Angels' wings clipped as FC women fly past Heyside

After their tremendous efforts in the Minithon last week, FC United’s women once again did our club proud and metaphorically brightened up a cold, soggy Sunday afternoon in Royton as they powered 11 past Heyside Angels without reply. Braces from Beth Hayes, Amy Vyas and Shellby Wolstencroft along with solitary strikes from Olivia Smith, Olivia Greenhalgh, Claire O’Reilly, Kayleigh Catterall and Hayley O’Hara were enough to give the side their fourth double digit score line in eight games. Incredibly, the score could have been significantly greater only for a combination of poor finishing and inspired second half goalkeeping by stand-in custodian Kate Rigby, to restrict the tally to 11.

After a half hour delay to the 1pm kick off, the game commenced under a cloudy, rain sodden sky as United poured forward from the off with Catterall threading a perfect pass through to centre-forward Smith who fired home the game’s opener from around 12 yards after just 30 seconds. Just a minute later a Hayes effort from the right narrowly avoided the far post and the late run of O’Reilly but both would get their rewards as the game unfolded.

On seven minutes the excellent Vyas, partnering Smith up front, cleared a Heyside corner from the edge of her own area that Smith held up superbly on the left on half-way allowing Vyas to surge forward to the edge of the opposition box, collect the return pass and fire past Chelsey Holden in the Angels’ goal. Minutes later, Maya Germain centred a perfect corner for Greenhalgh to head home off the underside of the bar for United’s third, which was swiftly followed by the fourth on 20 minutes. A throw by the corner flag on the left was projected towards Vyas, who neatly touched the ball onto Catterall to step inside to a central position on the edge of the area and fire home low and hard to the keeper’s right.

A minute later, a fine cross from Hayes on the right was met by O’Reilly to tap home from a couple of yards for United’s fifth. Three goals in as many minutes effectively ended the game as a contest but Heyside were combative and determined, often outnumbering United in midfield and showing no lack of skill, particularly from Lucy Shaylor and Becky Smith. However, they were unable to trouble Gillingham in the FC goal being consistently rebuffed by the solid, organised central defensive partnership of Broghan Matthews and Fran Davies flanked by the impressive full back duo of O’Reilly and Amy Battel.

The first half scoring was concluded ten minutes before the break as an O’Reilly cross was well gathered in the area by Greenhalgh who slipped the ball through to Hayes just right of goal. Hayes carried the ball to the bye line and chipped it over Holden and into the goal from a seemingly impossible angle.

As both teams headed for the shelter of the dressing rooms the shivering 25, huddled on the small terrace at the Heyside Recreation Ground found warmth from flasks and a clubhouse coffee machine as half time came and went and the Angels got the game back underway. In the blink of an eye United had extended their lead to seven as Vyas grabbed her second, firing to the keeper’s right from the edge of the area. Holden had been holding her back in the latter stages of the first half and compounded her injury in trying to prevent FC’s seventh and would take no further part. A stoppage ensued as Heyside reorganised and with no available substitutes, centre half Kate Rigby took Holden’s place in goal and the Angels were down to 10.

United made four changes to try and press home their numerical advantage but found Rigby in inspired form to keep the score line down. It wasn’t until the 70th minute that Hayes managed to add to the tally with a superb half volley from the edge of the area for her second and United’s eighth of the afternoon.

Just moments later and Heyside were reduced to nine as their number 11, Debbie Ferguson, was helped off the pitch having turned her ankle on the slippery 3G surface. Tiredness on the part of the Angels coupled with fresh impetus from the four United subs proved the decisive factors in the final quarter of an hour as the new strike force of Wolstencroft and O’Hara repeatedly tore through the depleted Heyside back line and on 76 minutes a clever through ball by Hayes was calmly squared across the area by Beth Tattersall for O’Hara to chip Rigby from eight yards out.

Wolstencroft grabbed her first and United’s tenth as she floated a shot from the left over Rigby to nestle into the goal at the far post and had her second and FC’s eleventh in the 87th minute; employing clever footwork to deceptively slot home from close range to conclude the afternoon’s scoring.

The women’s team have another away game next Sunday, 4 November with a 2.15pm kick off at Curzon Ashton, followed a week later by the Remembrance Sunday clash with Manchester City at Broadhurst in what could well be a title-defining encounter.

Report by Rob Fullen

Player of the match: Unanimously from both teams, this week’s FC United player of the match with two goals and a powerful centre forward display was Amy Vyas.

Teams 28 Oct 2012: Attendance: 25

FC United of Manchester Women: 11 (6)

1. Amy Gillingham (Goalkeeper and captain)
2. Amy Battel (right back)
6. Claire O’Reilly (left back and goal 21 mins)
4. Francesca Davies (centre half)
5. Broghan Matthews (centre half)
7. Kayleigh Catterall (centre midfield and goal 20 mins)
17. Beth Hayes (right midfield and goals 36, 70 mins)
8. Maya Germain (left midfield)
14. Olivia Greenhalgh (centre midfield and goal 18 mins)
9. Olivia Smith (centre forward and goal 1 min)
16. Amy Vyas (centre forward and goals 7, 46 mins)

Subs:
10. Beth Tattersall (for No7 61 mins)
12. Hayley O’Hara (for No9 67 mins and goal 76 mins)
15. Shellby Wolstencroft (for No 16 67 mins and goals 78, 87 mins)
3. Adora Yau (for No6 56 mins)

Heyside Angels Ladies FC: 0 (0)

1. Chelsey Holden
2. Molly Smith
3. Keshia Harvey
4. Lucy Shaylor
5. Kate Rigby
6. Dianne McLeod
7. Jessica Bromley
8. Becky Smith
9. Emma Harte
10. Jenny Smith
11. Debbie Ferguson

Subs: