Women's Football ease to victory over Leicester I

 

 

The game was halted in the first half for around half an hour after the player went down in what was an innocuous challenge from a UEA midfielder. It sounded serious, and she required a leg-brace, and had to be stretchered off before the game could continue.

 

 

It was a windy day at Colney Lane, with occasional rain showers making the day feel very wintry, but despite this, both sides were confident as they looked to move even further away from any potential relegation trouble in BUCS Midlands Division 2B.

 

 

UEA started the game brightly, helped somewhat by kicking into the wind in the first half, and found themselves presented with a glorious opportunity to take the lead within the first five minutes. A horrible error by Leicester’s goalkeeper saw the ball presented to one of UEA’s attackers, and she could not miss from yards out, giving the home side a 1-0 lead.

 

 

The goal seemed to galvanise both sides, as Leicester surged forward looking for an equaliser, but were denied by some superb defending. However, it was the home side who struck next after a well-worked passing move was finished off well to give them a deserved 2-0 lead. Neither side lost their attacking intent, though, with Leicester threatening at times, and UEA thought they had scored a third, but the referee ruled that the ball did not cross the line.

 

 

Then the injury to one of Leicester’s players happened, and after a lengthy delay the game restarted and both teams struggled to regain their previous momentum. Given the changeable weather conditions and occasional rain showers, this was no real surprise. Both sides were clearly affected by the stoppage, and despite some occasional Leicester pressure, it was the home side who once again worked an opening.

 

 

A superb cross to the back post found its way through, and after one shot rattled off the underside of the bar, the rebound was tucked away from about six yards out for a 3-0 UEA lead. Leicester felt slightly aggrieved at the 3-0 scoreline at half-time, but it was just reward for the home side’s clinical finishing and superb defensive play.

 

 

The second half kicked off, and saw a much more even contest, with Leicester beginning to gain more of a foothold in the match. They had an early penalty appeal turned down by the referee, and had some good openings, but could not quite take advantage. Credit must go to UEA’s defenders, who defended stoutly in the face of mounting pressure from Leicester.

 

 

The away side then hit the post after a corner caused relative havoc in the UEA penalty box, but it was cleared away, and as the rain began to come down more heavily, the referee called an end to the game with a final score of 3-0.

 

 

It was a deserved victory for UEA in testing conditions and under difficult circumstances, and sees them move six points clear of relegation-threatened Loughborough III, and just three points behind Cambridge I in the automatic promotion place.