Salisbury travel away to Melksham today and it’s a beautiful sunny day for football. Both teams line up on the centre circle and the refs whistle begins a minute silence before the game. Lest we forget.
Shauna Howe makes her first appearance in goal this season for the club after coming back from a broken finger from pre-season.
The coin toss means the White’s play with the sun in their eyes, but Salisbury get underway and immediately are already applying the pressure down the wing with fantastic link up play from Rachel Lang and Zoe Alcock. The ball is crossed in and cleared, only to find Vice Captain Ellen Clark who plays it forward in an attempt to find Deyna Davie, but the Melksham defensive line clear the ball. Salisbury take strong control of the game and make great pass and play efforts around halfway line, retaining possession.
Eleven minutes into the first half and Rachel Lang makes a sprint down the wing, she cuts inside and fires her shot towards goal, where it hits a defender and after a fumble is nudged into the goal by a centre back. 1-0 Salisbury.
Melksham restart play and make a push towards the Salisbury back line, they play the ball over and collect it within space and advance on Shauna Howe who makes a great save first save of the season. Shauna lobs the ball out to Rachel Lang who passes it off and Salisbury make way down the left wing, again with Zoe and Rachel playing phenomenal overlaps, assisted by Amy Sanger and Nicky Millings in the middle.
Captain Gemma Marsh sends Rachel Lang off with a great through ball, Rachel sidesteps two, outruns one and cuts through two centre backs with apparent ease, and takes her shot with the outside of her right foot, finding the top right corner. 2-0 Salisbury.
Melksham kick off again but the ball is instantly collected in the midfield and passed out wide to Zoe Alcock who draws the Melksham defensive line out, before cutting in and finding Deyna Davie. Deyna pulls out for space and takes a strike. 3-0 to Salisbury.
Thirty-six minutes into the game and there is stoppage in play involving a 50/50 tackle. A Melksham player has been injured and is needed to be subbed off – play restarts with a drop ball.
Salisbury take control of the ball and it finds Noni Davis on the right wing, she gets it to Zoe Alcock who has a great first touch and turn and finds the back of the net, but the linesman has raised his flag, no goal, and the ref blows the whistle for halftime.
Second half is underway and Salisbury retain majority possession, a bad tackle on Noni Davis and the White’s are awarded a free kick in a good position just outside the box, Vice Captain Ellen Clarke lines up but her shot hits the side netting. The match resumes from a Melksham goal kick and Salisbury win the ball with ease, pressing forwards, another spell of great passing amongst Amy Sanger, Nicky Millings and Ellen Clarke, Amy Sanger finds space on the edge of the box – she takes a touch, sees the target and fires it just below the crossbar. 4-0 to Salisbury.
Salisbury make two substitutions in the seventieth minute – Beth McKinney for Amy Sanger and Kelly Church for Evie Cummings. Salisbury are still controlling the game and continue to make great link up passes from defence and through midfield. After a few minutes of settling, Georgi Bavister joins the game to replace Zoe Alcock after a bad tackle causes bleeding below the shinpad. Georgi instantly gets involved, hassling the Melksham defensive line, winning the ball and has a good chance on goal but doesn’t find the back of the net. Another substitution from Nicky Millings makes way for Gemma Fletcher. Melksham are trying to get back into this game and are making some good passes but the Salisbury defence are clearing up anything that comes their way.
In the eighty-fifth minute Nicky Millings comes back on the pitch to replace Deyna Davie up front after a further bad tackle from studs to her calf called for her to be brought off, and Evie Cummings replaces Noni Davies on the wing.
In the ninetieth minute, Nicky Millings is sent through the Melksham defence with a great through ball down the right wing, she outpaces the centre backs and makes it to the right side of the box, she makes a fantastic cross into the box but there is no one there to connect, the ball goes behind the goal for a goal kick. Melksham’s GK takes the kick and the ref blows the final whistle. 4-0 Salisbury.
Player of the match is awarded to Rachel Lang who had a brilliant game all round, playing some incredible link up and overlap play with the likes of Zoe Alcock, scoring an absolute screamer from outside of the box with the outside of her foot, and playing an integral role in the Whites’ attack and defensive capability, relentlessly tracking back along the left wing.
Match Reporter – Sean Brady
