Ladies Bring Back Three Points

The long journey to Westfields on Sunday was well worth it for Knowle Ladies on Sunday as they returned with all three points and another clean sheet after a 0-5 win.



Knowle spent much of the first forty five minutes camped out in their opponents half, dominating the game from the whistle. Lucy Jones set down a marker early on, winning the ball from Westfields kick off and driving forward to put her team on the front foot. From the resulting throw in, Natalie Gibson set up Jess Holland but her shot was well saved by the Westfields keeper. Knowle were looking dangerous down the right side with Jess Barlow seeing plenty of the ball. Another incisive run from her won Knowle a corner after ten minutes, and Emma Shaw played in the perfect delivery for Sam Smith to head home and give her side the lead. Less than a minute later it was two; Knowle executed a great press and turned the ball over. Demi Rolph worked it to Gibson who squared a pass to Barlow and she took one touch before rifling her shot past the keeper from 25 yards out. The pressure kept coming from Knowle with Kate Fleming finding time and space in the middle of the park to pick her passes; one through ball found Rolph who hit her shot just over the bar. Knowle’s top scorer so far this season was soon in the action again however. Fleming won the header and Rolph picked up the second ball before beating the defender and slipping it to Gibson on the edge of the box. The gaffer showed her class by slaloming through two challenges into the box, riding the third late tackle to stay on her feet and finish well past the keeper. The away side looked hungry for more and nearly had a fourth when Maz Byrne planted a header wide from a corner. Holland nearly produced a goal of the season contender when Jones laid the ball into her with her back to goal in the box, she flicked it up and hit a volley on the spin that the keeper had to push wide. The away side also thought they’d earned a penalty when Rolph got her shot away in the area but was then clattered by the keeper, but had to settle for a corner. 

Westfields did make a couple of brief forays into the Knowle half, Katy Smirthwaite being alert to come off her line and deal with a through ball with her feet, then Byrne heading away a dangerous cross for a corner which Smith cleared. It was only a matter of time before Knowle picked up their fourth – Fleming hit an effort from the edge of the box well and a terrific solo run from Rolph ended up with a shot just wide of the post. It eventually came after good work from Abbie Diskin and Barlow on the right side gave Knowle another corner. Shaw’s delivery was superb again and this time Byrne matched it with a cracking finish, hitting a volley that dipped over the keeper and into the net. There was just enough time in the half for Knowle to create one more chance; Abi Morris won the ball well on the halfway line and fed Bex Clarke. She slid in a pass to Holland, but the forward’s shot was well held by the keeper again.

The second half continued in much the same pattern with the Robins well on top, though they were guilty of missing too many chances to extend the score line as much as they possibly should have. Set pieces were always a huge threat for Knowle, with pinpoint delivery from both sides – not long after the break Smith hit the post with another header, this time from Gibson’s corner and Byrne blazed the rebound over the bar. Barlow’s cross also created havoc in the Westfields penalty area and it looked as though Holland would stab it home, but her attempt skewed off across the goal line and was hacked clear. Clarke was controlling the midfield zone and mopping up any clearances from the home side, and she played in Rolph out wide but the forward was adjudged to be offside. Rolph wasn’t to be denied though and did get her goal soon after. Barlow’s trickery beat the full back and she found Jones’s overlapping run; the right back’s cross was whipped into the back post where Rolph slotted it home to give Knowle a 0-5 lead. 

Chances continued to come from the Robins – Byrne headed over the bar from Shaw’s corner and Barlow forced a good save from the hard working Westfields keeper.  The home side tried to play on the break and did almost wriggle through to trouble Smirthwaite, but Smith and Clarke combined to snuff out the danger. Westfield’s left winger was a threat when she ran at the back line and she also set up a long range attempt that flew wide. The home side’s defence did well to block close range attempts from Holland and Rolph soon after. It looked as though Gibson was going to score number six after Barlow was tripped outside the box, but her free kick cannoned off the crossbar and Holland couldn’t quite react quick enough to finish the rebound.

Knowle won’t complain about settling for five though, and will take pride in the clean sheet once again. All thirteen players in the squad got good game time and performed well, including Morris who once again stepping up from the U18s to game valuable experience in adult football. Barlow was Knowle’s more influential player and duly earned the player of the match award, but a fine team performance once again and credit to Westfields who worked their socks off and never dropped their heads despite a difficult start to the season with injuries severely affecting their squad. Next up for Knowle is the FA Cup tie away at Lye Town next Sunday!

Knowle: Smirthwaite, Shaw, Smith, Byrne, Jones, Clarke, Fleming, Gibson, Rolph, Holland, Barlow.

Subs: Morris (for Fleming, 30), Diskin (for Gibson, 30).