West Ham United women's team 1-1 Leicester City
Barclays Women's Super League, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 9 November, 12noon GMT
A late sucker-punch from Leicester City denied West Ham United women’s team our first Barclays Women’s Super League victory of the season following a 1-1 draw in Dagenham.
It looked like Shekiera Martinez had got the all-important goal in the 52nd minute, converting Anouk Denton’s low cross at the near post to give us lift-off at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
It was the least the Hammers deserved, who should have gone into half-time in front after Ffion Morgan, Denton and Martinez all had chances to score in the first 45.
But right at the death, in the seventh minute of seven added on, substitute Shannon O’Brien swept home from close range to snatch the Foxes a point.
On a chilly, but sunny afternoon in east London, the Hammers flew out of the traps and dominated the first half. The only thing that was missing from the first-45 showing was a goal, as Rehanne Skinner’s side gave Leicester plenty to think about in the final third.
Viviane Asseyi was quick to win us a free-kick just two minutes into the contest. She took the set-piece but fired into the side netting. The visitors then had a better opportunity to score directly from a free-kick, as Hannah Cain prepared to take aim from just outside the box. After her initial effort was blocked by the West Ham wall, we got out quickly to ensure her follow-up was denied as well. A big roar from the Claret and Blue Army followed.
From then on, the pressure was all from the Hammers, who enjoyed possession but also broke quickly when we needed to, as captain Katrina Gorry buzzed around in midfield and Anouk Denton was a constant threat down the left.
Our skipper was at the heart of a lot of our attacks, and after Oona Siren struck an awkward bouncing ball over the bar from inside the area, Gorry swept the ball to Morgan as we countered quickly. However, the full-back’s strike was blocked from close range.
Forward we came again, this time with Denton, who quickly cut in on her right from the left corner of the area before bending an effort inches past the post. For a lot of supporters inside Chigwell Construction Stadium, the ball looked destined to nestle in the net.
And just two minutes after Denton’s strike, we calved out the best chance of the first half. With our No18 involved once more, her cut-back found Morgan. The Wales international took a touch to set herself before firing across goal, only for her shot to be blocked on the line. The ball fell straight into the path of Martinez, though, who could only skew her effort from close range wide of the mark.
Following another quick counter-attack with Gorry and Martinez that Leicester quickly snuffed out, Rick Passmoor’s side were gifted an opening just before half-time, with a loose pass from the Hammers finding Sam Tierney. Fortunately, much like Denton’s strike, the Foxes skipper’s strike curled just wide.
We started the second half with the same intensity as the first, with Asseyi and Gorry both getting stuck into challenges to set the tone. And the second 45 was only seven minutes old when we found a way through via Martinez, who latched onto Denton’s delivery at the near post to bundle the ball past Leitzig.
You could tell how much the goal meant to the Hammers, who all ran over to congratulate our No19 before huddling together to reset ahead of the rest of the second half.
The Hammers only had our tails up after the goal and went in search of a second. After winning a succession of corners, Zadorsky rose highest from Asseyi’s delivery, but sent her header into the side netting.
We limited Leicester to few sights at goal in the second period, with Kinga Szemik only having to make one save all game, and looked the more likely team to score if there was going to be a second goal in Dagenham. Once again, Denton and Asseyi combined down the left before the latter crossed for Martinez, who, with an unorthodox effort, turned the ball wide at the near post.
There were opportunities for substitute Leila Wandeler and Asseyi in second-half stoppage time, who both tried their luck on the volley, before Leicester levelled right at the very last through O'Brien's close-range finish.
