Football: Comfortable for Noake

Mar 13 2008 Rhymney Valley Express

Sue Noake XI 3 Newport 2nds 0

AFTER a slow and cautious start the Sue Noake XI eventually stamped their mark on this top-of-the-table clash with an emphatic 3-0 win in blustery and damp conditions.

Newport were one player short for the whole game but for lengthy periods in both halves it was difficult to tell.

Indeed, the away side seemed to enjoy the extra space they found, and frustrated the Reds with some strong play through midfield into attack, and could have scored two or three themselves.

The home team lacked the fluidity of last week’s performance but managed a goal after 10 minutes when Jo Rowe converted after a strong build-up in the first real attack.

The lead was nearly doubled 10 minutes later when Paris Nicholas carved her way through the middle but the keeper was out quickly and her effort went narrowly wide.

Newport struck back immediately and Rhian Phillips dived full length to make a fantastic stick-save.

The Reds’ defence found itself at full stretch for the rest of the half and they were indebted again to Phillips, who denied a certain goal for Newport with her outstretched boot.

The home side received a good talking to in the interval and this seemed to do the trick as within three minutes of the restart they went further ahead with a well-worked goal.

After a Newport attack the ball was released fluently through Hayley Davies and Nicholas to Rowe, whose firm shot was parried by the keeper, only for Carys Buswell, in great goal-scoring form recently, to knock in the rebound.

The Sue Noake team began to win more control of the midfield, and after 15 minutes got their third.

Rowe found Trudi Noake with a great free hit from near the side line, and Noake gave the goalie no chance with a power-hit from just inside the ‘D’.

The home side spent the next 10 minutes almost camped in the Newport half. The away side were still adventurous enough to leave players forward and nearly got a late consolation goal, but lacked the extra player to convert a dangerous pass across the face of the Reds’ net.

This strong performance by Newport tested the credentials of the Sue Noake XI and reminded the home team that a number of tough games lie ahead before promotion can be achieved.