HAMMERS Ladies showed the fighting spirit that earned them
promotion last season as they earned their first point of the
season and moved up to 10th place in the FA Nationwide Women's
Premier League (South) with a 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove
Albion.
On the balance of play the girls will feel that they could have
earned all three points and will take renewed confidence into next
week's away trip to Portsmouth.
After a tentative start the girls got into their stride and played
some nice football, but Brighton were always a threat. Sustained
pressure led to a goal on 25 minutes. A clearance kick from
keeper Clare Lacey led to a good move through midfield and Lindsey
Morgan latched onto a through-ball and from a fine individual
effort slotted the ball past the stranded goalkeeper.
The Brighton equaliser came on 42 minutes after a mis-kicked
clearance went to a Brighton player who netted the
ball. Stacey Crump kept the Ladies in the game when she
cleared off the line just before he half-time whistle.
Brighton had West Ham Ladies on the back foot at the start of the
second-half. However the Hammers clawed their way back into
the game and a great strike by defender Christina Oshodi from 35
yards out flew narrowly wide. On the hour Vicki Lewis came on
as substitute for Caroline Moran.
The Hammers had a penalty disallowed when striker Lindsey Morgan
was brought down in the box by the Brighton 'keeper.
Manager Kay Cossington made another change on 75 minutes when she
brought on Charlene Turturlei for Aoifa Aherne in
midfield. Although there were chances at both ends
neither team could break the deadlock.
WHU: C Lacey, C Oshodi, K Turney, S
Crump, C Roache, A Aherne, K Fanning, N Grafton, K
Stimson, C Moran, L Morgan. Subs: V Lewis, N Dunsdon, C
Turturlei.
Next Sunday the girls travel to Portsmouth in search of their first
League win.
HAMMERS Reserves beat Manford Way in a friendly 1-0 with the only goal of the game coming from Gemma Beard.
The future of the Hammers Ladies continues to blossom through
their successful youth policy and the Under-14's won the Essex
County FA tournament.
For more information on the West Ham United Ladies click
here!