West Ham United: Szemik, Denton, Tysiak, Zadorsky, Endo, Siren, Gorry © (Csiki 77), Morgan (Wandeler 56), Asseyi, Ueki (Paví 77), Martinez
Subs not used: Walsh (GK), Belloumou, Nyström, Brasero, Hanshaw, Houssein
Goal: Martinez 52
Booked: Gorry
Leicester City: Leitzig, Kees, Tierney ©, Van Egmond (Rantala 69), Mouchon (O'Brien 75), Ale, Eiríksdóttir (Ayane 75), Thibaud (Las 86), Cain, Mcloughlin, Swaby
Subs not used: Clark (GK), Wellesley- Smith, Boureille, Goodwin, Sherwood
Goal: O'Brien 90+7
Referee: Kirsty Dowle
Attendance: 1,194
Skinner: We dominated the game and created lots of chances
Conceding a late goal is never easy to take, but manager Rehanne Skinner was pleased with the efforts of her players against Leicester City in the WSL on Sunday.
For the majority of the contest in Dagenham, the Hammers were dominant, creating an abundance of opportunities. The best chances in the first half saw Ffion Morgan have a shot blocked on the line after Anouk Denton curled an effort from the edge of the box just wide of the mark.
Our top scorer in the WSL last season Shekiera Martinez then gave us a deserved 52nd-minute lead, bundling Denton’s cross home, but the visitors struck a late goal in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time.
Skinner was incredibly pleased with Denton, who received the Player of the Match award for her terrific performance against the Foxes, and insisted how much her side want to get back to action to bounce back from the late equaliser.
I thought we were excellent today.
We dominated the game and created lots of chances. Shekiera’s got a goal today, an important one in an area we wanted to exploit, so I’m delighted for her.
At the end, we conceded a set-play we probably didn’t need to concede. They’re trying everything to get the ball forward and get something out of the game. We didn’t quite switch on rough to reposition when the ball came back across the goal.
We’ve got a big week, and we’ve got to focus on the next.
The team's attitude has been phenomenal.
They’ve (the players) been fantastic in the lead up to Man City and this game. Given our position, that’s difficult sometimes, for players and for staff. Everyone’s trying really hard to get the result. The determination, desire and work-rate in training has been phenomenal. It made the team selection really tough.
That’s a massive credit to the desire and intent of the side.
Anouk's been outstanding.
It’s a massive credit to her, she deserves that (the Player of the Match award). She created the opportunity for Sheki [Martinez] and there were other chances down that side. I thought she was really positive in ball carrying, driving at people, getting balls into key areas. She was really aggressive in her one-versus-ones well.
We're looking forward to the Southampton game.
We want to make sure we get back in our good form in the League Cup, and win games there as well, back at home in front of our fans, which is important. We want another good performance.
Zadorsky: We're unfortunate not to come away with three points
West Ham United women’s team defender Shelina Zadorsky hailed the energy and attitude in her side following our 1-1 draw with Leicester City on Sunday.
After a goalless first half at Chigwell Construction Stadium, Shekiera Martinez opened the scoring with a finish from a tight angle, after a left-footed cross from Anouk Denton.
However, after conceding a free-kick late on in the day, Shannon O’Brien was on hand to slam the ball home from close range in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time, to deny us our first WSL victory of the season.
Speaking post-match, Zadorsky, who played all of the contest in east London, said: “I think the energy from start to finish was really positive, and I felt everyone was fighting out there.
“We had some good spells in the attack, with people taking on their one-versus-ones, and I think we’re unfortunate not to come away with three points.
“I think that (determination) was contagious across [the team]. Since we came back from the international break, I think the energy's been really, really good and that's what we need because we need to get points on the board.
“I think we can build from this performance and take the point into the next games, and do well in the next games that we have.
“I think she's (Skinner’s) well aware we're disappointed not to take all the points, but there are positives and there are also things we can look back on: how to manage the end of a game and those little details.
“I think she knows we want three points and we're on the road to get that.”
The Hammers will be back in action on Wednesday night, with the visit of Southampton to come in the Subway® Women's League Cup, which will be followed up with a home test against Everton in the WSL - and Zadorsky wants to give the Claret and Blue Army a winning evening in midweek.
She said: “I think it's great to have three home games on the bounce like this and have our fans here. We want to put on a show and be able to celebrate a win with our fans, and each other.”
