Exeter City Ladies 3-1 Charlestown Ladies

Sunday 22nd August 2010

Venue: Topsham Town Football Club

City played host to Charlestown Ladies FC at their home ground of Topsham Town Football Club in their first fixture since being promoted into the South West Women's League. Not only does this season provide a new challenge for the team, it also sees several new signings taking to the pitch for the first time in City colours. This year, and as a result of new sponsorship provided by Alan Smith's ALS Motor Parts, the ladies team sported the same home kit and tracksuits as their male counterparts.

The fixture began with a minute's silence, in remembrance of the late Exeter City Football Club striker Adam Stansfield. The team set out in a 4-4-2 formation, with new signings Josie Copp in centre midfield, Helen Kukor up front and Natalie Shenton on the right of midfield. City were missing several key players for this fixture but nevertheless were able to field a very strong team. The game started slowly with neither team dominating play. Soon City broke the deadlock, when an Emma Jones corner was headed home by Copp. scoring her first goal on her debut. The Cornish opposition pressed forward and had it not been for a very resilient defence, City may well have found themselves several goals down. Some fantastic play from City led to the second goal, with Shenton taking the ball down the right wing before cutting inside and striking the ball with her left foot, curling it into the top corner. The goal was declared a great strike' by City's left back Billy Jones, who had come down to support the team and manager (fellow team-mate) Steve Tully. Charlestown retaliated by clawing a goal back shortly before the half time whistle.

The half time team talk was a strong one from the manager, and City reacted positively to this during the second half. Tactical substitutions saw Jones make way for Shenton to come across to the left wing, with striker Hannah Cox moving to the right and Carla Staddon come on to play up front. City had numerous chances to put the game to bed, with Kirsty Caunter coming close and putting the ball over the bar. The final goal of the match came from a fantastic cross from Cox on the right, this was side footed into the net calmly by Kukor, meaning each of City's new signings had added their names to the score sheet on their first appearance. At the full time whistle the match finished 3-1.

Exeter City Ladies would like to dedicate this victory to Adam Stansfield and the family, Marie, Jay, Taylor and Cody. All of our thoughts are with them at this time.