Argyle Community Trust
ARGYLE Ladies came within a minute of recording their first away win in the FA Women’s Premier League since December 2011, but saw Forest Green Rovers claw back a two-goal deficit to take a share of the spoils in a lively encounter played at Slimbridge AFC.
Boosted by the inclusion of young England Under-17 international Jessie Jones, signed on loan from Yeovil Town and the return of Rebekah Rose and Laura Perrett, Argyle started brightly and took the lead in the third minute when Kayley Lane raced on to Ellie Dorey’s defence-splitting pass to coolly slot the ball past the Forest Green Rovers keeper.
However, within a minute, the home side were level when an innocuous looking cross from Charlotte King evaded everyone and found its way into the far corner of the Argyle net.
Argyle continued to dominate possession and retook the lead in the 29th minute when Perrett’s long-range effort was spilt by Forest Green Rovers keeper Georgina Macey and adjudged to have crossed the line by the eagle-eyed referee’s assistant.
Paige Stewart almost drew Forest Green Rovers level in the 34th minute but was unlucky to see her free kick come back off the crossbar and almost immediately the impressive Jones was sent racing clear by Rebekah Rose, rounded the keeper and finished from the most acute of angles to give Argyle a 3-1 lead.
Perrett, Jones, Kayley Lane and Ellie Dorey all went close to adding to Argyle’s lead before the break but Forest Green Rovers reduced the arrears in the 42nd minute when Ella Hitchcox cut in from the left and hit a dipping shot from all of 25 yards that flew past Argyle’s Michaela Phillips into the top corner.
Boosted by their late goal in the first half, Forest Green Rovers came at Argyle at the restart but the back four, superbly marshalled by captain Becky Atkins in an unfamiliar central defensive role, held firm and it was the visitors who looked more like adding to their score on the break with Jones and Kayleigh Brown both forcing saves out of Georgina Macey.
Argyle thought they had restored their two-goal cushion in the 55th minute when Perrett bundled home a Rose corner but was adjudged to have fouled the keeper, and the same player was unlucky to have another goal-bound effort blocked moments later. Lane then saw her rasping drive pushed onto the crossbar with no-one on hand to knock in the rebound.
As the Argyle ladies began to tire, Forest Green Rovers stepped up the pressure and when Rose had to come off injured in the 75th minute, manager Kevin Taylor switched to five in midfield to stem the flow of the Rovers’ attacks.
Argyle looked like holding out for a valuable three points but in the final minute of added time Forest Green Rovers’ Charlotte King was played in on the right hand edge of the Argyle penalty area: her shot looked to be going narrowly wide but as the Argyle ladies switched off, Hitchcox nipped in at the far post to supply the finish much to the delight of the home crowd and the dismay Kevin Taylor and his players.
Paige Stewart almost won it for Forest Green Rovers with the final kick of the game but her free kick flashed inches wide of the post.
Taylor was left to reflect on two dropped points given the fact that his side had held a commanding 3-1 lead in the first half and whilst an away point in the Premier League is always welcome, Argyle may live to rue this result come the end.
