Doncaster Rover Belles 3 Fulham Ladies 1

Doncaster: Catherine Beaver, Emma Thomson, Vanessa Leat, Jo Love, Claire Utley, Michelle Kerr, Vikki Stevens, Julie Twaddle (Rebecca Lee 54), Carla Cantrell, Pauline Hamill (Stacey Daniel 76), Emily Heckler (Michelle Walsh 58).

Fulham: Marie Hourihan, Alysha Frampton (Sandra Hughes 63), Jess Trimnell, Chloe Lloyd, Katie McIntyre, Emma Hayes, Amy Ram (Kate Wilding 32), Kirstie Powell (Natalie Jasper 70), Michaela Gooden, Sarah Reagan, Daniella Farmer.

Match Report: The Belles were back at Belle Vue for possibly the last time and the match began in miserable overhead conditions. The playing surface, on the other hand, looked perfect

It was going to be interesting to see what kind of showing the decimated Fulham side would provide and there was a big disappointment before the game started as Amy Found was down in the programme but not on show.

The Fulham kick off, booted straight out of play deep in Doncaster territory, was straight out of the John Beck coaching manual and hardly inspired confidence in what would follow. Although Emma Thomson duly slipped flat on her face taking the resulting throw in there was nothing really testing in the tactic.

The visitors proceded to make a truly awful start to the game and made things simple for the Belles with a wildly optimistic 4-2-4 formation to start with, both wingers staying tight to the touchline where it proved impossible to find them.

This meant that the Belles, with all the early possession, continually had players over in the midfield and although Emma Hayes and Kirstie Powell would prove themselves two of the most efficient players on view they were powerless to stop Doncaster making their numerical advantage in the central areas tell.

Pauline Hamill almost had Jo Love through on goal in the opening minute and a series of corners tested Marie Hourihan in the Fulham goal after Emily Heckler had proved too fast for Jess Trimnell to send in a centre to the near post which was bundled behind.

The breakthrough, which looked likely at any moment, came as early as the 4th minute and the prospect of a landslide looked good.

The Fulham defence was nowhere to be seen as a long ball forward was flicked on and Hamill sent Carla Cantrell in on goal to finish despite Hourihan's valiant effort to save.

Fulham's first venture into the Doncaster half came when Powell nicked possession cleverly in the midfield but with players free to her left she shot ambitiously and the ball deflected behind for a corner.

Then a free kick by Trimnell which bounced at the feet of Cath Beaver had the Belles keeper spilling the ball back into the box but there were no takers.

In general, however, Fulham were being overrun and were totally unable to find their wide players who both seemed content to hope that the Rovers defenders would simply miss their interceptions rather than try and challenge for possession.

Doncaster were still able to make headway with close passing moves through the middle and Hamill was especially dangerous as she dropped deeper to link up with those behind her.

Hamill made space to send Love runing clear and she in turn fed Heckler wide on the left. The cross was good and found Vikki Stevens with a sight of goal at the far post but her touch was poor and the chance went begging.

Then it was Heckler with a heavy touch when released by Cantrell and she ended up having to square a ball which no-one could reach when she should have been shooting at goal.

With Hamill and Love controlling play and the Fulham defence struggling to cope more goals looked inevitable.

Thomson was unlucky to see a clever pass just run away from Hamill on the slick surface while Hourihan was sharp to parry an effort by the lively forward and her defence was just about able to smuggle the rebound behind for a corner.

This was headed home but the referee awarded Fulham a very generous free kick and the effort did not count.

Hourihan then came to the rescue by nicking the ball away from Cantrell as they challenged for a through ball just outside the area.

With twenty minutes gone Fulham altered their shape and went to a far more sensible 4-5-1 formation.

The visitors also began to play an offside trap in an effort to curtail the waves of Doncaster attacks. At first these changes had little effect and the one way traffic continued.

Cantrell blazed wide from the edge of the box, the Belles claimed long and loud for a penalty but the referee rightly decided that it had been ball to hand and Hourihan was forced into a quality save down to her left from Cantrell's shot after Heckler had produced a piece of class controlling on her chest and shown fine vision to pierce the centre of the Fulham defence with her pass.

Slowly, however, Fulham's alterations began to have the desired effect and they began to get a foothold in the game. This increased when Kate Wilding was sent on in place of Amy Ram and the sub began to assist Powell more ably in the midfield with Hayes becoming a useful shield in front of the back four.

Fulham's defence also looked more confident as they began catching the Belles offside more frequently and with Hourihan alert in leaving her box to boot clear when necessary things began to look better for the visitors.

Daniella Farmer sent over a decent free kick which Cath Beavers missed completely and was lucky to see the ball bounce wide off one of her defenders and when the corner was flicked on by Sarah Reagan Chloe Lloyd had a shooting chance beyond the far post. Her effort was weak and missed the post, however.

Powell's instincts were sound and she looked a tidy midfield player, generally at the centre of the action, laying simple passes to her colleagues and then looking to support the player in possession.

Together with Hayes they were able to keep Fulham on the attack for a prolonged spell and a dangerous move was only halted when Michaela Gooden was obstructed breaking clear down the right wing.

Farmer sent over another quality ball from the free kick which was only half cleared but Gooden's shot from the edge of the box was well over the top.

The pressure was beginning to cause mistakes from the Belles defence and Wilding was prominent as Fulham almost got through on goal twice in a matter of seconds. As the Belles still found it impossible to clear properly the ball fell to Farmer 25 yards out and she sent a curving drive over Beaver and into the far corner for a splendid equaliser.

