Blackburn Rovers Ladies 0 Arsenal 3 Match report Womens Premier League Soccer

Blackburn Rovers: K.Hawke, A.Bateman, J.Eadie, L.Shepherd, N.Brewer, N.Twohig, D.Campbell (V.Eastwood 87), K.Anderton, K.Brusell (H.Bailey 68), A.Barr, M.Cook (S.McCrea 68).

Arsenal: E.Byrne, A.Scott, C.Grant, A.Asante, M.Phillip, K.Carney, K.Chapman, K.Smith, R.Yankey (S.Larkin 82), L.Sanderson, J.Fleeting (G.Davison 78).

Match Report: The new season had a good feeling to it at picturesque Clitheroe FC, the new home of Blackburn Rovers Ladies. Although the pitch had a marked slope from wing to wing the lush surface looked conducive to passing football and the music blaring from the tannoy was also not bad.

There must have been some apprehension in the ranks of the newly promoted Rovers as they contemplated meeting the awesome Arsenal Ladies.

The home sides' intentions were clear from the off as they sat deep in their own half, instantly leaving new signing Amanda Barr basically isolated up front.

Arsenal need no invitation to pour forward and were instantly camped in the Rovers half. The inability of the Blackburn defence to clear effectively meant the first few minutes were a trying experience for the Premier League newcomers.

Lianne Sanderson produced a super run down the left hand side but her dangerous low ball was smuggled clear by Natalie Brewer at full stretch. Moments later Sanderson popped up in the middle to take control of another loose ball and keep her side on the attack.

It is that kind of instinctive reading of the game which make her such an outstanding talent.

Katie Chapman needed treatment early on after falling heavily after a challenge with Lynda Shepherd and her shoulder looked somewhat tender. Chapman returned to the fray and would see out the game despite also taking a nasty blow to the ankle later on.

Karen Carney gave an indication of her threat by turning sweetly away from Shepherd in the centre of the pitch but put just too much on her through ball in trying to send Julie Fleeting clear.

Another lovely jinking run from Carney then gave Sanderson a shooting chance but she was well off target from 20 yards.

After a difficult opening ten minutes Blackburn looked to have drawn some of Arsenal's sting although the game was still almost exclusively being played in their half of the pitch.

Arsenal had not quite got to grips with the skiddy surface and a succession of attacking opportunities were wasted by passes that were just too heavy.

Chapman, Sanderson and even Kelly Smith were all guilty and Alex Scott must have been getting frustrated as she continually bombed forward into space only to find the ball scurrying away from her into touch.

Blackburn's first tentative opening came on the quarter hour mark when Katie Anderton found herself with a chance to play in Katie Brusell but her pass was also too strong and Emma Byrne collected.

Two dodgy decisions in Arsenal's favour in quick succession ended with Kelly Smith having a go from long range but Kay Hawke's handling was secure as the effort came straight at her.

Rachel Yankey's first real involvement saw her race to the byeline to pull back a fine ball which Carney met on the edge of the box but sent just wide of the near post.

Then Arsenal wasted two glorious openings when heavy passes from Yankey and Smith denied Sanderson and Carney clear runs on goal.

Lynda Shepherd was enjoying a productive couple of minutes and sent Anderton running into space with a great ball. Anderton's pass forward found only Ciara Grant but her miscontrol saw Shepherd racing forward to collect.

Shepherd sent in a low shot that Byrne could not hold and Amanda Barr looked a clear favourite for the loose ball. There was a moments' hesitation, however, and when she did get her shot away Byrne was lunging to block with real bravery.

This scare might have just stiffened Arsenal's resolve because they stormed straight onto the attack and took the lead after a couple of minutes' intense pressure.

Smith broke powerfully through the middle to play in Carney whose shot for the top corner was tipped over by Hawke.

The corner was again only half cleared and dropped at the feet of Kelly Smith. In an instant her 25 yard cross shot was nestling in the bottom corner, Hawke's slight touch unable to prevent her net from bulging.

Fleeting then produced a nice turn away from Nicky Twohig and her low ball found its way to Alex Scott but Anisha Bateman produced a fine blocking challenge and Rovers somehow survived the resulting melee.

Blackburn's best attack so far saw Anderton slip a lovely ball down the line for Shepherd but when she centred low into the middle there was no sign of Barr and Brusell was coming in from the left too late and Grant cleared at the expense of a throw in.

Brusell went over to the right flank to send in a long throw and remained on that side as play stayed around the Arsenal box for the next couple of minutes.

Nothing came of the pressure but Brusell stayed involved making a couple of promising runs down the wing. Once play had settled down and she switched back to the left, however, she disappeared again as an attacking force.

As Arsenal took over once more sloppy defending allowed Fleeting a shooting chance but Hawke's positioning and handling were sound at her near post.

Great feet from Carney won her side a corner and Fleeting was able to power in a strong header but again she could not direct the ball either side of Rovers' impressive keeper.

Blackburn threatened to threaten as the game approached half time but were unable to test Byrne. Anderton was unlucky to be penalised when she won possession in a challenge with Mary Phillip in which both players had raised feet as Rovers looked like breaking and then a poor ball by Chapman gave a hint of an opening.

