Match Report – 5th October 2008
WWLFC 1 – Havant & warterlooville 2
Wycombe entertained top of the league Havant & Waterlooville on Sunday; a team that had only conceded 1 goal to date. After a poor start to the season, an improved performance was demanded from first team coach Graham Malcolm, and the players delivered.
Wycombe always expected to be the underdogs in this fixture, but the team stepped up and gave the visitors a tough task. The first half saw Wycombe playing up the slight slope at their Loudwater home ground. With good performances all round the pitch, Wycombe soaked up the pressure and limited the oposition’s chances. However, a lack of movement across the pitch whilst in possession, made creating chances difficult. The visitors were the first to score after 25mins when their left wing player provided a tidy ball through to the forward who cleanly put it past the home keeper. Giving the vistors confidence, they stepped up the pressure and forced Wycombe back towards the edge of their box. A second attack at 35 mins saw the ball played wide to their right winger who, failing to be closed down by any Wycombe player, decided to shoot, struck the ball cleanly and hit the top left hand corner, 2-0. Whilst a good looking strike, the goal could have been prevented.
Wycombe lifted their heads and continued to battle. At every opportunity the defence and midfield moved the ball forward and on 40 mins provided Su Oakley with the ball, she turned her player and ran towards goal providing a last minute side pass to Tasha Smith on the left who composed herself and passed the ball into the bottom right corner of the opponents net. An excellent goal from a developing young player.
The second half was a much more even affair with Wycombe battling all over the pitch and forcing some last minute defending from Havant & Waterlooville. With both sides competing in some end to end activity, clear chances were limited with Wycombe restricting their oposition to long range shots. Learning lessons from the first half, each player was swiftly closed down and the resultant shot flew clearly wide or high of the goal. Wycombe provided their “fans” with some good periods of play and were always a threat.
After a good performance Wycombe felt slightly disappointed not to walk away with a point from the fixture. However, the team now need to take this form into future matches and keep focussed on the task in hand.
