Sunday saw the Eagles senior team travel away to face a very tough Chichester development team.
The Eagles started off trying to settle into the game while being outplayed for the majority of the first 10 minutes. However, as soon as the team found their feet and composure, they started to put the pressure on Chichester and found the opening breakthrough in the 22nd minute when a stray ball was picked up by captain Ellena Boakes, who bent an outrageous 30-yard shot over the top of the Chichester keeper, scoring the goal of the season so far (0-1).
The Eagles held their own until the 40th minute when a corner was not dealt with, and the opposition snatched a loose ball from under the feet of the defenders to score in a goal-line scramble (1-1).
Half time Chichester City 1-1 Wight Eagles
The 2nd half saw the Islanders burst into life and take the game to Chichester. In the 60th minute, a through ball – well controlled by Daisy Chapman – allowed her to turn and cooly slot home past the keeper (1-2).
Within the next 5 minutes, Chichester struck back with a very good build-up play that sliced through the Eagles’ midfield and defence and saw them equalise from close range (2-2).
In the 80th minute, Daisy Chapman again latched onto a ball behind the defence and slammed home from 20 yards out, shooting into the top corner (2-3). The girls thought the game was theirs, only to see a mix-up between keeper and defence, which resulted in a 3rd Chichester equaliser with just minutes to go (3-3).
Full time: Chichester City 3-3 Wight Eagles
Player of the match: Carmen Simonds
After the game, manager Steve Spriggs said:
“We have come away disappointed not to take 3 points as we outplayed them at times. We dug deep and put in maximum effort. To go ahead 3 times in the game and to be pegged back each time is hard, but credit to them they are a very good and well-organised team.”
WIGHT EAGLES U15s 4-0 BEDHAMPTON VIPERS
The Eagles started brightly and showed early on that they have all been working hard in training at their style of play by putting Bedhampton on the back foot with their creativity, speed and pressing to win the ball.
Bedhampton couldn’t get out of their own half, as the Island side began to unlock the defence and quickly work the ball through to the waiting strikers, finding Tawnie early to slot home into the bottom corner (1-0).
The Islanders found more rhythm after the goal and looked like scoring every time when going forward, as hard-working midfielder Dani Robinson had a good effort denied by the keeper only for her to spill the ball into the path of Tanisha Cooke (2-0).
Shortly before halftime, a header was cleared by the Vipers’ defence, only to fall at the feet of Dani Robinson who struck it home (3-0).
Just before the final whistle, Ocean Clark slotted a perfect pass into the path of Tawnie Siddall, for her to seal victory for the Eagles (4-0).
WIGHT EAGLES U13 3 v 2 AFC PORTCHESTER
Saturday saw the opening day of football for the Hampshire Girls League.
AFC Portchester wanted to get the better of the Island side as they looked for revenge on the Eagles for beating them 2-0 last season, Porchester had some early chances but were denied by the Eagles’ goalkeeper.
In the 8th minute, Imogen Jones won the ball and went past the defence before smashing the ball home (1-0).
Portchester caught the Island side out with some long balls, resulting in the Eagles conceding 2 quick goals to trail 1-2 at the halftime break.
In the 2nd half, the Eagles put pressure on AFC Portchester, forcing them to make mistakes and playing the ball around them. Gaps started to open in the Portchester defence, and Kelsie Ronan capitalised by cooly slot home the equaliser (2-2).
The game was back on, and the Eagles cranked up the gears. A minute from full time, Kelsie Ronan played an inch-perfect pass to Amelia Ford for her to smash in the winner and give the Eagles their 1st 3 points of the season (3-2).
After the game, Manger Dan Verstraeten said:
The girls never gave up from the start to finish, even when we went behind. I have every faith in their ability to work hard and claw it back; we had a chat at half time and they knew what was needed to raise their game.
Player of the match: Darcie Ashdown
its siddall not sidal***.