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Chelsea Ladies 1 - 2 Leeds United Ladies
Sunday 23 March A goal in each half helped Leeds to climb up the league table on a quiet Easter Day in the FA Women's Premier League.
Braving the wintery conditions - and the prospecrt of a postponement - FA Women's Cup Finalists Leeds headed off to Esher, hoping to give their league season a boost by gaining revenge on Chelsea, who had inflicted their first league defeat of the season in the reverse fixture last November. Leeds got off to the better start, and could have been two up in the first ten minutes; but, as is they way of things, it was Chelsea who made the breakthrough first after 30 minutes, Ellen White taking advantage of some statuesque Leeds defending to fire home from close range against stand-in keeper Jess Wright. Yes... Jess Wright. That only served to spur Leeds on, and a fine move five minutes later gave Sue Smith the chance to equalise and send the teams in at one apiece at the half-time break. Whatever words of wisdom manager Rick Passmoor imparted during those ten minutes produced the game's most controvertial moment when the teams retook the field, as Jess Clarke drove forward to score straight from the restart. Several Chelsea players protesting that the ball hadn't crossed the line, protests that were all waved away by the referee. Chelsea were unable to mount an effective comeback, though they did produce a couple of fine saves from Wright (or 'England's Number One', as some of the comedians in the Leeds support dubbed her). The win sees Leeds climb four places up to fourth, two points behind early leaders Blackburn but with four games in hand, and will doubtless be looking forward to hoting Watford at Tadcaster on Sunday 30 March (2pm kick off). |
