Gulls hit eleven against Teignmouth
United’s Women started their pre-season with a victory over near neighbours, Teignmouth, as Ryan Perks got a first look at his growing squad, and a big crop of trialists under match conditions at South Devon College.
Although the result was never in doubt, this game was about getting match minutes into the summer legs, welcoming back a couple of injured names, and looking at the blend of old and new, with some of last season’s squad in unfamiliar roles!
United scored with regularity in the first 45, Rebecca McMullin grabbing a hat-trick inside 23 minutes. The midfielder turned full back was given the role of striker in a first half 4-5-1 formation, and rose to the challenge, adding a fourth with her head before the interval. Emily Elliot, back from an injury that saw her miss the end of United’s title challenge last season, added a hat-trick, while Jasmine Barker added a penalty after being fouled herself, to give United an 8-0 half-time advantage.
With just Barker, Lucy Palmer, Lily Hilton and Lexie Watts on the pitch in the second half, it was over to the trialists to impress. And though they found the going tougher against a Teignmouth side who kept playing, despite the scoreline, impress they did. Trialist K, wearing the number 12 shirt, neatly lobbed the advancing keeper from the edge of the area, before the left midfielder, trialist H, wearing 10, found some neat footwork in the box to drill United to double figures.
Fittingly, McMullin, back on for the closing stages, volleyed home a Lucy Palmer corner three minutes from time to complete a good Friday night workout.
United (First Half): 1. Trialist A (GK), 2. Scarlett Williams, 5. Trialist B, 6. Lily Hilton, 8. Lucy Palmer, 17. Trialist C, 31. Jasmine Barker, 18. Trialist D, 9. Emily Elliott, 19. Trialist E, 3. Rebecca McMullin
(Second Half): 24, Trialist F (GK), 8. Lucy Palmer, 7. Triallist G, 6. Lily Hilton, 31. Jasmine Barker (11. Trialist L), 17. Trialist C, 13. Lexie Watts, 10. Triallist H, 4. Trialist I, 14. Trialist J, 12. Trialist K
Scorers: Rebecca McMullin (4,11,23,27,87), Emily Elliot (7, 19, 32), Jasmine Barker (26pen), Trialist K (56), Trialist H (78)
Report by Ray Duffy
