Posted by Claire on February 26, 2008, 1:56 pm
Women's Southern Regional Premier Division
Sunday 24th February 2008
Oxford City Ladies (3) 6 (Carnell pen 7, Totton 16, 29, Mobbs 71, 73, 90)
Riverside Strikers (0) 1
City turned in a convincing performance to maintain their unbeaten league record. City started the game in third place, three points behind top-of-the-table Riverside with four games in hand.
City took the game to their opponents from the kick-off and were soon a goal up. A fierce Rachel Catling shot hit the bar and Michelle Robinson was fouled as she attempted to turn in the rebound. Lauren Carnell coolly dispatched the penalty into the bottom corner. Katie Totton doubled the lead in the 16th minute, bundling home the rebound from close range after a Steph Mobbs cross had been deflected by a defender and tipped on to the bar by the keeper.
Totton, who put in an excellent, hard-working performance up front in the absence of top scorer Deanne Tomkins, hit an unstoppable free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards to send City in three up at half-time, after 45 minutes which they had dominated throughout.
Riverside tried to reduce the arrears after the break but their long-range shots gave a City defence marshalled by Carol Harwood little trouble. City seemed content to let Riverside have possession but still looked dangerous on the break, and went further ahead in the 71st minute. An excellent long pass from Carnell found Louise Craig, whose cross was deftly sidefooted home from 12 yards out by Mobbs.
Two minutes later Mobbs added her second after excellent interplay with Hannah Smye. Riverside pulled a goal back in the 79th minute when a right-wing cross was forced home from close range, but Mobbs completed the scoring, and her hat-trick, with a great run and shot.
This was an excellent performance by City who were well worth their win and move up to second in the table as a result, only one point behind the new leaders Shanklin, with 4 games in hand.
Team: Hannah Cox – Lauren Carnell (capt), Carol Harwood, Heidi Hiscock – Louise Craig, Claire Bates, Rachel Catling (sub Rachel Millard 72 min), Michelle Robinson, Hannah Smye – Steph Mobbs, Katie Totton.
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