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Everton Ladies v Charlton Athletic
National Premier League; Sunday, May 14 Everton: R.Brown, B.Easton, R.Unitt, F.Williams, L.Johnson, F.Whelan, J.Handley, L.Duffy, A.McCann (C.Parry 72), K.McDougall, M.Evans. Charlton: P.Cope, C.Stoney, M.Hickmott, F.Cardin (E.Aluko 78), K.Hills, M.Bertelli, D.Murphy (D.Sinclair-Chambers 65), E.Pond, A.Hincks, A.Barr, J.Potter. With second place in the Premier League at stake this was always likely to be a tight, tense affair. The fact that it was being played on a rough, bare surface made it inevitable. The prospect of flowing football was also unlikely. Although the wind was not strong the exposed pitch at Formby also made this a factor. Charlton also had a depleted side to further hinder their chances. There was no Katie Chapman, Sarah Snare or Eniola Aluko in the starting line up. They faced a difficult task in a game they had to win. There was an early chance for Everton when Fara Williams was allowed a free header from a Michelle Evans corner. Williams could not direct her effort away from Pauline Cope, however, who saved comfortably. A surprising decision against Fern Whelan then gave Charlton a shooting opportunity but Casey Stoney's effort was again straight at the keeper and gave Rachel Brown no cause for alarm. Both sides were looking to work the ball out from the back but the pitch made crisp passing difficult. Everton managed a couple of neat build ups but there was no end product. Charlton struggled to find their forwards at all. Michelle Evans lobbed a hopeful effort towards the far post which looked dangerous for a moment before drifting harmlessly wide. Then it took a fine interception from Karen Hills to deny Amy McCann a run on goal after Jody Handley had got onto a long ball forward by Rachel Unitt. Fara Williams teed up Kelly McDougall after a corner was not properly cleared and Cope made a smart save from the drive. Somehow the referee failed to notice this and pointed for a goal kick. Approaching the half hour mark Ashlee Hincks finally found a way into the game and made excellent breaks down either flank in quick succession. Firstly she got away from Unitt down the right to fire over a dangerous ball which Becky Easton did well to head out covering from right back. Michelle Hickmott sent an ambitious drive way over from the resulting corner. Then Hincks showed good strength and pace to get away from Whelan down the left wing and this time her centre dropped onto the top of the bar before landing conveniently in Rachel Brown's arms. Jo Potter created danger for her own side with a badly misplaced pass which saw Evans threatening to burst clear. Faye Cardin averted the danger with a timely challenge as Evans was about to shoot. Another long ball in behind the defence by Unitt saw Jody Handley unleash a strong drive but Maria Bertelli produced a brave block. Hincks then sent a tame header straight at Brown after Hickmott had flicked on a Potter free kick. The next action saw Amanda Barr outpace Unitt to feed Potter for a dangerous centre but in general the Charlton attack was looking lightweight against the strong Everton defence. One of the games better moves ended with McCann slipping a nice ball into Williams but her left foot shot was a couple of yards wide. It was a disappointing end to a disappointing half. Half Time: Everton Ladies 0 Charlton Ladies 0 It looked as though both camps had come to the inevitable conclusion that short passing was pointless on such a poor playing surface and there were many more longer passes played in behind both defences in the second half. Charlton played two challenging balls early on as Jo Potter and then Casey Stoney looked to pierce the Everton back line. On both occasions the danger was cut out by excellent interceptions from Fern Whelan who was having a fine game alongside the equally impressive Lindsay Johnson. Another ball down the channel from Potter offered Barr the encouragement to chase but Rachel Brown was both quick and brave in sliding out to collect. Suddenly one of these early balls brought a chance as Ashlee Hincks found herself in the clear. Hincks decided to hit the ball first time on the bounce as Brown advanced and there was a pregnant pause as the ball sailed over the goalkeepers' head. Unfortunately for Hincks and Charlton the effort fell the wrong side of the post. Several Everton attacks at this stage were being stopped in their tracks by the linesman's flag. The official in question had also penalised Charlton several times in the first half. There is no polite way of saying this but the chap in question was not simply overweight, he was obese. By this time I was beginning to suspect that the liner was just giving these decisions to save himself the trouble of trying to keep up with play. Several of them looked bad calls and it was annoying that a game that was struggling to flow was being further disrupted. As the game passed the hour mark the midfield battle was becoming ever fiercer but less creativity than ever was on offer. Jo Potter had been moved inside as Charlton switched to 4-3-3 but this simply denied them one of their more likely avenues of attack. Casey Stoney, also employed in midfield, might have made more of an impact from her customary right back position. For Everton Fara Williams was scrapping away as normal but she was unable to instill any order into proceedings either. Her performance was typified as she squandered possession to Potter and then reacted by grabbing her bum. Potter seemed to see the funny side as she adjusted herself. Jody Handley made a promising burst down the right which took her past Hickmott only for Eartha Pond to bring her down savagely as she skipped along the goalline. The referees' lecture was highly lenient. Michelle Evans whipped over a dangerous ball from the free kick which made its way across the six yard box unimpeded. Everton were beginning to get on top but without making any chances and a goalless draw was starting to look inevitable. With fifteen minutes to go, however, there was a commotion as Eniola Aluko suddenly appeared on the touchline, kitted out and limbering up frantically. At the earliest opportunity she was introduced in place of Faye Cardin. Fara Williams sent in a low drive from a free kick which was straight at Cope but looked awkward to take as it bounced along the rutted surface. The Charlton keeper showed safe hands in taking it cleanly, however. Then Charlton were somewhat generously awarded a free kick of their own when Rachel Unitt was penalised for high kicking on Aluko despite playing the ball at only waist height. Potter sent over a wicked centre which Stoney rose highest to meet but could not keep on target. The play was now increasingly at the other end, however, and Everton came the closest yet when Stoney inadvertantly flicked on an Evans corner to the back post where Unitt was denied on the line as she attempted to force home. Then with five minutes left Everton broke the deadlock and all but clinched the runners up spot. They were given a free kick out on the left touchline and when Williams drove over a centre to the back post two Charlton defenders stood and watched as Kelly McDougall nipped in to head low past the exposed Cope. The game threatened to boil over shortly afterwards as players from both sides got involved in a scuffle which ended with Handley and Dominique Sinclair-Chambers being shown the yellow card. It was only handbags, however, or should I say briefcases where women are involved? There was just time left for Aluko to provide one of the few classy touches of the afternoon when she backheeled a high ball inside into Jo Potter's path but when she laid it quickly forward Amanda Barr had run into a patently offside position and the chance was spoiled. The final whistle saw scenes of jubilation in the Everton ranks as they celebrated finishing runners up to Arsenal. This is a fine achievement but they will need to add significantly to their firepower if they are to challenge more strongly next time around. Despite finishing third Charlton will remain confident that they are Arsenal's closest challengers but this game did illustrate how their squad does not compare to the champions in terms of depth. Full Time: Everton Ladies 1 Charlton Athletic 0 Star Player: Fern Whelan It was something of a toss up between all four of the centre halves on duty really with Lindsay Johnson and Charlton's Karen Hills also excellent. Whelan made the most telling interceptions of anyone, however, as well as dominating in the air. An impressive performance from a player who has suffered lapses in the other games in which I have watched her.
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