SRWFL Division One South Sun 20 February N/A
AFC Stoneham
4
Chichester City
  • Own Goal (9', 48', 54', 60', 90+1')
5
4-5

Captain Gaby Hobday scored the first goal for Chichester, but the hosts equalised 11 minutes before half-time to level the scoring.

Molly Jones put Chi back in front two minutes into the second half and Katie Long gave Chichester a two-goal advantage six minutes later. Charlotte Long then made it 4-1 to Chichester City with a long-range strike.

The hosts got a goal back three minutes later and then got their third goal on 73 minutes.

It looked to be late heartbreak for Chichester when the home side scored an equaliser on 90 minutes. However, in injury time Mia Gardner scored to win the game for Chi.

The hosts had the first chance of the game when a corner dropped to the attacker at the back post, and she hit the outside of the woodwork.

Chi’s first clear chance came on seven minutes. K.Long played a good pass to Jones and she did well to turn the defender, but she put her shot just wide.

Two minutes later, Hobday opened the scoring. The Chichester captain showed a brilliant turn of pace to get past the defender and she unleashed a powerful shot across the goalkeeper and into the net.

Gaby Hobday celebrates scoring Chichester’s first goal (Picture: Neil Holmes)

C.Long played a precise pass through to Katie Bundy who had her shot saved.

The Stoneham winger tried to catch Chloe Simmonds out with an early shot, but the Chi No.1 was well placed to make the save.

Just after the half-hour mark, Stoneham brought the game level with a long-range shot that beat Simmonds.

Minutes before the half-time whistle, Simmonds made a brilliant double save. She did well to push the first shot away and then quickly got back to her feet to close the attacker and save the second shot.

Minutes into the second half, Jones scored to regain Chi’s lead. C.Long was dispossessed on the edge of the area, but the ball came to Jones who hit it low and hard into the bottom corner.

K.Long then made it 3-1 to the visitors on 54 minutes. Simmonds’ clearance went all the way through to Hobday. She then crossed it to Bundy who left it for K.Long and she fired it in.

Katie Long scores Chi’s third goal (Picture: Neil Holmes)

The momentum was with Chichester now and on the hour mark, C.Long added her name to the scoresheet. The midfielder intercepted a pass from the Stoneham defender and released a shot from long-range that squeezed under the goalkeeper and found the net.

Charlotte Long shoots from long-range to make it 4-1 to Chichester (Picture: Neil Holmes)

Stoneham were able to get a goal back three minutes after Chi’s fourth when a shot from the edge of the area went just beyond Simmonds’ reach.

C.Long almost scored her second when her powerful header went inches wide.

The home side reduced the deficit on 73 minutes. Simmonds made a good first save, but it fell to the attacker who put the ball into the net.

Chichester thought they had scored their fifth goal nine minutes before the full-time whistle, but the flag was raised for offside against Jones.

On 90 minutes, the home side scored the equaliser. The Stoneham winger was able to play a pass across the face of goal and the striker was there to tap it in.

However, straight from kick-off, Chi went on the attack. Hobday picked the ball up inside the area and played it to Jones, she then laid it off to Gardner who found the far corner to score a late winner for Chichester City.

Chichester City Women are back at Oaklands Park on Sunday 27th February when they face AFC Bournemouth Development with kick-off at 2pm.

Chichester City: Simmonds, Mottashed, Andrade-Paris, Collins, Williams, K.Long, Jones, Hobday, Boxall, Bundy, C.Long

Substitutes: Gardner, M.Bond, C.Bond, Butler