Cambridge United Women’s Under-18s get the better of Wycombe Wanderers and Chatteris Town during weekend to remember
A successful weekend saw two commanding performances from Cambridge United Women Under-18s as they made big strides in the Junior Premier League to go within a point of top spot and advance to the quarter- finals of the Cambridge Invitation Cup, writes Robert Coe.
The junior U’s created chances galore with four players on the scoresheet in total, first with an efficient 3-0 victory over an in-form Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday and then another win by the same scoreline thanks to an inspirational performance from player-coach Charlotte Crisp at Chatteris Town the following day.
Even though Wycombe had beaten Nottingham Forest the week before, it was Cambridge who started the strongest with chances for Serena Cobb and Emilia Reinhardt after a surging run into the box by Lilly Horsler.
The first goal came after 26 minutes when Katie Watler composedly headed home a Natasha Coe corner from the left. So dominant was United’s performance that it took until the final minute of the first half for goalkeeper Lily-Grace Cooke to be tested as she comfortably took a long shot above her head.
On the hour it was Coe’s turn to finish with her head as she timed her run into the six-yard box perfectly to finish Isabella Gjergji’s cross after some neat one-touch football approach play in midfield.
The second JPL win of the season was sealed when Eleanor Townsend latched on to attempted clearance and hit a first-time shot from 25 yards that flew into the top corner.
Meanwhile, the county cup win came in the windy fens in a scrappy affair that could have provided a greater margin of victory but for the difficult playing conditions and more clinical finishing.
As it was another venture into senior football, the U’s were able to field former first-teamer Crisp in their line up. The now head of women’s football at Cambridge was able impart her wisdom on the pitch rather than on the touchline and she was soon in the action.
In the opening ten minutes Crisp rattled the bar with a shot from 20 yards and almost provided an assist for Mille Docking but the opening goal came soon after. Gwendolyn Davis-Jones crossed from the right and Coe was at hand to head home from close range.
United were on top and Docking had three chances to extend the lead but she would soon get her goal. Less than a minute into the second half Townsend put through Docking to shoot home from 10 yards to make it 2-0. The striker got her second and sealed victory when she latched on to a fierce Beatrice Rogers shot that ricocheted against the crossbar.
Coe then hit the crossbar in the final move of the game but the two wins left manager Sean Greygoose impressed with the goals and the clean sheets.
“It was a tough weekend with the two games in two days and a couple of players unavailable but two pleasing results,” he said.
“Saturday, I feel like it was our best all-round performance with the work-rate, desire and then the goals we scored from set plays. Some really good combinations and crosses but also an excellent strike from distance.”
“Having different players on the scoresheet was great but even more pleasing was the group’s efforts to keep a clean sheet against a very good and well-organised Wycombe side who beat Nottingham Forest last week.
“Sunday was another chance for the girls to experience something a bit different against a good Chatteris side in the cup.
“We can also use these games to get Charlotte in the team to support the girls whilst on the pitch, coach them through games and also for the girls to see and learn from her. Another positive result but we were lacking bits of quality and intensity for large parts, that could be down to having to play two games on two days.”
“Overall I can’t fault the girls the effort over the weekend winning both games 3-0 with two clean sheets.”
United travel to Bournville on Saturday (November 25) in the JPL and have been drawn away to Manea Sirens in the quarter-final of the Cambridge Invitation Cup on January 21.