It was inevitable that the half should end with Arsenal pressing though and Carney made herself a yard of space with a nice shimmy to test Hawke again but the keeper was again down smartly to save at her near post.

Arsenal specialise in overpowering sides in the second half and Blackburn were given a real working over after half time. Arsenal looked to step up a gear and began stretching the Rovers defence down both flanks as they attacked with pace and purpose.

Sanderson sent Carney clear down the right and her centre looked perfect for Fleeting only for Bateman to produce a superb headed clearance. Next Kelly Smith was skipping her way to the byeline and another good interception was required at the near post.

Rachel Yankey sent in another tester for Hawke at the foot of her post but again her glovework was sound. Shortly afterwards the Blackburn keeper fumbled an Alex Scott centre but was able to recover before anyone could punish her slight lapse. Her performance had earned this stroke of fortune.

Scott and Carney continued to provide the real source of danger down the right hand side and another flowing move down that flank ended with Smith's searching cross just eluding Fleeting but finding Yankey at the far post. Again Anisha Bateman produced a brave and telling block.

Smith then shifted the ball onto her left foot on the right hand angle of the box to send in another effort arrowing towards Hawke's near post and again the keeper was down quickly to save.

The move of the match saw Carney and Sanderson exchange passes as they swept forward and when Carney again pulled the ball back into Sanderson her sliding effort put the ball just wide of the far post from 15 yards.

Again Blackburn got some respite after a ten minute examination and Shepherd even flicked on a Twohig free kick to offer a hint of danger at the other end but Byrne was out before Barr could profit.

Even Mary Phillip was able to saunter forward to send a drive over the angle from 25 yards but two minutes later Kelly Smith found herself in a similar position and the result was spectacularly different.

Smith escaped the clutches of Shepherd and smashed a ferocious drive into the top corner with Hawke not even bothering to make the token drive.

Even the scorer herself, pretty accustomed to pulling off the spectacular, looked more than a little pleased with herself about this one.

From the kick off Nicky Twohig launched the ball forward and there was Barr running clear of the Arsenal defence. The lob was on but Barr could not get enough height on the effort and Byrne collected simply enough.

Arsenal are a pretty ruthless outfit and there was no let up for Rovers in the final 20 minutes.

Hawke was called on to make an excellent stop from Fleeting's flicked header and a more routine save from Smith's long range free kick.

A punt upfield by the Blackburn keeper also sent Barr running free. The finish was again weak and Byrne saved with her feet at just about the moment that one of the latest flags in the history of the game was being raised.

On 77 minutes a sweeping move ended with Yankey crossing to Carney whose chested lay off allowed Fleeting to drill in off the inside of the post, the ball skimming across into the side netting on the opposite side of goal.

Sanderson combined well with the substitute Gemma Davison to send in a low drive which forced a fine save from Hawke even though Natalie Brewer had managed to take some of the sting out of the effort.

Then Davison produced a lovely jinking run through the centre of the Rovers defence but her fierce effort was straight at Hawke who managed to parry. The rebound fell for Carney who sent in another strong effort which Hawke again repelled.

The quality of Arsenal's crosses was consistently excellent and the Blackburn defence can be more than happy with the way they defended these situations. When Sanderson whipped over another beauty it was Jayne Eadie's turn to stretch in front of an attacker and head behind.

Hawke was at full stretch to deny Kelly Smith her hat trick after she had again slipped the attentions of Shepherd before the clever Davison produced a lovely turn to smack a low effort against the inside of the post. This time the ball stayed out.

With a minute left Katie Anderton managed a neat turn and pass through for Barr but the striker looked as though she didn't really fancy it and although she got the first touch ahead of Emma Byrne it was only faint and the keeper was able to hack clear.

There was a good reception at the end from the crowd of 241 and it must be hoped that Blackburn continue to get such support. Despite being soundly beaten here there is absolutely no cause for despondancy about the performance.

Their defence stood up strongly to a real battering and never lost their shape, discipline or commitment. If they can retain such focus and determination against the other teams in this league they should prove difficult to break down. Especially as they appear to have a fine goalkeeper behind them.

Although Amanda Barr and Katie Anderton could make little impression here they should score goals against lesser opponents.

Arsenal were simply awesome and look to have a more potent attack than even last season with the signing of the irrepressible Karen Carney who really caught the eye with her intelligent movement as well as her more noted dribbling skills.

Above all, however, was the presence of Kelly Smith. Not just for her two magnificent goals, she simply dominated the whole pitch.

Smith is a master at finding space and simply makes her own if she does have a marker with her. She was too hot for Blackburn to handle and they will not be the last team to suffer at her hands this season.

Player of the Match: Kelly Smith
As near to perfection as a footballer with no right foot is allowed to be.
When the tannoy announcer began to announce the man of the match I truly feared it might be a home town decision but commonsense prevailed and the master was recognised.
Carney and Alex Scott also deserve mentioning for Arsenal while Kay Hawke and Anisha Bateman excelled in Blackburn's rearguard action.