City Ladies Start Their WPL Season With A Defeat

21 August 2011 15:57
Coventry City Ladies first ever WPL game Coventry City Ladies were beaten in their first ever Womens Premier League game at Reading FC by a single goal this afternoon. At Tadley Calleva FC, Reading striker Watts had the first chance of the match firing high and wide from a free kick awarded against City's long serving Natasha Lynch. A Danni Saulter cross went agonisingly wide before a Simkins corner had to be scrambled away by the Royals defence. Sue Wood saved from the far post followed by McKenna heading over from a Simpkins corner in a half that finished without a goal. Paul Cudby's side had the early pressure in the second half with Leanne McKenna's header down just evading Lynch at far post and before a fantastic strike from twenty yards by Gauntlett was saved by Maloney. Reading bided their time and took the lead through Watts with a side foot finish from two yards as the City defence appealed for offside. City kept going with Milly Durrant rounding the keeper before hitting side netting and then forcing Maloney into a save with a shot from eight yards. Then City twice hit the post. First, when great control and a left footed strike by Bartlett who had replaced Gauntlett came back off the far post with Maloney well beaten and second when Helen Dermody clipped the outside of the left post from a Bartlett ball. It was all City in the closing stages. Maloney made a great diving save from a Bartlett flick header and McKenna heading over from another corner. City had another corner which was their 12th of the game but were unable to find the net and went down to a 1-0 defeat. Coventry City Ladies are at home to Charlton Athletic next Sunday. Kick off at Bedworth United is at 2pm. City; Wood. Steele, Ward, McKenna, Lynch, Manley, Saulter, Simpkins, Gauntlett (Bartlett), Dermody, Durrant. Subs Goulding, Butler, Wilcox,  Hinton. Reading: Moloney, Wiggins, Alexander, Delves, Shaw, Chambers, Harbinson, Ryan, Watts, Palmer, Brewster

Source: FOOTYMAD