Super Sunday win and a great club day leaves Ladies in 3rd spot

by Mike Haymonds

SLOUGH Ladies experienced a weekend of mixed fortunes when a win and a loss against lowly placed teams left them as they began – in third place and still on course for a play-off berth.

After losing 4-2 to Olton on Saturday, they recovered to beat Clifton 3-2. They should have beaten Clifton by a wider margin but they only gained domination in the second half and their woeful finishing limited them to a single-goal victory.

In heavy rain and severe cold Clifton opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Carla Dunnett forced a rebound home from close range at their first penalty corner. Slough were denied what seemed a justified penalty stroke when Sam Archer was stopped by a crude tackle when closing in on goal but a corner was all she won and that was squandered, as were all bar one of Slough’s eight in the game.

Nicola White equalised in the 29th minute with a blistering shot from the top right of the D and Fiona Greenham increased their lead four minutes later from a corner, deflecting a Strong push/shot into the roof of the net for her first goal of the season.

But the advantage lasted only three minutes as Carys Hopkins beat Filochowski at the visitors’ fifth corner, right on half time.
In the second half Slough were firmly in control but, despite having most possession, they created few chances.

Alex Scott’s match winner on the hour was a precious exception as she squeezed her shot past the Clifton keeper Gemma Ible at her near post.

(v Clifton): Filochowski, Nicholson, Strong, Coulson, Bowe, Scott, Greenham, Ball, Archer, Penny, Ilkei. Subs: Bell, Bevan, White, Daniels.