L1A: Reading 6 Rover Oxford 0

Reading hosted Rover Oxford at Sonning Lane on Saturday, and a 6-0 win for the home team saw them move up to second place in South League Division 1.

With Rover Oxford sitting at the bottom of the league with only a single point to their name Reading were hopeful of a good result, but knew that they would have to play with their intensity and to their standard to take control and dominate.

Things started well for the 1a’s when a square pass from Mel Lennard found Alison Pope, who popped the ball through into the D for Chloe Lyons to open the scoring.

The lead was doubled to 2-0 in the 10^th minute when Lauren Woodwiss moved the ball up the left to pass to Chiara Clarke on the top of the D. With what seemed like an age in which to shoot Clarke made no mistake as she smashed the ball home.

With Rover Oxford struggling to contain Reading they surrounded the ball with several players which left Reading with plenty of options once they had got past the line of Oxford players, and Clarke once again was free at the top of the D to score just minutes before half time.

It took until 10 minutes after half time for Reading to score again, and it was Clarke again to make it 4-0, completing her hat-trick in the process.

A 2 minute spell 15 minutes before the end of the game saw Reading close the game out as they added 2 goals in quick succession. Lauren Woodwiss scored the first, and Player of the Match Hayley Munt added the second when she’d peeled strong and knocked the ball past the keeper after picking up a pass from Alison Pope, who surely must lead the team in assists.

Whilst not always at the standard of previous weeks this was still a solid performance from the 1a’s – and scoring 6 along with a first clean sheet of the year improves their goal difference enough to keep them ahead of Epsom in the league table.

TEAM – Alexa Kearns, Lou Gordon, Kirsty Reeman, Rachael Marriott, Amy Sanders, Mel Lennard, Alison Pope, Alex Marshall, Nicky West, Hayley Munt, Chiara Clarke, Pippa Massey, Lauren Woodwiss, Chloe Lyons

COACH – Paul Turk

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Hayley Munt

MOST FINES – OJ

ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK – Naked Ironing

FASHION FAUX-PAS OFF THE WEEK – Wearing only a scarf and shoes. Yes, nothing else, just a scarf and shoes… Good job it stayed in the changing room…

Date – 07/11/09

Opposition – Rover Oxford 1’s

Result – Won 6-0

Scorers – Chiara Clarke x 3, Chloe Lyons, Lauren Woodwiss, Hayley Munt