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Womens Premier League; Sunday October 22, 2006

Everton Ladies 1 Arsenal Ladies 4

Everton: R.Brown, B.Easton, M.Evans, J.Scott, F.Whelan (E.Westwood 15), L.Johnson, A.Kane (F.McCoy 68) L.Duffy, J.Handley, F.Williams, K.McDougall.

Arsenal: E.Byrne, A.Scott, M.Phillip, J.Ludlow, A.Asante, C.Grant, K.Chapman (S.Larkin 82), L.Sanderson, J.Fleeting (G.Davidson 80), K.Smith (K.Carney 68), R.Yankey.

Match Report : This had been looked upon as one of Arsenal Ladies' stiffest tests of the domestic campaign but Everton Ladies were completely unable to make a genuine contest of this as the Gunners swept to victory with plenty to spare.

Everton were missing Rachel Unitt and the loss was a big one as Michelle Evans and Kelly McDougall took it in turns to look uncomfortable at left back. The home sides' cause was further hindered by the loss of Fern Whelan to injury after just a quarter of an hour but it should be remembered that Arsenal were missing Faye White and Leanne Champ and also rested Karen Carney.

Once again the enviable strength in depth of Arsenal Ladies was there for all to see.

There was a quiet opening but from the very start Arsenal were fully in command looking confident, strong and purposeful whereas Everton looked to be suffering from an inferiority complex.

The sheer difference in size of the two sides was also immediately apparent and just served to emphasize the task facing Everton.

The first real chance brought a goal on five minutes. Lianne Sanderson drove over a raking crossfield ball from the left which located Julie Fleeting beyond the far post with radar precision.

Fleeting's chest control was perfect and although she might not have made the best of contacts with her lobbed finish the ball ended up precisely where it was intended in the far corner of Rachel Brown's goal.

Jody Handley was given a sniff of an opportunity shortly afterwards as the Arsenal defence was in danger of becoming over confident but the vistors closed ranks just in time and in general Handley cut an extremely isolated figure through the middle with little to no support or service offered by the attackers on the flanks.

Arsenal, by contrast, offered danger from all quarters with Smith and Sanderson intermittently catching the eye with a dangerous surge or perceptive pass and Fleeting continuing to look a menace up front.

Kely Smith stormed down the left to whip in a centre which Sanderson could only head against the bar from six yards out, although the ball was slightly behind her to add an extra degree of difficulty.

Rachel Brown had to launch herself into a 50/50 challenge to snuff out the danger just outside her box after a combination between Smith and Fleeting saw Arsenal cutting through again before a fluid turn and penetrating low pass from Sanderson had Smith bearing right down on her England colleague.

Brown stayed put in her six yard box as Smith approached from the angle and was able to deflect the effort away to safety with her feet.

Everton had already had to replace Fern Whelan with Emily Westwood before Mo Marley decided to switch McDougall and Evans down the left hand side for the first time in an effort to give her side a better balance.

McDougall immediately sent a dangerous ball across the face of her own box to suggest she did not exactly relish the prospect of trying to help shore up the home defence.

The next sweeping move by Arsenal saw Alex Scott venturing forward to link with Fleeting but when Sanderson was then teed up for a shooting opportunity it was Fleeting who blocked her low drive.

Everton managed to stem the flow of attacks towards their goal for a ten minute spell with Jill Scott looking capable of meeting the physical challenge of the Arsenal midfield in an impressive display but with Fara Williams hopefully pushed forward to support Handley the rest of the Everton midfield looked decidedly lightweight.

While there were brief moments of promise down the Everton left flank there was nothing at all on offer down the right.

Rachel Yankey suddenly came to the fore as she went past Becky Easton all too easily to offer Kelly Smith an inviting shooting chance from the edge of the box but for once Smith snatched at the finish and failed to trouble Brown.

Undeterred Smith was soon rampaging forward again, leaving Leanne Duffy in her wake, to force Brown into a sprawling save.

Duffy produced Everton's best pass of the game so far to put Easton into space but her centre was cleared behind for a corner. It was a rare moment of promise.

Rachel Brown's next action saw her get down to smother an Alex Scott effort after the full back had come forward to link well with Sanedrson and Smith and the England goalkeeper was also having to dive in among flying boots with alarming regularity.

There was no possibility of her backing out of any of these as she confirmed her bravery time and again.

