ball over the line bringing Durham back on level terms. After all the rough treatment Jodie Hutton had received from the Durham players she lost her temper and ended up in the book for a mistimed tackle. But as Jodie does once again she pulled the defence apart as she ran into the box and struck the ball which struck the inside of the post and in what I celebrated like it had gone into the back of the net, it clipped the other post and somehow came out for a throw in. As I celebrated Nat told me it hadn’t gone in (It wouldn’t be a away game if I don’t celebrate a goal that didn’t go in). On the 88th minute we finally made a second substitute after being put under a fair bit of pressure, Tanisha Smith came on for Kerri Welsh. In the short time Tanisha had once again she managed to get us going forward linking up with Sophie Haywood and Phoebe Warner. Tanisha put the ball through to Sophie Haywood who took one, two and nearly three defenders on but when she had the chance to pull the trigger she delayed it as the third defender stopped the shot coming in. The Villa defence came under some real pressure but kept the ball from geting anywhere near the goal until the dying minutes of the game. As the dangerous Zoe Ness broke into the Villa box it seemed as if she was going to spoil our day but once again the fantastic Sian Rogers dived to her right to tip the ball over the night with a strong hand. The final whistle went which is about all the referee got right in this game, I don’t like to comment on officials because it would seem like something every week I would have to mention and that we should accept bad officials as we are so used to them. But this one took it to a whole new level, someone could of been seriously hurt, I couldn’t even count the amount of times that Phoebe Warner was tackled from before and fouled with nothing being given or acknowledged. Even basic rules wasn’t met but thankfully an FA official was there to see the referees performance so hopefully we wont have to come across this one again.
But onto the important things, once again so proud of how far we have come as a team as we made Durham work to get anything out the game on another day we could of taken all 3 points, the two Durham goals came from a mistake and a scramble. The fact that Kerri Welsh ushered away a stretcher to come on and score a incredible goal just shows what kinda team we are. Most people wrote us off and over looked us after the first few games of the season but to anybody who still thinks that they are in for a shocking surprise as we improve week after week and are playing some incredible football that alot can’t live with the weather spoilt this as couldn’t really pass the ball around and switch play. One of positives was seeing Sophie Haywood return to action and going away to a team and physical team and coming away with a point which as I say could of been 3 on a different day. Obviously our players deserve alot of credit on the pitch but I also just wanted to make a note of the staff once again for making us feel valued and apart of the team, it really does mean so much. Also to the parents who stayed over and we had a brilliant Saturday night with in Durham, It doesn’t just feel like a football team but truly feels like a family and I couldn’t be prouder to wear the badge than when I am seeing our Ladies in the Claret And Blue.
Our next fixture comes after a week’s break with the game against Leicester City at Villa Park, I haven’t commented on this while seeing everything that has been put on twitter and social media but it is really embarrassing to see what some so called Aston Villa fans have written and said. You talk about pride and passion, the heart of a lion on your shirt. I urge every single doubter to come down and see our Ladies play because you will be in for a big shock as they don’t get paied thousands of pounds a week to put in a lacklustre performance. Every single player works hard for every single player on the pitch. Our Ladies deserve alot more credit and respect than they are given and if you give them a chance, I bet that you will walk away proud and it wont be your last game (And I work in a bookmakers). Every single person associated with AVLFC is a great role model to any younger fans that wish to connect with the players they seem playing for their team, and Villa Ladies is Aston Villa Football Club. So Sunday 27th January 2019, 1pm why not take a chance to come down to see a cheap football game at Villa Park to get behind and cheer on our Ladies, You know it makes sense.
Sian Rogers – Didn’t have to much to do in the Villa goal but with the conditions when Sian was called upon she claimed the ball with confidence, also pulled off cracking save right at the end to help us leave with a point.
Asmita Ale – Classy as always, won so many headers throughout the game to keep the ball going in the opposite direction, might of been late out to the line up but never ever late when called upon to defend such a quality player.
Jade Richards – Nearly added a goal for us with a header but it unfortunately was too close to the keeper, but our Captain never fails to work hard to win the ball back for us and get us going away from our goal.
Elisha N’Dow – Once again could easily be in the conversation for POTM, as works so hard to win the ball back and in hard conditions kept her eye on the ball and kept Durham as quiet as possibly could.
Hollie Gibson – Hard conditions and Zoe Ness made a difficult game for Hollie but she never gave up and tried to clear the ball whenever it came down her wing.
Alison Hall – Tried to move the ball quickly when it came to her feet and always kept trying to work hard to win the ball back and cover Asmita giving her freedom to try and drive forward for us.
Amy West – Had to work double as hard as normal to try and read where the ball was in the middle of the pitch with the wind blowing it back and forth as she noted after the game. Always works and gives 110% no matter the situation.
Alice Hassall – As with Amy had such a hard job in the middle trying to work out the wind and trying to stop Durham playing the ball and having to play long ball which made things alot harder for anything to come of it.
Phoebe Warner – My POTM, worked so hard to win the ball back in the centre of the pitch and on another day could of had a couple of goals as well, said at half time she deserved a goal but it wasn’t meant to be.
Jodie Hutton – Incredible first goal to see us bounce back, celebrated her scoring another two goals that again on another day would of gone in, one into the side netting and one that hit both posts and somehow went out for a throw in.
Kerri Welsh – Today for me is Kerri all over, at one stage she was in tears and the stretcher came on and as we all feared the worst and was thinking her day was over, she had a Tyson Fury moment when she jumped up and as we know from the past Kezza never ever gives up and she scored an absolute cracking goal as she struck it so well.
Sophie Haywood – Came on in the second half with her first game back and showed some of the glimpses again of what we saw the end of the season, worked very hard and nearly worked herself into position to score a couple of times.
Tanisha Smith – The crazy thing is Tanisha maybe had 5-6 minutes on the pitch but they say when you get a chance make an impact and leave an imprint and she did just that as straight away she used her pace to push Durham back when we was under alot of pressure near the end.
Player Of The Match
Phoebe Warner
Although many people could of been chosen for POTM, When I think to who we sung most for it was Phoebe as everytime the ball went into the middle of the pitch she hustled and bustled to try and upset the Durham players and 90% of the time won the ball back for us to try and break on the counter. Read the ball so well with the terrible conditions and didn’t waste the possession she had. Was so unlucky not to get her name on the score sheet but some of her play must of given Villa alot more belief a goal was coming. Hopefully she doesn’t get a scar on her knee as she said after the game. Plays with a smile and is always a joy to watch, pulled off a lovely back heel as well to play Jodie through.
