Sheffield Wednesday WFC continued there 2009/2010 campaign with a rain swept evening game against local rivals OOH Lincoln Ladies on Wednesday night. Both teams were looking for there first wins of the season.
Sheffield Wednesday started the brightest once again attempting to play there creative attacking football and had some early success. They looked like scoring the first as the Owls defence was more than equal to Lincoln constant route one approach. As the rain continued to pour down heavily over the green grass it was Lincoln who took the lead going into half-time with first half goals from Stacey Aisthorpe and Amanda Barr.
Wednesday continued to push for a goal to get them back in the game, coming close with efforts from Beth Gingell and Sarah Danby, but the footballing gods were not on side once again and it was Lincoln who pushed further in front, with goals from Jodie Michalska and a second from Amanda Barr. It could have been more if not for the brilliance - once again - of Owls keeper Danni Maslin. But Wednesday never gave up hope and did get a well deserved goal, with a quality well driven free-kick from centre back Hayley Sharp, after a very bad and unprofessional tackle on the edge of the area on midfield star Rachel Lee, which left the in form Lee on the treatment table with a worrying knee injury.
The game went on with Wednesday down to 10 players after Lee's injury and all the subs been used and ended a miserable night with Wednesday going down 4-1.
Assistant manager Liam Kelly commented "Lincoln gave us a good lesson - not in football - but in the importance of taking your chances. When we look at the game, I don't think Lincoln had as much possession and shots as us but they took there's. We knew how Lincoln would play, the old style, Desmond Morris percentage football - and with the conditions I was sometimes worried the ball would come back down with ice on it. Which is disappointing for the game in general that they prefer to by-pass their midfield when attacking- because for me Carla Ward is one of the most under rated players in the Womens game and very technically gifted.
But to be fair they think this style will get them promoted, which it may just do. But their under more pressure than us in terms of promotion, they need it this year and not getting it will be seen as failure - where they are going for the route one, psychological approach, we on the other hand are going for the methodological approach, which won't get the instant success but will have a better longevity for the club and produce better player's for the future and for the style we want to play, which will gain us the success we are driven towards, and when you look at the players coming through the Centre of Excellence Programme, they are nearly all them athletic, technical players who would enjoy playing in our style of play.
But credit must go to our players, they keep working hard in training, have a professional attitude and I really hope they realise how much they are all developing. Sherwood as taking to the left back position and you'd think she's been a left back for20longer than 6 weeks; Sharpie is for me, playing the best football of her career and how this player as never received England recognition is beyond me. Add the likes of Danby, who is playing with so much confidence and quality and who in the coming months and years could develop into a star, De Silva and Lee, who are creating a strong understanding in the middle of the park. And as daft as this sounds, the players on the bench the likes of; Donohoe, Barker, Windle, Corry and Jepson these are pushing harder and getting closer and any one of these players could become the next impact player then into the first 11.
But the challenge is now this weekend’s game against Curzon. As far as I’m concerned there is no message to the players, words don't create 3 points, action and a result do."
After a very positive pre-season Wednesday are finding points hard to come by in the league and will be looking to address this in the next game, at home at Worksop Town FC against Curzon Ashton on Sunday 6th September. With no game for the mens team, this weekend represents an ideal opportunity to go out and see what the womens game is all about and get behind the Owls. For more information on the Ladies team, visit the official website at www.swwfc.net