Handley produced a smart turn but a deflection on her shot took all the sting out of it and left Emma Byrne with an easy save, her first of the game with almost forty minutes played.

Everton forced another corner when Ciara Grant misjudged a long ball out of defence by Lindsay Johnson and Westwood was allowed a free header from the cross but was unable to direct her effort on target.

With it looking as though Everton would at least get to half time only one goal behind Arsenal struck again in fine style.

Sanderson produced a super ball to release Scott bombing forward again, she fed Fleeting who in turn slipped a lovely ball into Smith running into the penalty area.

Smith dropped her shoulder to allow herself to drag the ball back onto her left foot and then drilled in a fierce shot which found the back of the net via the base of Rachel Brown's near post.

There could be no realistic prospect of Everton clawing their way back into this one.

Half Time: Everton Ladies 0 Arsenal Ladies 2

Everton came out looking more resolute and at least looking like they intended to give it a go but having fallen two goals behind already this now looked a futile gesture.

They worked a nice move straight from the kick off which allowed Amy Kane to send over a testing centre but Grant was able to clear at full stretch before Michelle Evans reached a Jody Handley free kick ahead of Byrne only to see Smith clear the danger with a spectacular overhead kick.

Everton continued to scrap harder for possession in the midfield than they had in the first half and this made it more difficult for Arsenal to repeat their flowing football of earlier but it was hard to see who might actually pierce the Arsenal defence.

The answer was Michelle Evans who showed good pace to get clear of Grant after Handley flicked on a huge punt by Brown but despite striking a fierce low drive Emma Byrne was well positioned to save with her feet.

Yankey produced a teasing ball which Brown was not certain of reaching ahead of Fleeting and was happy to see Johnson take charge of the situation and clear decisively.

Jody Handley was then released through the Arsenal defence only for a bad call by the linesman to deprive her of her first real opportunity of the game.

Rachel Brown again had to go in among the studs to deny Sanderson following a clever pass from Mary Phillip but the keeper was left totally exposed when Arsenal swept forward to score after seizing on an errant pass from Handley intended for her full back.

Yankey took possession, burst forward to play a 1-2 with Smith before squaring for Fleeting to score at the second attempt after Brown had gallantly blocked her first effort.

This prompted Mo Marley to withdraw the ineffective Kane with Faye McCoy but the strapping forward never looked likely to unsettle Grant and the impressive Anita Asante.

The substitution of Kelly Smith by Karen Carney shortly afterwards saw no reduction in the Arsenal threat, however.

Everton got another chance when Handley nicked the ball off a dozing Ciara Grant but when she slipped Fara Williams into space the midfielder did not back her own pace to go through and instead returned the ball into Handley.

This was asking a lot of the forward who was denied by a good save from Byrne.

Williams also took the wrong option minutes later when Jill Scott managed to squeeze a ball into her but from a promising position Williams decided to pass rather than shoot and the chance disappeared.

Fara did get a shot away in the next attack after neat build up play by Scott and McCoy but the effort flashed just wide.

Then Jill Scott herself tested Byrne with a decent low shot following a good turn but the Arsenal keepers' handling was safe in treacherous conditions.

Karen Carney then tried a couple of impish attempts. She looked to lob home from distance after Brown had been forced out of her box to hack clear but was off target and then drew a smart save out of Everton's goalie with a low left footed effort following a typical little break.

The last five minutes saw the sides trade penalties.

Everton got theirs first when Asante was adjudged to have handled Handley's centre and Fara Williams tucked away the kick while Arsenal's came at the end of another fine move involving Scott and Sanderson which ended with Johnson felling Gemma Davidson.

Sanderson slotted the penalty despite Brown getting a hand onto the ball.

Although Everton had contributed a more committed second half display it is likely that this was as much the result of Arsenal taking their foot off the pedal a little as they already had a comfortable lead and there is no question that over the course of this game there had been a noticable gulf in class.

This is a sobering thought for the rest of the league as they seek to challenge the Gunners.

Full Time: Everton Ladies 1 Arsenal Ladies 4

Star Player: Alex Scott

Kelly Smith and Lianne Sanderson were both excellent and Julie Fleeting was a real threat but Scott was again constantly driving forward to join in attacks and offer another problem for the over worked Everton defence.
The England right back is enjoying a superb season and looks to have moved up a level from last season.