ALL SQUARE IN LADIES' BIG LEAGUE CLASH

It's safe to say both sides had been looking forward to this game since the fixtures were announced back in August; two teams with lofty ambitions in the league this year and who did not get the chance to play one another during last year’s curtailed season. The hot day and dry, bobbly pitch probably didn’t help with the players’ nerves and both sides made a cagey start to the game, feeling one another out and much of the play contained to the middle third of the pitch. The defenders at either end were on form, making blocks and tackles when it looked like a chance may appear and both goalkeepers mopped up anything that bounced too long. The first real shot of the game came from Knowle’s Morgan Betteridge after good work from Alice Belcher and Jess Holland transferred the ball across the pitch, but her long range effort from wide was collected well by the retreating Sporting keeper. Sporting also attempted a shot from distance shortly after that which Katy Smirthwaite pushed wide and Maz Byrne followed in to calmly clear the lines for Knowle. Sporting then took the lead when a Knowle free kick fell short, leaving several players out of position. The home side’s number ten was able to shrug off the attentions of three Knowle players on the half way line before slotting through to her forward who finished very well past Smirthwaite, despite Betteridge’s close tracking. Belcher and Demi Rolph were causing problems for Sporting, but as a team Knowle couldn’t quite find the right final ball to create a really clear opportunity. When the two speedy attackers did break through alone, the home side’s defence recovered well to stop them through sheer weight of numbers. Knowle continued to work hard to close down and make tackles; perhaps over exuberantly when Annie Stanway took out her own player Rolph near the sidelines! As the half ended, Stanway’s free kick bounced agonisingly past all the onrushing players at the back post and Sporting had a header well gathered by Smirthwaite, leaving the half time score 1-0 after a scrappy 45 minutes.

The second half saw both teams attack more and apply pressure going forward. Belcher forced a corner for Knowle early on and then Sporting fired a free kick straight at the Knowle wall. The home side had the better attacking opportunities for a spell, with a couple of crosses fizzing straight across the box and Smirthwaite making a great save with her feet to thwart probably the best chance of the game when the centre forward nipped through the Knowle defence. It was perhaps then slightly against the run of play then when the Robins equalised; Kate Fleming won the ball well in the middle and laid it off to Belcher to play a nice one two with Betteridge and break into the box. She cleverly drew the keeper before squaring to Rolph who stabbed it home from six yards. The game then opened up and went end to end, both sides striving for the win. Knowle threw debutant Keeley Wright on and shuffled Rach Keen to left back and she made an excellent tackle to stop a dangerous Solihull attack, plus combined well with Jess Barlow on the wing to curtail another promising opportunity. The away side came inches away from taking the lead when Rolph weaved her way past two challenges to go clear through on goal, but she smashed her shot against the post. Smirthwaite then had to scramble to her right to push a Sporting attempt onto the post and gather the rebound. A couple of injury stoppages disrupted the tempo of the game until Byrne decided to take matters into her own hands from the back. She won possession with a strong tackle and stormed forward deep into opposition territory brushing aside several yellow shirts before playing Rolph in. The keeper did well to save her shot then it looked like the ball may still roll into the net but the goalie was able to scramble up and get back to gather on the line. Sporting’s next foray into the Knowle box ended with the forward firing well wide but their next attempt was much closer, bouncing just inches past the far post after the winger’s mazy run pulled Knowle’s defence out of line. If that one was close, then Belcher went even closer, beating the defender to a long ball with sheer determination then attempting the lob the keeper, but her effort shaved the paint off the outside of the post. The last ten minutes of the match saw Sporting pour forward and put pressure on Knowle but the Robins stood firm and repelled everything thrown at them. Knowle’s biggest chance to break came when Wright instigated a neat passage of play that resulted in her finding room on the right, but her cross was blocked and the Solihull keeper saved Fleming’s attempt from the resulting corner. With 93 minutes on the clock, a Solihull player unfortunately suffered a medical emergency; an ambulance had to be summoned and so the referee called full time. Well done to all those who responded, particular Knowle skipper Byrne whose medical training was invaluable and who showed great sportsmanship and care in looking after the stricken player for over 40 minutes.  

A 1-1 draw the final result then, competitive throughout and though perhaps neither side did quite enough to win it, both would have felt hard done by to lose it. Knowle were pleased to take a point from such a tough away game but now the league goes on the back burner as attention turns to the FA Cup tie away at Coundon Court next week.

Knowle: Smithwaite, Harris (Barlow, 30), Smith, Byrne, Betteridge (Wright, 62), Keen, Belcher, Fleming, Holland, Stanway, Rolph. (Bench unused: Abbots)