Torquay United Woman V Ilminster Town Ladies 12/09/21

[Dave]

Match officals

Gary Hammon Simon Mann Andy Distin

Final Score Torquay United Woman 2 Ilminster Town ladies 2

Match Preview

As the regular photographer was not available today, I was asked if I was free to do a sponsor’s photo shoot and match photos for the Torquay United Woman’s Team. Photography and covering local football matches is just a hobby for me, I make no money from it at all and do it just for my love of the game, so for the first time I am a bit nervous today about the photo shoot ahead.

I have in the past covered a number of woman’s matches; I think we all can agree the standard of the woman’s game as improved immensely over the years. So I am defiantly looking forward to the game itself.

Both of today’s teams play in the Premier Division of the South West Regional Women's Football League, so it should be a cracking game.

Torquay United Woman have played one game so far this season, an away match with Bishops Lydeard Ladies First which they won by four goals to two.

Ilminster Town Ladies have also played just the one game, home to Middlezoy Ladies First, a game they won by a staggering thirteen goals to one. That vast score has put Ilminster Town ladies at the top of the table, but on the same number of points as the Torquay United Woman.



Match report

Just a quick report on today’s game and I am sorry if I get any of the players names slightly wrong as the TUFC ones are hard to read on the team sheet.

The game got underway and from a crowd of players outside the Torquay box, the ball was lobbed high into the air and came crashing down on the crossbar.

The Torquay forwards always looked like they had the beating of the Ilminster defence with their blistering runs and they were able to take a very early lead in the match.

A powerful shot was fired at the Ilminster goal from just outside the box. Charlote Johnson in goal made a good save but was only able to push the ball across the face of the goal. Torquay’s Ellie Bishop was first to the loose ball and fired it home into an empty net.

Torquay were clearly on top of the game at this stage and Helen Cukor was played into the right hand side of the Ilminster box, but her shot flew over the crossbar.

Torquay’s Pann Wyatt thought she had put her side two nil up when there was a coming too of her and the Ilminster keeper, she fired the ball home but a late flag went up for offside.

Torquay did manage to extend their lead after winning a corner. The ball was fired in but only half cleared the edge of the box by the Ilminster defence. Helen Cukor hit a low powerful shot that hit the ball into the back of the net.

Torquay were good for their lead at this point and my thoughts were the team Ilminster beat in their last game by such a high score must have been a very poor side or was just having a very bad day.

Ilminster Ladies were not about to give up on this game and were working hard to try and get back into it. A lovely ball was played to wards the far side of the goal from the right hand side and was met by Colette Martin who made no mistake and got her side a goal back. The match referee Gary Hammon blew up for halftime with the Torquay players going back to the changing rooms and the Ilminster ladies choosing to stay out on the pitch.

Ilminster started the second half in a more determined mood and were much better at the back containing any Torquay attacks.

They were soon on level terms when Jodi Cornnall scored the goal of the match. She must have been 30 yards out when she hit a very powerful shot that flew at lightning speed in the roof of the Torquay net, not even Grant Fisher would have saved that one.

Ilminster’s Abbie Carslake went on a very good run and got a good shot away that only just cleared the crossbar. It was time for the Torquay woman to step up their game and were slowing turning the tide and getting back on top again.

Ellie Bishop looked the smallest player on the pitch, but boy can she run and take the ball with her. She went on another wonderful run down the left hand side, with the keeper narrowing the angle she shot across her with the ball only just going wide of the right hand post.

That was it, on the balance of play and the Ilminster Ladies performance in the second half; I felt a draw was a fair enough result. A very completive and enjoyable game to watch.