Chichester City Ladies have been hampered all season by poor weather and were desperate to ensure their home clash with MK Dons went ahead.
Off the back of a 5-2 victory against Luton Town ladies, Chichester had found their winning ways once more in the third
tier of English football. But this time they had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
The Dons started the better and dominated possession in the first half. But they struggled to create goalscoring opportunities with Chi looking strong defensively but unable to string passes together.
On 43 minutes the Dons’ pressure paid off as they slotted in after a mistake in the Chi defence.
But Chichester ladies came out fighting in the second half to put pressure on the MK goal.
Neat link-up play between Fowlie and Wride saw lots of possession in behind the MK right-back and several crosses found their way into the box, where Challen came close on several occassions.
On 76 minutes, the dynamic Widdowson found herself in space on the edge of the box and drove a shot low and hard.
The keeper saved it but Willett followed up to tap home the equaliser. Willett, having recently lost a close member of her
family, stated ‘That one was for Mr Gregory’.
Both sides threatened a winner but an entertaining match finished 1-1.
Chichester host host Ebbsfleet this Sunday at Oaklands (3pm). All support welcome.
Chichester City Ladies Res 7 Seahaven 3
Chichester were out to improve on the draw they achieved when these teams met a couple of weeks ago - and did the business.
From the start, Chichester went on the attack and Kally Ambler finished well after a burst of pace through the Seahaven defence to make it 1-0 in the first five minutes.
Seahaven couldn’t get out of their half and it didn’t take long before it was 2-0 when Kerri Grant broke from the right wing and finished with the outside of her right foot.
Amber Beaven was on fire on the left wing and she and Levi Thorpe were winning corners on a regular basis. Thorpe hit the crossbar from a corner and looked dangerous from set-pieces.
Beaven played a low cross into the box for Ambler to get her second of the game to make it 3-0. Seahaven managed to get into Chichester half and a long-range lob beat Lauren Bateman in the Chichester goal to make it 3-1.
Chichester looked like they could score every time they attacked. Beaven made it 4-1 before half-time with a great left-footed strike that flew in the top corner.
Seahaven caught Chichester napping at the start of the second half as another long-range effort found the net to make it 4-2.
Straight from the restart, however, Ambler got her hat-trick with a great run scoring from close range to make it 5-2.
The crossbar and the Seahaven keeper were keeping the score down. Seahaven had only one form of attack - however it worked again when another long-range effort made it 5-3.
Chichester were determined not to concede again and woman of the match Ambler got her fourth from outside the area. Thorpe, having an outstanding game, finally got the goal her performance deserved as captain Gemma Halford produced an overhead kick to set her up and make it 7-3.
The scoreline could have been bigger but this was a well-earned three points after a great performance by every player.