Lineup: Daisy Burnfield (GK), Gemma Marsh (C), Ellen Clarke, Evie Cummings, Rachel Lang, Nicky Millings, Amy Sanger, Liv Leather, Beth McKinney, Deyna Davie, Georgi Bavister, Zoe Alcock, Leanne Griffiths-Lower.
The winning streak continues after an action-packed match filled with goals, great football and perseverance. The Whites suffered early on due to Swindon stretching two goals ahead, but pulled one back just before halftime, the second not long after the second half begun and the third at the hands (or feet!) of striker Leanne Griffiths-Lower after being awarded a penalty in 75th minute.
The first half is filled with multiple chances for the Whites, plenty of which coming from Georgi Bavister who finds her way past the Swindon defensive line with ease, delivering cross after cross into the likes of Zoe Alcock and Deyna Davie, but none find goal. Swindon capitalise on Salisbury’s attacking stance and clear the ball over play into the path of their strikers. This method wins them two goals early on. The Whites continue regardless – in the 31st minute Captain Gemma Marsh retrieves the ball and squares it to Evie Cummings on the wing, Cummings in turn makes an excellent pass up the line to Bavister. Bavister gets past one defender, cuts in across another and takes a strike which scrapes the wrong side of the right post.
Minutes later Swindon are on the counter attack again, but a shot from outside of the box reaches the gloves of GK Daisy Burnfield who palms it down and sends it straight back into the middle. The ball makes its way to Beth McKinney – McKinney being the youngest player on the team having come up from the U16’s handles the ball with phenomenal maturity and class, edging her way through Swindon’s defence and going for goal, though curls it too far left.
Salisbury’s first goal comes in just before the half time whistle – powerhouse Liv Leather wins possession of the ball and cuts past multiple players before making a through ball, allowing Davie to run onto it and line up for goal – an easy strike from Davie makes the score 2-1.
Salisbury see only one change at halftime. Bavister off, Griffiths-Lower on.
Four minutes into the second half and Rachel Lang and Alcock have found their rhythm, Lang retrieves the ball from an excellent tackle and takes off up the wing, a quick 1-2 with Alcock who has dropped back leaves Lang free to advance on goal with only one opponent who she outpaces and cuts in on with ease. She shoots from the edge of the 18 yard box and curls it straight into the top right bins. 2-2.
The bulk of the second half shows superb pass and play by the likes of Nicky Millings, Lang, Alcock, McKinney, Davie and Griffiths-Lower, though chances in the box aren’t quite connecting with Swindon clearing the ball upfield at every opportunity.
The 75th minute is the game changer – Griffiths-Lower is shoved in the back whilst on the offence and sent to the floor in the box, causing an uproar of protest from Swindon as the ref points to the penalty spot. A Swindon player is sin-binned for dissent while Griffiths-Lower prepares her shot. It finds the back of the net, pulling the Whites ahead – 2-3.
A second Swindon player is sin-binned for shoving Leather in the back, sending her to the floor, though the ensuing free kicks lands straight in the Swindon keepers hands.
GK Burnfield keeps the Whites ahead with a mammoth save in the 84th minute – Swindon’s attack broke through the Whites’ defensive line, Burnfield leaves her line to close down the striker, making herself big and successfully blocking the shot with her body. The ricochet is cleared upfield where the ball stays until the full time whistle is blown.
Next week see the Whites play bottom of the league Calne in the Ladies League Cup.
