Chorltonian Ladies brought to close an end of an era with an emphatic 4-0 victory away to bottom club Liverpool City Community Ladies.

 

Chorlts Manager Paul Caddick was boosted Lyndsey Turner and Joanna Malcolmson and both went in to the starting eleven along with Leigh McFadyen whilst Amy Friel dropped to the bench along with Elizabeth Livesey who returned from injury.

 

On a warm spring day with conditions very firm under foot Chorlts struggled initially to cope with the bouncing ball and impressive kicking from the Liverpool keeper. The home side created the game’s first chance as Jones got inside the Chorlts back line but failed to put her effort on target. It took 12 minutes for Chorlts to open up their opponent but neat inter play between Debbie Price and Jay Shaw saw Ellie Caddick played in behind the full back but her cross drifted harmlessly out of play.

 

On 17 mins McFadyen managed to wriggle free of her markers but her shot was too close to the keeper who saved comfortably.  Liverpool’s respite was only brief and four minutes later a beautifully weighted ball from Caddick played in Shaw and she finished neatly across the keeper to give Chorlts the lead.  The visitors took a firm grip on the game and Turner went for a long range effort from 25 yards but could only disturb the birds nesting in the adjacent tree! On 31 minutes Price burst down the wing but couldn’t find a way towards goal crossing into touch with four teammates waiting for a pullback. Liverpool responded and Robinson saw her shot from a tight angle turned wide of the goal.  

 

Four minutes from half time Chorlts doubled their lead as Captain Shauna Edmondson floated the ball to the back post from a free kick where the on rushing Turner headed home beyond the helpless keeper. Chorlts added a third before half time on 44 minutes as Shaw cushioned a clearance and accelerated in to the box finishing emphatically to the roof of the net to give Chorlts a 3-0 half time lead.

 

The early stages of the second half saw Chorlts were fully aware of the threat of a re-energized Liverpool team looking to find a way back into the game with the visitors pressing high and at a terrific tempo not allowing their opponent any time on the ball.  Jamila Hodges began to insert her influence on the game with her close control, upper body strength and pace. Hodges might have added to the scoresheet when she ran onto a superb pass from McFadyen but forced Dean into a save at her near post. However, it took just five mins for Chorlts to add their fourth as Edmondson picked up a loose ball and fired a screamer in to the bottom left hand corner from 30 yards.                

 

Chorlts continued to press for goals and on 52 minutes Malcomson struck a sweet effort towards goal from 20 yards out but she hit it straight at the Liverpool keeper. On 59 mins McFadyen suffered a head injury challenging for the ball with the keeper and was replaced by Amy Friel, who, with her first touch nearly scored, shooting narrowly wide of the far post.

 

The one way traffic continued and Shaw one on one and Edmondson from distance both missed narrowly to the left hand upright. Chorlts and, in particular Caddick, posed a constant threat with her dead balls with McTague rising highest to one set piece but saw her effort turned over the bar by the Liverpool City goalkeeper Dean.

 

However Chorlts ran out deserved winners to end their first ever season in the North West Women’s Regional League in 8^th position.  After the match manager Paul Caddick spoke; “The girls can justifiably be pleased with their first season at this level with 22 points from 22 games and now must push on with their plans for next season when they will be playing as West Didsbury & Chorlton Women playing on what will be the best kept facility in the league. It’s a really exciting time for the future.”