Lincoln Ladies 0-1 Liverpool Ladies

This weekend has been quite a surreal one for fans of Ladies football. For the first time that i can remember the start of the women's league has received quite a bit of coverage; both locally and nationally. On the national stage, the BBC has done a cracking job; firstly on the airwaves with Radio One's newsbeat getting in on the act on Friday with an on-line video featuring our own Karen Bardsley. It made a refreshing change to actually hear something good on the station that is seen as the flagship music station in the UK. However as with all things there are downsides to counter the good. And in this case i give you the new "song" by DJ Snake whose new track has had the honour of being the song of the week on the breakfast show. If you haven't heard it yet then you are lucky, but if you really want to hear it i have attached a link to it at the end of this blog. However i take no responsibly for what may happen to your hearing or any effects it may have on your long term health.

Elsewhere the FAWSL received great coverage in national papers such as the Daily Star (with an appearance from Megan Harris no less) and even Football Focus got in the act with Casey Stoney being a studio guest, making the show actually watchable for a change, and she made more interesting points than Mark Lawrenson has managed to for the last few seasons. Locally the Lincolnshire Echo did a cracking job of previewing the season and giving the low down on the club and the league as a whole. I quite enjoyed reading the player profiles which were interesting and well written. Anyway today was the day when all the talking, interviews, features, tweets etc about who was going to do what to who, who were the ones to watch, who will prevail  and who will perish, stopped and the action on the pitch finally began.

The big news for the Imps this week was the signing of New Zealand international Hayley Bowden; who was signed up on transfer deadline day and trained with the squad on Thursday night. Hayley has gained a record number of caps for New Zealand and has played in the WSL having played for Chelsea back in 2011. Given all her experience i think its pretty safe to say that we have a decent player on our hands. Welcome to Lincoln Hayley. This gave the gaffer a nice little selection dilemma. Its is often said that you should never change a winning side but on the other side can you really leave out a player with 90 plus international appearances. In the end Hayley did start the game in midfield.

Given the size of Matt Beard's Liverpool squad he is going to face selection problems week after week, given how many players he has brought in. Given that the league campaign only lasts for 14 games its going to be a real challenge for him to keep all the players happy and it will be an interesting story to follow as the season develops. He is certainly going to need to be a good man manager as well as a good football manager. He popped into the bar before the game and took the time to say hello to the members of the supporters club and was very approachable.

Today we had the best weather so far of the season (yes i know that isn't hard) but it made a nice change to be walking down to the ground with the sun out. First up we had a supporters club meeting in the VIP lounge at Sincil Bank (very posh it is to) which was well attended. Just a quick point on that; supporters club members are now allowed access to the lounge pre game, post game, and at halftime, so its yet another reason to join the club and for only £5 for an adult member, it really is a bargain that you can't afford to miss out on. You even get a pink Lincoln Ladies cap. Can't say fairer than that.

After the supporters meeting i headed out to the stadium as both sides were going through their warm ups. Lincoln made one change from the side that had won the previous two games with Hayley Bowden given the number two shirt and replacing Emilly Roberts on the right hand side of midfield, otherwise it was as you were. Again Lincoln only fielded three subs to Liverpool's seven.

Although the sun was out it there was a strong wind blowing around the stadium (and no i didn't have a curry the previous night before you say anything) And it was blowing in Liverpool's favour in the first half. 

It was the visitors that were first on to the attack; hitting the ball long and looking to get behind the Lincoln back four. Although Liverpool had the early pressure, it was Lincoln who created the first chance when a ball over the top found Hamilton in the box, but her first touch wasnt quite right and the ball ran out for a goal kick. Liverpool were looking dangerous and on 7 minutes they took the lead when the Imps conceded a free kick on the right hand side which was whipped into the box and unfortunately for Lincoln, nobody took responsibility for for it and Natasha Dowie met it with a glancing header and sent the ball into the far corner of the goal just beyond the dive of Karen Bardsley. Lincoln almost hit back when Jess Clarke went on one of her trademark runs skipping past three defenders, but her shot went harmlessly wide.

The goal however seemed to have rattled Lincoln and we looked nervous every time the ball was launched forward. Granted, the conditions weren't helping us, but it just felt like the communication that has been so good in the first two games of the season wasn't quite there in the first half. Karen Bardsley then came to Lincoln's rescue when she got a hand to a 20 yard effort from a Liverpool player (sorry i didn't quite see which one) Liverpool were looking very dangerous from set pieces and they nearly doubled their lead when Bardsley couldn't quite collect a corner, spilt it, but then gathered it at the second attempt.

Moments later Lincoln were almost in, when following a foul on Precious Hamilton, Casey Stoney sent in a dangerous free kick that evaded the Liverpool defence but unfortunately Jess Clarke couldn't quite connect and the chance went begging. Soon after this however Lincoln survived a huge scare when Liverpool really should have made it 0-2. Natasha Dowie's effort from just outside the box on the righthanded side, cannoned off the underside of the bar with Bardsley beaten. The rebound came out to Katin Omarsdottir who fired in a low shot that was hacked off the line by Sophie Bradley and eventually cleared to safety. Liverpool finished the half with a couple of corners but thankfully Lincoln held out. Fara Williams's deliveries had been first class in the first half and the main difference between the sides. Although Lincoln had been under pressure for much of the first half we were only 1 down and would have the advantage of the wind in the second half so all wasn't lost by any means.

The second half was far more even and Lincoln did look alot more organised and decisive at the back. They forced their first corner of the game just after the break and looked to take the fight to Liverpool. The game had however turned very scrappy with most of the play being bogged down in the middle of the park, with both sides struggling to put more than two passes together, Lincoln did however put together a really good move when Precious Hamilton flicked over a great first time ball that Carla Cantrell hit first time and it flew inches wide of the post. It was by far Lincoln's best moment of the game. Carla did test the keeper with a long range free kick but it was well held. The Imps did try to change the game; bringing on Roberts for Bowden, but the final ball wasn't quite there. The game finished with Lincoln on the attack and they were inches away from an equaliser deep into stoppage time when Stoney just failed to connect with a free kick that was floated in at the back post.

On the plus side the second half had been far more even and Lincoln can take heart from the way that they put a poor first half behind them. This wasn't a great game overall, with both sides creating very few clear cut chances however given their first half showing, Liverpool just about deserved to take the points. 

 As promised.. Take it away DJ Snake!!

Elsewhere...

After there 6-0 kicking at the hands of Arsenal in the FA cup on Tuesday night, Birmingham City faced a tough away game at Chelsea and regained a little pride when they collected a point. Chelsea took the lead on 16 minutes with a goal from Jakobsson, but the vistors drew level when Williams 30 yard screamer hit the back of the net in the 28th minute. Birmingham pushed for a winner but Chelsea held out.

In the FA Cup Bristol reached the semi finals for the 3rd year running with a 3-2 win over Everton in a game that had everything. Bristol took the lead inside the first minute and after 61 minutes looked to be home and dry leading 3-1 with the vistors down to ten players. Toni Duggen pulled one back for Everton but it was too little too late for the Blues, and Bristol now go on to face Lincoln in the semi final with Liverpool and Arsenal contesting the other one.