Witney started well with Henley seeming to lack confidence and facing wave after wave of pressure - which in the end resulted in a Witney goal. However, rather than putting their heads down, Henley picked themselves up and pulled themselves together rallying themselves into some good attacking play. The combination of Captain, Georgie Metcalfe and midfielder, Emma Walker linking up the righthand side of the pitch proved very successful and they were increasingly able to find forwards, Jem Barham, Charlotte Cockerton and Ellie Roseff. Following one of these attacks, Henley won a short corner, and having taken advice from defender Kath Draycott the ball was stopped by Louisa England before being threaded by striker Rachel Herbert to post player Metcalfe, who was able to pummel the ball home to equal the score.
After half time, Henley managed to take some control over the game. They worked hard and their fitness began to tell. On one particular charge, new forward Cockerton dribbled the ball into the circle; she rode the first tackle but was surrounded and was eventually taken out by the keeper, however in the muddle that ensued, the ball popped out and fell to Barham who was able to control it and slot the ball home with composure.
Witney were not ready to roll over just yet and put the pressure back on Henley, who conceded a series of short corners. Thankfully a combination of successful blocks by Metcalfe and Walker, and saves off the line by Keeper Hannah Lavis and post player Herbert, kept the scoreline in Henley's favour. They then returned to the ascendency and won some short corners of their own, one of which came out cleanly to the top, where Herbert fired the ball over the line to secure Henley the win.
Team:
G. Metcalfe, H. Lavis, K. Draycott, M. Joyce, M. Englemark, E. Walker, R. Herbert, J. Barham, L. England, H. Jeremy, C. Cockerton, E. Roseff, J. Morrison, E. Gutteridge