A 4-2 win against Abbey Rangers at Oaklands Park secured back-to-back wins, and moved Chichester City Women to sixth place in the in the Southern Regional Women’s Football League
City took the lead in the sixth minute through Payton Howard. City won an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area for a back-pass and Howard fired it in at the near post.
City’s lead lasted only six minutes, when a Rangers through ball caught the defence napping and the striker finished well past Chloe Simmonds to level the score.
City had numerous chances in the first half, but poor finishing meant they couldn’t regain the lead. Then in the 36th minute, they were stunned when Rangers took the lead. The Rangers striker beat the offside trap from another good through ball, rounded Simmonds and scored into an empty net.
Half Time: Chichester City Women 1, Abbey Rangers Ladies 2
After the interval, City started to get in their stride with crisper passing and creating chances.
In the 52nd minute, City Drew level. Good work in midfield drove the ball out to Howard who squared the ball across the box to Hobday, the striker dragged the ball back with her left foot on to her right to hit a hard strike that gave the ‘keeper no chance.
City then had a Hobday goal disallowed for offside, but took the lead on the hour mark through Kaite Bundy. Hobday beat the keeper to the ball and squared it to Bundy, who beat the defender and fired into an empty net.
Chichester City killed the game off in the 89th minute when Simmonds played a long ball over the opposition which Hobday raced on to and lobbed it over the goalkeeper and into the net for a superb strike.
Full Time: Chichester City Women 4, Abbey Rangers Ladies 2
The Thoughts Of Manager Connor Slade:
“I think that the game shows how far we’ve come since last season. We now believe we can come back from a deficit and regain control of games. Previously we would have lost belief.
“But chances never dried up and goals eventually came. We have been conceding a couple, but that’s the risk we take with the way we play. But the players are young and each mistake is a lesson learnt.
“But really pleased with our response since the Littlehampton disappointment, now three wins in a row.”
Captain Gaby Hobday:
I was very pleased with everyone’s work rate both on and off the ball
“We always love playing at Oaklands but Sunday’s game was a tough one. We started off well but were nowhere near clinical enough with the chances we created. But a clever free kick from Payton saw us 1-0 up within 10 minutes.
“However, despite being on top and having more chances, we went into half time 2-1 down. I think I can speak for the whole team when I say we were incredibly frustrated by this and knew we had to come out strong in the second half and take our chances going forward.
“It’s safe to say our second half performance was a lot better and we definitely deserved the win in the end.
“Personally I was delighted to get back on the scoresheet after a few games without a goal! I was very pleased with everyone’s work rate both on and off the ball, and this is a credit to how hard the girls have been working in training with Connor and Dan over the last few weeks.
“This result made it three wins in a row and we’ll be taking that confidence with us into Sunday when we look to get our first points on the road!”
Chichester City: Simmonds, Mottashed (Bond 62), Andrade-Paris, Collins (Verrinder 74), Howard, Williams, Long, Gardner, Hobday, Bundy, Long
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