Reserves fight back to earn point
Glasgow City Reserves fought back from two goals down yesterday to draw 3-3 with Troon.
Similar to last week, City started the game strongly and created some good chances in the opening exchanges. Laura Crossan was the first to come close when she hit the woodwork from ten yards out. Soon after, Crossan was denied again, this time by the Troon keeper when the City forward was through one on one.
The home side continued to pressure the Troon back line but it was the visitors who managed to get on the score sheet first. A long ball split the City defence and the Troon striker took advantage and finished from 12 yards.
Straight from kick off City again dominated the game for long spells with the woodwork once more preventing them from making the breakthrough when skipper Linda O’Donnell hit a superb strike from 20 yards.
As the pressure on the visitors goal mounted, Troon dealt City a killer blow, when once more against the run of play, they managed to convert one of their rare chances to put their side 2-0 up. Coming in from wide left, the Troon player skipped past four City players before finishing past Nikki O’Donnell in the City nets.
Despite being two goals behind, credit to Glasgow City as they continued to play their own game and had some excellent spells of possession. Finally their dominance was rewarded when striker Lindsay Birrell got on the end of a well weighted pass from Maria Welsh to finish from inside the box.
Minutes later, O’Donnell levelled the score just before half time after some good link up play from City
Half time 2-2
At the beginning of the second period, the match became more open, with the hot weather starting to take its toll on both sets of players. However, City continued to try and keep up their high tempo performance with relentless pressure on the Troon back line. As luck would have it, the second half became a repeat of the first as it was Troon who once more took the lead, when a high ball caught the City rear guard napping.
City pushed hard for the equaliser, but again the woodwork kept Troon in the lead as efforts from City’s Ces Jones and Mel Shreenan both hit the upright.
The home side did eventually get the equaliser, when Debbie Garment set up Captain O’Donnell who scored her second of the match to make it 3-3.
Despite their best efforts, City were unable to get the winner as Troon held on for a well earned point.
City Reserves boss Fiona Baker commented on the match. She said, “I felt we played really well today and we dominated the game in long spells and created a lot of decent chances. The woodwork denied us five times and when that happens sometimes you feel it just not going your day. However, once more, fair play to the girls as they continued to play decent football even when we were 2-0 down in the first half.
Defensively we need to work on some things because we tend to gift teams goals rather than them working hard for them, so that is something we will be focusing on over the next few weeks.”
A full gallery of images are on our photos page. Pictures by Glasgow City Club Photographer, Andy Buist.
16.08.10
