MATCH REPORT

Clinical Spalding end Suttons six match unbeaten run! Both sides contributed to an exciting, tasty, competitive local derby and with Spalding coming through winners. Despite Long Sutton ladies controlling large parts of the game. For Spalding, their well executed short corner routines did the damage, supported by a strong defence and an exceptional goal keeping performance that kept Suttons strike force at bay. Spalding started well and showed their pace and intentions right from the off, placing strikers high up in the Sutton half created a couple of quick attempts, which thankfully for Sutton finished wide of the home sides goal. On eight minutes Spalding got first reward for their early endeavours with Sutton conceding a short corner, to be followed by a second soon after. The second attempt being collected by Lottie Boreham who's sharp strike was deflected off a Sutton stick high into the roof of the goal. Spalding's early success stung Sutton into action and the home side supported well from a good crowd on the sidelines started to crate a threat, passing fluently from the defence pairings of Jo Bland, Tania White, Leah Goodley and Lisa Baker, Sutton found momentum. Leanne Woodhead went close with a great strike placed just wide and very soon following a period of sustained pressure Sutton earned a penalty flick, White executing the spot hit perfectly to draw Sutton level. Emmy Gittins was causing the Spalding defence a lot of trouble with her pace and it increasingly looked like Sutton had the edge. Jess Hudson and Charlee Leuty were pressing in midfield and Hudson found Woodhead who's powerful effort was met by a stunning double save from the Spalding Keeper Donna Chester - O'Neill ( and as with all those names I must say it felt at times like there was actually more than one person in the Spalding goal!) At half time the scores remained at 1 each. Sutton started the second half with authority and much as they ended the first period. Soon into the half and Woodhead forced another block from O'Neill before Sutton earned a short which again was beaten away by the Spalding keeper. Spalding in this phase were limited to breaks, but when they did break their pace up front caused Sutton problems. 10 minutes into the second half and Spalding won a short corner which Kelly Slater slotted home from close range. Sutton needed to respond again and Connie Gittins had a good run which was disrupted by a well timed Spalding tackle. Emmy Gittins found Woodhead who again fired narrowly wide. Sutton continued to find players from patient accurate passing. Lyn Tancred for Sutton ran good lines and worked hard, on several occasions being denied by staunch defending. Louise Southgate had similar attempts on the opposite side of the pitch. Inevitably it increasingly felt like a second equaliser for Sutton was on the cards and it soon came through Baker, who followed in a short corner attempt and with no doubt as to who would be first to a rebound off the Spalding keeper - Baker reacted quickest and with great desire fired home to level the scores again. Spalding reacted quickly to Sutton coming from behind again. Mablethorpe attacking for Spalding tangled with Leuty and in doing so won a short corner. Spalding took the routine well and again Slater was on hand to score her second goal of the game. Lorraine Wallis saved well for Sutton soon after to keep a life line and Sutton attacked well right to the end but continued to meet determined intervention from the Spalding defence and keeper. Arguably a draw would have been a fair outcome on the day, but the Spalding win levelled the seasons matches up, at one each. On her depute for Suttons ladies 1st team, Lauren Copper made a very positive impact. Sutton can take heart from their performance and on another day would have been victorious. Player of the match for Sutton was Emmy Gittins who worked with pace and accuracy throughout.