| ANDOVER NEW STREET | 1 | – | 3 | GUERNSEY FC WOMEN |
| Twigg 6′ | Hedley 15′, 83′, (pen) 90+1′ |
Guernsey FC Women eventually made their one-player advantage count with two late goals on Sunday to leapfrog Andover New Street and preserve their unbeaten start to the season.
Calleigh Hedley marked her 20th appearance by bagging herself another hat-trick to put her onto 39 goals in her GFC career.
Guernsey fell behind in the first few minutes as Andover’s goalkeeper got to a through ball ahead of Donna Gallienne and set her side off on the counter attack. Twigg was put through on goal and tucked the ball past Alana Hockey.
The purple-shirted Greens were almost level immediately, working the ball into the box from a throw. Gallienne worked herself a yard of space and took aim from close range but the goalkeeper made a strong block. Hedley picked up the loose ball and fired the rebound across goal from the angle, with her low effort just evading the far post.
Like as has happened many times with Anna Gauvain’s side, going behind shook them into life and Hedley’s leveller inside 15 minutes was a stunning solo goal. Picking the ball up a few yards outside the area, she was surrounded by defenders but skilfully slipped her way through the challenges into the area, where she steadied herself before tucking the ball past Evans.
Gallienne’s corner was diverted towards goal and Alice Seddon instinctively stuck out an arm on the line to block it. The referee had no hesitation in sending Seddon off for denying a goalscoring opportunity, and there was little complaint from her or her team mates. Candice Bougourd won a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors for the right to take the penalty, but Evans got down to her right to hold the Guernsey captain’s low effort from the spot.
Scarlett Kenneally tried her luck from way out with a first-time shot that bounced just in front of Evans, but she held well. Hedley then worked herself a yard of space on the edge of the box for a low shot but Evans got down well to hold again.
Bougourd did scramble the ball over the line early in the second half after Evans saved Gallienne’s free-kick and denied Hedley on the first rebound, but the flag quickly ruled it out.
Hockey came rushing out to smother as Kyla-Mae Hayes broke into the right of the area and blocked to keep the scores level. She was then nearly caught out by a Twigg free-kick from way out but scrambled it behind.
The Sarnians completed the turnaround with 10 minutes left as the visitors moved the ball up the pitch for a goal kick, Dawber was released down the left and teed up Hedley on the edge of the area. Her shot from the angle took a deflection as it looped over Evans and dropped in the far corner.
Codie Le Flem almost doubled the lead moments later as she broke free on the edge of the box but skewed just wide as she looked to curl one into the top corner.
Hedley completed her hat-trick to make the game safe late on from the penalty spot. Having been tripped on the edge of the box, she drilled the kick confidently into the bottom right corner, with Evans this time going the wrong way.
Being the earlier kick-off, the Green Lionesses temporarily went top of the Southern Region Women’s Division One South table, but Farnham Town’s win over AFC Stoneham means they finish the weekend in first place, while a late win for Havant & Waterlooville over Bursledon brings them level in second place, with the same goal difference but GFCW inching ahead on goals scored.
ANDOVER NEW STREET: 1, Emily EVANS; 2 Amelia PAYNE; 3 Kyla-Mae HAYES; 5 Brooke CASEY-BATLEY; 6 Imogen MULLINS; 7 Freya TWIGG; 9 Olivia PAYNE; 10 Summer WILLIAMS; 11 Keira SMITH (c); 14 Alice SEDDON; 18 Rebecca SCREECH. Subs (rolling): Cherie CONNOLLY; Violet ALEN, Ruby ALLEN, Nicola BARNES.
Booked: Hayes. Sent off: Seddon.
GUERNSEY: 1 Alana HOCKEY; 2 Elise LE LACHEUR; 3 Heidi DAWBER; 4 Aimee OGIER; 5 Vicki RANG; 6 Scarlett KENNEALLY; 7 Amy DALLAMORE; 8 Candice BOUGOURD (c); 9 Calleigh HEDLEY; 10 Donna GALLIENNE; 11 Jess FRAMPTON. Subs (rolling): 14 Mollie WATSON; 17 Codie LE FLEM; 15 Ruby SMITH; 12 Steph BATISTE.
