An action packed second half secures the three points for the Chairgirls!
The Chairgirls made it three wins on the bounce after an action packed second half away at Winchester City Flyers. Eman Kassem secured her second hat-trick in two weeks to send Wycombe ahead, with Danielle Puddefoot and Jess Watkins combining their efforts and adding to the day’s tally.
A fairly quiet first half posed opportunity for both sides to gain the lead, however, strong defensive performances from either team denied the chance for an opener in the first 45.
The Chairgirls came close various times in the half, with the first coming in the 12th minute as Ailish Carolan intelligently intercepted a pass from the Flyers, to set up Kayla Potter to make a dangerous run down the left wing, taking her past the host’s back line. Potter edged her way into the box to square the ball across to Jess Watkins, who was situated near the right post, but her shot was blocked by a Winchester body in front of goal.
The Flyers came close only minutes later as a long cross from the left made its way into the box and to the feet of a Winchester attacker to the right of the goal. Her strike looked close to netting in the far post, but a well-timed block from Ashleigh Harte denied the chance and put the ball out for a corner.
The even contest in the first half saw both sides go into the break square with a 0-0 scoreline.
Despite the lack of conversion in the opening half, the Chairgirls came back out with a bang as player of the match, Eman Kassem, hammered home in the 46th minute. Assisted by Potter’s gorgeous looping assist from the edge of the box, Kassem executed an outstanding right-footed volley which floated seamlessly into the back of the net, sending Wycombe 1-0 up in stunning fashion.
Kassem made it two for the visitors in the 76th minute as she found herself on the receiving end of Molly Carter’s cross from the right flank, allowing her to send in an on-target header, which was palmed into the goal by Winchester’s keeper.
It took only three minutes from the Chairgirls’ second before they claimed their third, as Danielle Puddefoot stepped up to take an in-swinging corner from the left. Her hit looked certain to have directly netted at an acute angle but was helped across the line by Watkins to extend Wycombe’s lead to 3-0.
Kassem made it two hat-tricks in two weeks for herself as she smashed home Wycombe’s fourth and final of the game, making work of a lofted hit by Ellen Wardlaw from the Chairgirls’ own half, and taking herself away from the Flyers’ back line to cross it into the bottom of the far post in the 85th minute.
Critical blocks and tackles from the Chairgirls’ defence in Harte and Emma Kern, as well as goalkeeper, Amber Taylor, helped maintain a clean sheet in the Chairgirls’ well-fought for win, as they came home with a 4-0 victory and three points on the board.
Manager, Carl Simon, reflected on his side’s impressive performance stating, “At half time we made a few little changes, little alterations in the team shape and it changed the whole dynamic of the game.
“The players came back out and showed what they’re all about. Emani was fantastic with her three goals, but all the players were brilliant. The whole midfield, the defenders, everyone stepped it up a gear, which is all they had to do and all of a sudden, you’re looking at a fantastic 4-0 win.”
The victory secured the Chairgirls’ 14th points of the season, where they sit at fifth in the league table. They now set their sights on a difficult away bout next Sunday against Woodley, who currently stand in second place in the league, where they hope to maintain their winning streak.
