With just seven games to go and the season at the run in stage, Steve Elswood’s side kept themselves a point off the top after a 2-0 victory away at Ilminster Town Ladies.
The Yellows faced their second away trip in recent weeks, as they travelled to Somerset to play Ilminster Town Ladies, and after a comprehensive home victory against their opponents earlier in the season, United knew this would be no easy task, playing their Somerset opponents at their home grass pitch at the Archie Gooch Stadium.
The prediction proved to be exactly that as the hosts gave United a real battle throughout the ninety minutes. and though it wasn’t a classic, it was nevertheless a vital & important victory for the ladies to ensure their unbeaten run continued and that they got the three points to keep the pressure on the teams in and around them.
Although United dominated the first half they had to stay patient throughout, with Esme Kilburn Thompson making challenging runs, and Connie Pengelly’s more direct style meaning the United front two kept their opponents on their toes at the back. The breakthrough came on the half hour mark, when a throw in was sent back to United right back Laura Lewis, who delivered a fantastic pinpoint cross into the box, where United striker Pengelly got in front of her marker and volleyed into the roof of the net, with Lewis creating yet again another assist to the string that she has provided for United so far this season and in recent games.
At the break United‘s coaching team were keen to enforce the control that the ladies had during the first half, knowing it would need a professional attitude along with a calmness to game manage what was clearly a physical encounter.
United changed formation due to having to adapt to the demands of the game, and Daisy Self came on to secure and calm the middle of the pitch for United, and the change worked very well with Self able to fit in alongside Tracey Cross and Rhi Bailey, giving that extra dimension to the United central midfield. The Gulls were still in control of the second half and possession, with the clearest chance coming from left midfielder Nat Warman, as she was slipped through for a one-on-one with the Ilminster keeper, though she was slightly taken wide on her run in and hit her left footed shot wide of the far post.
The second, and match clinching goal, came from substitute Self as yet again she proved her finishing prowess, when a left sided free kick was whipped in with pace, and with the Ilminster keeper getting hands to the ball it rebounded to Self to fire home into the bottom corner and double the Yellows lead. United stayed in full control in the last ten minutes to take the points and keep their unbeaten run to ten league games, with the backline having conceded only one goal in their last seven league games.
United manager Steve Elswood gave his thought on the performance and result after the game:
“I am delighted with the three points on lots of levels today. Firstly our keeper was unavailable and Sasha Mole went in goal, and not for the first time just like in the County Cup Final last season was heroic, and she ensured we continued our strong defensive performance with another clean sheet and along with the rest of the team helped keep our run of not conceding a goal in open play going even further.”
“We had to be patient today and we knew our opponents would give us a battle on their home turf, and that’s exactly what it proved as they stood up to us and gave us a real challenge to overcome, but one thing that can never be questioned in our group is our resilience and togetherness. We know how to game manage very well indeed and those qualities we needed today, but overall we were in control throughout and though it was not a classic, it was a very hard earned three points on the road which as I said to the girls is vital when you’re looking to achieve titles and promotions in football.”
“Sometimes it’s not about being pretty out there with our football.. it’s about digging in and rising to the challenge, and every single one of them worked tirelessly today to achieve that.”
United are home at Coach Road (TQ12 1EJ) this coming Sunday (12th February) as they face Liskeard, with that game having a 2pm KO, and is sure to prove to be another demanding challenge. Coverage of this game will also be live on TUFC Radio, with the full 90 minutes uninterrupted and commentary on air ten minutes before kick off.
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