Gravesend & Northfleet Ladies 3 Long Lane Ladies 2

Sunday 19th March 2006

A third league win in a row for Fleet Ladies, sees them hold on to third position in the league and put pressure on the two teams above them in the London & South East Regional League as they come into the home straight with only five matches left to play, writes Tina Martin.

Fleet Ladies played host to Kidbrooke side Long Lane Ladies last Sunday at their AEI Sports and Social base in Gravesend.

The game was to become one of two halves, leading to a hard fought three points for the ladies team.

The first half belonged to Fleet ladies, playing some confident and pacy passing football they were constantly on the attack and rewarded for some quality football by scoring three goals in the first half.

Lorraine Grinyer opened the scoring with a superbly executed free kick from midfield, which floated out of reach of the watching goal keeper into the top of the net.

Minutes later striker Jade McDermott continued her recent goal scoring form, as the clubs top scorer latched onto a ball won in midfield and pass through the Long Lane defence by Grinyer, Jade slotted the ball comfortably home passed the keeper.

It was McDermott who claimed the third goal of the half, after an individual great effort as she took the ball down the left wing passing a couple of defenders and shot across the goal to finish in the top right corner.

The second half was a different game and Long Lane came out fighting and more positive for the second half, making life more difficult for the home side.

They opened their scoring in the 70th minute with a lob over the Fleet keeper and followed that closely with a goal from a well taken free kick.

This led to a fast and frantic second half, with both teams committed to the game and fighting hard for the three points.

Chances were created at both ends but it was Fleet ladies who held firm and finished 3-2 winners on the day.