GL United win an entertaining Guernsey Women's League opener
A NEW era of domestic women’s football is under way and Guernsey Ladies United are the first team to score a win.
However, GL United had to work for it against a resilient GL City side, eventually winning 3-2 in an opening game that impressed island women’s coach Richard Sutton as well as the crowd.
The first competitive fixture of the new Guernsey Women’s League took place at College Field on Sunday morning, five years since the folding of its predecessor, and both teams looked resplendent in their new kits.
For the opening five minutes, the action switched from end to end with quick attacking play on show from both teams.
In the eighth minute, Adrienne Leech broke down the right-hand side and crossed in for Bella Ogier to slot the opener into the corner of the goal with an accomplished finish.
For the remainder of the first half, City continually tried to find the final ball through the defence to get back on terms, but it was Emma Alderton of GL United who instead latched onto a through ball from Alice Loveridge to put their side 2-0 up just before the half-time whistle.
Upon resumption, both teams showed half-time tactical adjustments and there was little between the two.
As play continued, City started to link from Olivia Smith at the back into Kierra Greenslade in midfield and onto Dani Tostevin on the left wing.
It was this combination that finally unlocked the United defence, with Tostevin dashing onto a through ball from Greenslade, slotting City’s first goal of the season into the corner of the net.
At 2-1, it was game on and the crowd cheered on both teams as both City and United pushed forward, looking for a decisive goal.
Both captains, Steph Batiste for City and Katie Watson for United, were trying to dictate the tempo for their teams.
United thought they had found a winner when Leech cut in from the left hand side and sent a powerful shot goal-bound, only for it to rebound off the base of the post.
Play quickly shifted to the other end and Tostevin chased through onto another through ball from the City midfield only to miss the left-hand post with her effort.
With two minutes left to go, Leech ran at the City defence and produced a ball through to Bella Ogier who dispatched her shot into the right hand side of the goal.
United 3-1 up and surely the game was over, but only a minute later Greenslade won the ball in midfield and played a ball forward for Tostevin to dash onto once more. This time Tostevin found the corner of the goal and at 3-2, the game was on a knife edge with two minutes plus stoppage time left to go.
Although City gave their everything to score an equaliser in the time that remained, the final highlight of the game came from a truly remarkable save from their goalkeeper, Ioana Maftei, who stretched out a leg to save a shot from Leech that looked like a certain goal.
‘Overall, both teams can walk away proud of their play,’ Guernsey Ladies head coach and league organiser Sutton said.
‘If this is the start of competitive football for ladies in Guernsey, then bring on the future.
‘The patterns of play, movement on and off the ball, and overall quality of play was of a high standard and very appealing to the crowd who came to watch.’
The next match, taking place this Sunday between United and Athletico, will be well-anticipated and it should be an equally competitive fixture and a great follow-up to what was an excellent opener.
