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Ladies Maintain The Challenge

Last updated : 14 January 2007 By Christine Wheeler

Coventry City Ladies 3-1 Derby County

 

Midlands Combination League

 

14th January 2007    

 

Christine Wheeler reports

 

 

A questionable penalty helped second place Coventry City Ladies to all 3 points on Sunday as league leaders Rotherham drew at West Brom.

 

With an evenly contested first half, it looked as if the sides were going into half-time all square until the 38th minute when Sky Blues striker Sinead Wade was clipped on the heels just outside the six yard box. Despite the opposition team protests ringing in her ears, fellow striker Mel Byrne coolly slotted the ball straight down the middle past goalie Jenny Simpson to make it 1-0.

 

Eight minutes after the break, Byrne doubled her tally as she made it 2-0 with a close range shot, but Derby got one back just four minutes later through Lorna Abbey when she jumped highest to head home a free kick at the far post. A sublime pass from Kelly-Ann Willis on 64 minutes set up Sinead Wade to make it 3-1, putting the match beyond the visitors.

 

The home side could have added more with chances falling to Mel Byrne – for her hat-trick, and also to Kirsty Robson, Emma Lipman, Kelly-Ann Willis and Kelly Henson. The best came from the latter whose curler was acrobatically punched over the bar by Simpson.

 

Coventry City are now six points behind league leaders Rotherham, with City having a game in hand. The sides are due to meet at Westwood Heath on 11th February.

 

After the game, Coventry manager Stuart Wilson admitted that he wasn't entirely convinced by the penalty decision, “I thought it was a little harsh. Sinead just got clipped on the heels before she went down so it probably was justified that it was a penalty”.

 

Coventry City Ladies are taking part in a 24 hour sponsored bike ride with proceeds being evenly split between Breast Cancer Research and funds for Coventry City Ladies FC. The event begins Friday, March 16th at 7pm at the Ricoh Arena Health and Fitness Club. Anyone wishing to sponsor the event can contact Mr A. Murphy on 07979498293.

 

Coventry City: Kerry Williamson, Natalie Wilcox (Helen Dermody, 71), Jenny Lowe, Kelly Henson, Natasha Lynch, Maria Cartwright, Kirsty Robson (Natalie Brace, 76), Emma Lipman, Mel Byrne, Sinead Wade (Sarah Marshall, 76), Kelly-Ann Willis