Leafield Athletic 3-2 wem Town

Kathryn Pagan, Own Goal x 2.

5/2/23 – 2pm – Dickens Heath

Midlands division One

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After picking up 3 points on the last home game it was time to try and build on that with Wem Town coming to visit Dickens Heath. Yes we was back at Dickens Heath for a game the first one in 2023. The weather wasn’t bad, the sun was out and it was game time. The referee and his officials brought out the teams onto the pitch and it was game time once again.

The game got underway and straight away Daisy Mai Clements was brought down in a dangerous position, but the free kick didn’t lead to much from the start. Leafield looked to start strong and it was Daisy who had the first real attempt on goal with her quick feet she made space but her shot looped towards the keeper. Which was followed up by her feeding Kathryn Pagan who didn’t get enough on her shot as it rolled to the keeper.

Copy, Paste, Repeat but Jess Lowe was a menace once again. But Wem Town nearly hit Leafield on the counter with a run in behind the defence but Colette Bell’s fantastic positioning saw her get down low to save the shot from Kim Bebbington and thwart the danger. The first half would never be called a classic overall. Leafield looked to build something but it wasn’t quite clicking Kathryn Pagan got free with a front post header but couldn’t direct it goalwards.

Although Wem wasn’t creating anything of note you always knew that Kim Bebbington was a danger up front. On the 33rd minute the breakthrough came though with Holly Briggs playing in Kathryn Pagan who took it past the defender and ran towards the goal before slotting it past the keeper to give Leafield the 1-0 lead. Straight from kick off a long ball wasn’t dealt with and who else but Kim Bebbington had them level at 1-1 with a lofted shot that Colette Bell just couldn’t get her hand too.

Kathryn Pagan nearly regave Leafield the lead with one almost copy cat of her goal but this time the ball just went wide of the post as her effort went goalwards. But it was Wem Town who took the lead when Taylor Davis cross bobbled around the box it bounced off Colette Bell and seemingly hit Charlotte Budd and trickle into the corner of the net as Daniella MacDougall tried to stop it crossing the line. After taking the lead and conceding two scrappy goals the half time whistle went with Leafield having alot to do in the second 45 minutes. But after a flat first 45 minutes it was all to play for.

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The second half got underway with everything to do for Leafield to get back into the game. Kathryn Pagan went on one of her many runs cutting into the box but a fantastic tackle saw her unable to get the shot away after she jinxed her way into the area. Leafield kept looking for the goal to get back on level terms but it just wasn’t falling.

On the 62nd minute, Thea Clearkin picked out Kathryn Pagan who ran in behind the defence and pulled the ball across the box and the on rushing defence put the ball into her own net past her keeper but Jess was there just behind to score if not. The scores were level at 2-2 with all the play for in the final 30 minutes.

Kim Bebbington hit yet another long range shot that Colette Bell easily dealt with and some good defending by Alex Buck against Taylor Davis made sure Leafield didn’t go behind again. Jess Lowe was giving away and winning free kicks like they were sweets. A great free kick for Kathryn Pagan saw the Wem keeper nearly wrong footed but pulling off a fantastic fingertip save for a corner to Leafield.

Wem would always be a danger on break but it was Leafield creating the chances and looking to win the game. A front post corner by Beth Cull was nearly turned in by Laura Broadbent as she moved so well to get to it first but the Wem goalkeeper once again pulled a fingertip reaction save. Another long range effort by Kim Bebbington to which Taylor Davis threw her hands up in the air probably sums up Wem’s second half. 

Some fantastic play between Kathryn Pagan and Jess Lowe, saw a fast counter attack and as Jess pulled it back across the box to KP she pulled at her shot sending it wide of the target. But the chances were coming for Leafield. Kathryn Pagan turned into a problem as she tried to end the Wem defenders career with some silky footwork leaving the player in the fetal position, but KP’s effort once again was saved the wonderful Wem keeper for a corner. Daisy Mai Clements cut inside and hit an effort but it was straight at the keeper.

Beth Cull once again put in a great corner and it fell to Daisy Mai Clements who turned the ball goalwards but the keeper was there to save it, a melee happened in the area with Daisy unable to get a strong enough connection as the keeper dived on the ball to save it. Malika Higgins was a big part of the winning goal as her run won Leafield the free kick.

Beth Cull sent the free kick into the area and a Leafield head saw the ball come into the danger zone for Wem to clear it. But Jess Lowe kept the move alive by heading it back into the danger zone and as the Wem defender tried to clear the ball she directed it past the keeper to make it 3-2 to Leafield on the 91st minute to complete the turn around. Leafield defended well to protect the lead till the final whistle. A 3-2 win was nothing less than Leafiled deserved in the end. A poor first half that was turned around in the second to win at the death just shows Leafield never give up. 

So something you don’t see too often is every played on the opposition telling the Wem keeper what a fantastic game she had and unlucky. But honestly she had a fantastic game so wanted to just put at the bottom, as I went and got her name. Amelia Knowles would of been my opposition player of the match and obviously Kathryn Pagan would of been the player of the match. 

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A great win for Leafield and they had to work for it and some character. Alot of times when i’ve seen Leafield things go the other way were we lose in the last minute, or we the better team and don’t get a result but today we were the better team eventually and got the 3 points we deserved. Two wins in a row scoring 6 and conceding 2 isn’t too shabby. Next up is a real hard task against Doncaster Belles away on Sunday 12th February. This team I can never run out of good things to say about really. The team, the players and just everyone involved truly make it a wonderful afternoon watching football with wonderful people. Oh and also to finish it off even Meg Hadley was in attendance watching and if we win when she turns up I think Stourbridge should let her come watch more games.