FC’s Women go 3rd with impressive 13-0 home victory over Accrington

With the game goalless, Captain Kirsty Chambers was drafted into a centre forward role in the 20th minute following the departure of Jess Battle through injury and promptly scored 8 in 70 minutes. Rebecca Foster scored a hatrick including a comfortable side foot finish followed by two penalties with the returning Yvette Loukes and Battle’s replacement Kate O’Gara grabbing a goal each.

A solid start by both sides punctuated with a growing sense that FC could dominate the game with Loukes and Jess McCarrick, back from suspension and making her 100th FC appearance, threatening a well drilled Accrington defence. Chambers did split the defence sliding ball through to Battle but Caroline Mallen in the visitors goal denied the FC striker with a good save on 10 minutes.

On the quarter hour Battle once again threatened the goal but from a tight angle, closely shepherded by a defender, her shot was saved at the near post as her momentum saw her fall awkwardly, crashing heavily into the fencing. It was clear Jess was to take no further part in the game and we wish her all the best for a speedy recovery as Kate O’Gara joined the fray from the bench.

As Jess was led back to the changing rooms for treatment, Foster hung a teasing high cross to beyond the far post as Chambers steadied herself to smash home a stunning volley; giving Mallen no chance and opening the scoring on 20 minutes.

United dominated the remainder of the half with Accrington keeping the score down to four at the break with some disciplined defending against a persistent red tide. Chambers scored the second, third and fourth of the afternoon rounding the keeper before firing home for goals 2 and 4 with goal three slotted home after good build up by McCarrick and Cara Fields.

Foster opened the second half flood gates scoring her first of the afternoon and FC’s 5th on 50 minutes; calmly side footing across Mallen into the bottom corner from six yards. Chambers got back in on the act again as Fields set up the Captain to curl a shot over the keeper from the ‘D’.

The dangerous Loukes surged into the area and was tackled heavily and ultimately illegally in the area as she was about to pull the trigger. Up stepped Foster to steer her penalty beyond the dive of Mallen who had guessed the right side but just missed out on the save. Loukes herself did get on the score sheet with number 8 of the afternoon (and FC’s 500th home goal since 2012) after a driving run saw her beat two players on the edge of the area and fire her low shot across the keeper and in off the far post.

Chambers’ 6th and FC’s 9th came with just under a quarter hour to go and two minutes later O’Gara scored a very good goal from the edge of the area to make it 10. Number 11 came from the irrepressible No11 jinking her way through the area to score from 6 yards and on 85 minutes Foster was tripped in the box, firing home her second penalty and hatrick goal with Mallen again getting close to the save. Fittingly, it was the Captain who rounded off the afternoon’s scoring a couple of minutes into added time.
A thoroughly deadly and professional performance and good display all round ahead of our trip to Mossley Hill next Sunday.

FC Player of the game: Kirsty Chambers – equalling the club record of 8 goals in a game with Shellby Wolstencroft and Feiruz Abdullahi who achieved the same back in our Greater Manchester league days. However, to score 8 in 70 minutes at this higher level is phenomenal and her first of the afternoon is probably a nailed on goal of the season; smashing home a 50 mph volley picked up as a blur on Neil Boo’s footage. Kirsty’s haul takes her to a personal FC tally of 156 goals and the team has only played 155 games in total so far!

Teams 25th February 2018: Attendance: 81

FC United of Manchester: 13 (4)
1. Chloe Ainsworth
2. Fran Davies
3. Abbie Carrington
5. Emily Marsh
17. Jess McCarrick
4. Olivia Greenhalgh
6. Cara Fields
8. Rebecca Foster (Goals 50, 66 pen, 85 pen)
9. Jess Battle
14. Yvette Loukes (Goal 71)
11. Kirsty Chambers (Capt) (Goals 20, 29, 32, 37, 57, 76, 81 90+2)
Subs:
7. Corie Mather
12. Shaunna Jein (for 4 69 mins)
20. Kate O’Gara (for No9 19 mins & Goal 77)

Accrington GLFC: 0 (0)
1. Caroline Mallen
2. Jaymi McDonald
3. Tash De Maine
4. Joanna Duckworth
5. Sarah Dacrcy
6. Ellie Moorhouse
7. Mollie Ormond
8. Chantelle McCormack
9. Lauren Walker
10. Sarah Walker
11. Jodie Stubbs
Subs:
21. Heidi Roberts (for No7 27 mins) (Cautioned 67 mins)
14. Jade Winning (for No11 46 mins)
15. Beth Hibbert (for No5 46 mins)

Referee: Danny Woodhead
Asst Referee: Stephen Hughes
Asst Referee: Daniel Hamlin
Venue: Broadhurst Park, Moston, Manchester, M40 0FJ
Official FC photography by Mark Lee & Samantha Coates
Film Footage & Historical Stats from Neil Boo
FCUM Radio: Ben Hughes & Paul Hinson
Match Stats by Paul Hinson from: www.liveteamstats.com

FC United stats first column:
Goals: 13.............0
Shots on target: 32.............0
Shots off target: 21............1
Corners: 13............0
Completed Passes: 511........304
Possession: 72%.......28%

Report by Rob Fullen