Farmer had looked quite timid when confronted with any possible physical encounter but she had now shown genuine ability on the ball on several occasions.

Doncaster looked to respond with Thomson going away from Reagan far too easily to play in Cantrell who could only slice her shot wide of the near post while a lunging interception prevented Hamill's through ball from sending Heckler clear.

When two quality crosses from either flank had the Fulham defence in a spin a goal looked odds on as Jo Love showed lovely composure to sidestep a challenge but her measured shot was just the wrong side of the post with Hourihan helpless.

The half ended with Fulham showing their increased confidence again and when Farmer produced a wonderful ball in from the right which sliced through the entire Doncaster defence Reagan had a great chance at the far post but shinned her attempt badly to let the home side off the hook.

From looking likely to be a walk over in the early stages the game was now enjoyably open and well contested.

Daniella Farmer had emerged as one of the games' interesting performers and she displayed her natural flair for the unexpected by returning for the second half with one sleeve rolled up so neatly it just looked like a short sleeve while the other remained left at full length.

The game remained in the balance although Doncaster undoubtedly looked more dangerous and had more of the play.

Katie McIntyre produced a tremendously elastic clearance to cut out a raking Vanessa Leat centre but then botched a routine interception to leave Heckler running through on goal. Again her touch was lacking and Hourihan saved bravely at her feet.

Farmer then produced a stunning piece of skill to flick the ball over Leat's head when apparently hemmed in by the touchline and having turned onto the ball was unlucky to see her early knock for Gooden cut out by an alert Belles defence.

Stevens had a fine chance to get the Belles back in front when Cantrell produced a lovely cushioned volley into her path from Leat's long free kick but was wide as she shot on the bounce from the edge of the box.

Doncaster decided changes were in order as they continued to be frustrated and Rebecca Lee and Michelle Walsh replaced Julie Twaddle and Emily Heckler in quick succession.

Love created the next chance for Cantrell but Hourihan was again down quickly to save.

Hamill had been more subdued since Hayes began plugging the hole behind the Fulham midfield but still looked class when she did get involved. She produced a clever flick which looked to have put Walsh clear but the sub could not quite catch up with it.

The Fulham defence now looked better organised than ever although as a team they did not look to have the same stamina as their more experienced opponents.

Whether this was a factor in the changes now made by Mark Saunderson we cannot say but in withdrawing Alysha Frampton and moving McIntyre to right back the back four never looked as solid again.

Fatigue might have become a problem but although Kirstie Powell had been less noticeable since half time it was still a surprise to see her make way as well.

Doncaster almost got lucky when a complete mis-kick by Cantrell ran kindly for Walsh but she then also made poor contact as she tried to convert.

The home side had players to spare in their next attack but Hamill could not get enough curl on her shot and the ball passed harmlessly wide of Hourihan's post.

Farmer produced another lovely touch which allowed her to force a corner but this came to nought and the game was again becoming concentrated on the Fulham goal.

Love began a flowing move with a sweet turn in midfield and the ball passed between Walsh, Cantrell and Hamill before Walsh's centre was put behind for a corner.

Fulham were unable to clear when the centre came over and Rebecca Lee produced a nice sidestep before clipping her finish expertly into the top corner.

Within a minute the game was safe. The Belles swept forward again and with players flooding the box they went all Arsenal on it for a moment, Stevens, Hamill and Cantrell all moving the ball on in decent positions before Walsh was played in and buried her shot low past Hourihan at the far post for a cracking goal.

Now the possibility of an ugly scoreline was again real but happily this did not happen. Fulham did not deserve to collapse late on after putting on a decent display

Cantrell was close with a cheeky chipped attempt, Leat finished weakly at the near post after storming into the box and Stevens spoiled a sharp turn by firing over the bar from point blank range.

Wilding and her fellow sub Natalie Jasper then combined well for Fulham to free Farmer and her deep centre spelled danger but Reagan's header at the far post was not true and the chance went begging.

The games' last substitute Stacey Daniel carved out a chance for Cantrell which she sent high as her balance deserted her in shooting.

Doncaster were forced to play out the final seven minutes or so with only ten players after Stevens took a knock and limped off and the game ended in end to end action.

Gooden produced a good ball inside the full back for Farmer to run onto but she was unable to repeat her earlier finish, Beaver stretching just high enough to save.

Walsh spoiled more good work by Love with an ambitious attempt from out wide with players qeueing up in the middle before almost scoring a stunner with a first time volley from Daniel's volleyed cross, the ball clipping the top of the bar with Hourihan rooted to the spot.

The last action saw Reagan neatly skip a challenge before feeding Farmer whose lofted effort again lacked the height to beat Beaver in the Doncaster goal.

In the end a result that will please Doncaster and a performance which offers some encouragement to Fulham.

In all honesty, however, there seems to be no hope of the Londoners escaping relegation this season.

Star Player: Pauline Hamill
This was a game which no one player dominated.
Jo Love was influential for the Belles but the real glimpses of quality were generally provided by Hamill who was hard to pick up playing in the hole and was always looking to hurt the opposition with her passing.
For Fulham Daniella Farmer showed a lovely touch and was able to do damage with her ability on the ball.
She looks the most obvious candidate for a bright future in the Fulham side but needs to toughen up a bit to become a top player.
I also liked the look of Kirstie Powell who looked like she wanted to do the right things more often than not in midfield and could thrive in a stronger side.