Local Derby

Having had a succession of games canceled, due to frozen all weather pitches, this Saturday’s league game was not only Dawlish ladies first match of 2009 but their first in over six weeks.
Starting the year with a bang Dawlish faced local rivals Teignmouth for the always competitive local Derby. Dawlish were without regular back Mandy Lovell with young player stepping in Rhiannon Depla to fill the gap, a strong Dawlish side took to the field with ambitions to start 2009 with winning ways.

The match started with both sides giving very little away and playing tight in midfield where the real battle for the game was fought. Both sides had opportunities to break into the oppositions half and take on the defense; the Teignmouth forwards could not find a way past and Natasha Bailey who both Rhiannon Depla had solid performances all match at the back. The central Dawlish midfield of Lottie Young and Lizzie Reed were able to feed the ball to Helen Nicholson who took on the Teignmouth backs but could not quite find the other Dawlish forwards to covert the good work into a goal.

As half time approached Dawlish’s lack of match fitness was beginning to show, they were not using the width to reach speedy wings Jess Green and were Mel Barnes struggling to get the ball through the Teignmouth line from their own hit outs. Dawlish Captain rallied the troops and half time with some tactical changes and threats of cardio training.

The second half started much as the first with no team controlling the match and a battle in midfield to maintain possession, but it was Teignmouth who eventually took an attacking control with the ball reaching a Teignmouth striker on the top of the D un-marked whose shot found its way past the Dawlish keeper to open the scoring.

Teignmouth’s goal seemed to be the motivation Dawlish needed to take control of the game, with Amy Reed playing out wide and the striking power of Gemma Wilkes on the forward line Dawlish put constant pressure on the Teignmouth goal mouth forcing a succession of short corners.

The Dawlish equalizer game from a strong cross field pass by Young to Anne Darby out on the right, Darby drove the ball into the D which eventually found its way to Helen Nicholson who pushed the ball home for the well deserved equalizer. The Teignmouth players attempted to dispute the goal, however both umpires were happy and the score remained at 1.1 for the final whistle. Although Dawlish would have liked a win against local rivals and certainly game very close to getting it in the later stages of the second half a draw seemed like a fair reflection of the tight fought local Derby.