Ilminster Town Ladies 0 Torquay United 2
Torquay United moved a step closer to the South West Regional Women’s Premier League title completing the double over Ilminster Town Ladies with a victory in Somerset, which was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
Lucy Solloway and Ellie Bishop scored the goals, both in the first half, but were unable to extend their advantage, thanks to an outstanding performance by Charlotte Johnson between the sticks for the hosts.
Chloe Williams failed to recover from a knee injury sustained in training, so Ellie Bishop took her place on the right in the starting eleven. And Lucy Palmer came in at centre-back for the unavailable Alex Sheppard.
United would dominate the contest, but they started with a shaky opening three or four minutes. Within moments of the start, Colette Martin found space behind Torquay’s defence but handled on the edge of the area, and just seconds later another high ball over the top found Aimee Kingdon in space but she shot tamely wide past the advancing Jasmine Read.
SONY DSC
But the defence gradually eased into their task, once Tracey Cross, Adele Brown and Tee Kaptein sorted out their roles in midfield, and from then on United were rarely troubled. And as they grabbed the reigns, Bishop twice showed her intent, winning corners that Torquay wasted with poor deliveries.
While Bishop was forward more and more on the right, Emily Elliott was more restrained on the left flank, but it eventually paid dividends. With Elliott holding back, Kaptein went on a marauding run down the left, laid a reverse pass to the winger in the left channel, and Elliott drifted past two defenders and cross low for Solloway to slide home from six yards.
Ilminster’s best chance of the half came shortly after, as again Martin found space to ghost into the United area but her curled effort to the top corner was clawed away my Read, again advancing from the United goal.
Kaitlyn Harris drove a shot wide from the edge of the box following United’s third corner. Bishop and Solloway remained industrious in and around the Ilminster area, and Bishop almost bagged a second, as her tame shot from the 18-yard line squirmed out of Johnson’s hands but didn’t creep over the line.
Bishop finally got her goal a couple of minutes before the interval, to seal Torquay’s first half supremacy. Rebecca McMullin won a header, Cross found Brown who hooked it forward for Bishop. United’s No19 played a neat 1-2 with Solloway and accelerated past a defender to fire home.
Half time orders would probably have once again to start the second period quickly and kill off the game, and for the first fifteen minutes United had the bit between their teeth. Solloway’s swirling cross from the left was collected by Johnson, before the Ilminster stopper saved brilliantly from Adele Brown whose shot looked destined for the top corner.
Elliott and McMullin set up Tee Kaptein who appeared to have an empty net, but Johnson and a defender got back to block on the line, Johnson’s quick reactions preventing Bishop from slotting home the rebound.
Solloway and Bishop contrived to miss a 3-on-1 opportunity, Brown drove a shot just wide from a Cross free kick, Johnson produced another sprawling save away to her left to deny Kaptein from a free-kick, and then was brave at the feet of Solloway after Ilminster’s defence gifted the United striker another goal chance.
Lee Mann managed to give the whole bench some minutes in the closing stages, Sasha Mole and Charlie Pettinger introduced to the back line, Lexie Watts in midfield and Danni Wyatt up front, the latter choosing to drop the ball inside when she might have shot from the edge of the area.
SONY DSC
The victory keeps Torquay in touch with league leaders Marine Academy Plymouth Ladies, who won their penultimate fixture, and in the process. eliminated Sherborne Town Ladies from the title race. MAP’s last match is the home clash with United on May 4th at Manadon, which still may, or may not become the title decider. Before then, Torquay are back at home with another hurdle to overcome, as Forest Green Rovers Women come to town.
Torquay United: 24. Jasmine Read, 2. Lucy Palmer, 3. Rebecca McMullin, 14. Kaitlyn Harris, 17. Natascha Bevan, 6. Adele Brown, 7. Tracey Cross ©, 10. Tee Kaptein, . Lucy Solloway, 12. Emily Elliott, 19. Ellie Bishop Substitutes: 5. Sasha Mole, 8. Charlie Pettinger, 16. Lexie Watts, 31. Danni Wyatt
Watch the full post-match interview with Jasmine Read and Kaitlyn Harris HERE
Photo Credit: Jason Rouse