WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: Spits push Flyers (From Swindon Advertiser)

WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: Spits push Flyers

8:30am Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Football

SWINDON Spitfires pushed leaders Downend Flyers but eventually fell to a 3-2 defeat.

The first half was a tight affair, but Spitfires went in at the interval behind after Cara Costello conceded a penalty.

Downend shaded the second half as Spitfires failed to mark as tightly as they had in the first, and two balls played into the edge of the area left keeper Jess Dent exposed as the visitors extended their lead to 3-0.

After eventually stemming the flow Spitfires came strong in the last 15 minutes and pegged back two goals. The first came on 79 minutes as Catt Baird won the ball on the right and found Debbie Rose who slotted a great ball through Downends’ defence for Sophie Tyla Jones to out pace her marker and finish across the keeper.

Laura Ball put in a perfect cross for Tyla Jones to fire home three minutes from time to set up a grandstand finish, but despite Spitfires’ best efforts the equaliser never came despite.

In the Oxford Girls League, Spitfires Under 13s had to come from two goals down before seeing off Chinnor 4-2 to remain in second spot. Chinnor went 1-0 up four minutes into the game as a high ball forward caught an awkward bounce and the Spitfires back three were unable to recover, allowing Chinnor’s striker to go on a put the ball past Ella McKnight.

Chinnor extended their lead with almost exactly the same move 14 minutes later, but Spitfires salvaged some pride towards the end of the first half when Katrina Reynolds placed a corner directly on Daniella Granato’s head who nodded home.

They were level within nine minutes of the second half as Katie Dellow levelled things up, and two minutes later a through ball from Dellow to Granato allowed her to turn her defender and finish accurately into the bottom corner to give Spitfires the lead for the first time.

Reynolds then made the game safe after winning the ball in the centre of midfield and beating three players before powering the ball past the Chinnor keeper.

Meanwhile the Under 10s went top of their division with a fine 4-1 win at previous leaders’ Wantage Girls, but the Under 12s fared less well going down 4-1 to leaders Didcot Casuals. The Under 16s also tasted defeat, being on the wrong end of a 5-0 scoreline at Oxford City.

Swindon Spitfires Un der 10s went top of the table after beating previously unbeaten Wantage 4-1 thanks to goals from Charlie Tinson (3) and Georgia Brown.

l SWINDON Town Ladies Under 14s received a bye into the semi-final of the Oxford Girls League Cup at the weekend after Marston Saints withdrew from the competition.

Town now face a trip to Bloxham in the last four, as they defend the competition they won last season.