Wycombe Wanderers 0 vs 1 BSLFC

After the excitement of the FA Cup last week it was back to league action to try and maintain our good start to our new league. We were playing a team that have a lot of experience at this level and were expecting a tough game.

Early exchanges were pretty even as both teams settled down on the immaculate Burnham FC surface. A couple of early minor fouls showed that Wycombe were not gonna be a roll over.

It was Sports that got the first real site of goal on 10 minutes, a Hughes cross found it’s way to Miles just inside the 6 yard box but with the Wycombe GK committed low she just couldn’t find the lift and it was a well held save.

2 minutes later in what was to be the first of a set of frustrating decisions today the linesman flagged for a corner to Wycombe on the opposite side. A Wycombe player had clearly slid the ball out of play as Davis tried to shepherd the ball out. Fortunately the resulting corner came to nothing after the volley was sliced wide.

15 minutes and we were through but a narrow offside prevented Miles making it count.

Eden arrived late to hit an effort from the edge of the box 4 minutes later. It was blocked by a superb challenge but despite clearly deflecting over from the out stretched leg it was only given as a goal kick.

20 mins on the clock and it would be a proper game if we didn’t try to give the opposition a really good chance. Yeo passed back to Chrippes but because (self confessed) she wasn’t looking she didn’t realise and picked it up. The ref didn’t actually realise at first because she picked it up so confidently but the eagle eyed Lino flagged and it was an indirect free kick from 7 yds. The team packed in behind while Vernon broke the pitch rules and had a little lie down on the line, luckily the pressure was enough and the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the far post.

5 minutes later and Brewer should have opened the scoring after latching on to a great Fowell through ball. It appeared she had too much time as she approached the Wycombe GK and she was denied by the gk. The ball broke just outside the box, Miles was first on the scene but couldn’t find the quick finish and it flew wide.

A minute later and that practice paid off, Yeo put the ball through this time, Brewer made the same run but this time a quicker finish found it’s way into the corner. 1-0 Sports (26 minutes)

27 minutes gone, Brewer put Shaw in but the linesman flag abruptly halted her.

We were growing into the game and winning more free kicks, Eden got an early taste of some special treatment as she began to push forward more and was unceremoniously sent into the air.

Just after half hour Eden was on what was becoming a regular adventure forward. She beat the right back for pace but before she could make the box she was once more sent to the sky. This time the ref deemed it enough to pull a yellow card.

Another corner for us on 33 was cleared out to Yeo who struck a vicious attempt from distance, it was blocked on the edge of the box fell to Shaw who laid off to Hughes but her attempt went just over.

Eden was on form and beating players for fun but time and again she was sent tumbling. Again the referee didn’t use his cards and it was becoming increasingly frustrating that the players had no protection.

Brewer had another chance from a fizzed cross, lewis stretched for the initial chance but only succeeded in diverting it to Brewer, 6 yds out but she couldn’t hit the target to make it count.

HT 1-0 up but it was far from comfortable as Wycombes direct style and pace up top meant Vernon and Yeo had to constantly be alert and we’d been wasteful of a few very good chances.

Eden started the second half as she finished the first, beating a couple of players out wide before running along the byline. She cut back towards Lewis and Shaw in support but it wasn’t close enough to either to be dangerous.

A bit of handbags on 50 found Hughes in the book for us. Pushed a few times while on the ball and then shoved when the ball went out of play she reacted by pushing the Wycombe player in the chest. Some how she was only one carded for it.

Folkenstern and Hawkins were introduced for Lewis and Fowell to freshen up the middle of the pitch and to help us go in pursuit of a second goal to relieve some pressure.

Another horrific tackle on Eden on 55 was met by a yellow card for a player that had looked like she was desperate to find her name in the refs book for a while. The linesman was quickly on site to discourage the sports managers passionate plea for the ref to start protecting the players properly because it appeared everyone had at least two goes at curtailing Edens season before he’d realise it was a genuine foul and not just clumsy. Despite him explaining he was calm, he had convinced himself, and when Barton was merely explaining the situation to Yeo he felt it necessary to call the ref over to book him.

There was always going to be a phase that Wycombe would be dangerous, and just before the hour it came. Vernon ran dangerously close to foul when chasing back the Wycombe striker, but nothing given. A couple of crosses gave us something to defend against a big Wycombe side and Vernon had to head off the line from a particularly dangerous corner.

We defended well, if a little erratic at times and had got through it. 67 Miles got a chance out of nothing when a miss kicked free kick landed to her, she tried to beat the GK from 30 yds but it narrowly went over.

Brewer had a chance to square for a simple Miles finish on 69 but over hit it the pass and too far in front of her for it to be capitalised on.

5 minutes later, Yeo put another through ball in from CB, this time to Miles, but as it looked liked she’d done enough she was met by a superb last ditch slide tackle to stop her. She rolled her ankle in the challenge but was able to shake it off.

All that running around at the back had tired Yeos knee out and she had to be replaced on 76 for Fowell. She was quick to remind me that we hadn’t conceded all season with her on the pitch, so not it was time to prove we could do it without her too.

Brewer had half a chance from a Shaw cross with 9 minutes but volleyed it away rather than goal wards. Miles was delivering some crosses from corners but they were either being well punched clear the GK or our attacking runs were just a couple seconds early.

Our game management has been something we have improved and with a few minutes to go Miles and Folkenstern started to spend some extra time in the corners with the ball as the danger of the huge goal keeper kicks meant it was too risky to find a second with more Wycombe players staying up.

Miles made way for Tilly as we looked to shut up shop going into injury time. Eden and Shaw were now in the corner trying to run the clock down. It was clearly frustrating the Wycombe players and 11 jumped aggressively into Shaw. While the tackle should have been enough to pick up her second yellow the ref seemed happy to let ago again until she appeared to have some choice words for him. He pulled out the yellow and gave her her marching orders with 93 on the clock.

We saw out the last minute to secure 3 points and our first ever Southern Region Premier league clean sheet.

Managers player Rosie Eden

Players player Rosie Eden

Rory Sam Chrippes despite some good Rory moments it wasn’t even a competition after picking up a back pass.