Phoenix Maintains Winning Start to Season

After days of heavy rain, the morning would have carried concerns of postponement, or treacherous conditions that could lead to a damp squib of a game, but what was delivered was anything but. Mudeford came into the game second in the table after an opening weekend 4-1 home victory over Winchester City, while for today’s opponents Alton Ladies, it had been a tougher start with a 7-0 loss to AFC Porchester Reserves.

The rain had stopped, and by the time the two teams took to the pitch at the ECSSC, the clouds had mostly parted for bright sunshine, setting the stage for what would be a very good day for Phoenix. In fact, the only dampener was the loss of Rosie Abraham in the warm-up, meaning a change of striker was required.

Team Line-ups

MUDEFORD: 1 – Maisie Roff (GK), 10 – Megan Smith, 2 – Hannah Jones, 4 – Micala Angel, 20 – Scarlett Roff, 6 – Daisy Bradford, 7 – Becky Atkinson, 5 – Chiara Andreotti, 8 – Demi Curtin , 21 – Sophie Matthews, 18 – Millie O’Connor. Subs: 9 – Rosie Abraham, 11 – Jess Ellwood, 15 – Ella Gregory, 33 – Tonia Gomez, 19 – Sarah Stocker.

ALTON: 1 – Megan Knight (GK), 15 – Rebecca Bradley, 6 – Connie Nicolle, 4 – Emily Clark, 7 – Emelia Robertson, 3 – Poppy Walker, 2 – Lucy Mandell, 8 – Laura Butler, 14 – Ella Fryer, 9 – Ellie Fyfield, 11 – Lexie Dale

The game was only three minutes old when the first strong chance came, which would set the tone for the next 90 minutes.  Sophie Matthews broke down Alton’s left, before playing a delicious ball that rolled across the box crying out for a finish, but there was no one able to get to it as it rolled to safety. Barely a minute later, it was Alton’s turn to get forward, as a shot was driven just wide. The early stages were certainly a case of the two teams working each other out, with Alton likely apprehensive after their opening-day defeat. The next half chance wouldn’t come until around the 11 minute mark, when a free kick just inside Alton’s half was pumped into the visitor's box and eventually pounced upon by Becky Atkinson who kept it in play, only for her cross from the line to find the side netting.

The deadlock would be broken just moments later. Megan Knight’s goal kick could only find Chiara Andreotti, who thumped it back towards Alton’s box. The ball would find Millie O’Connor, who took advantage of an unexpecting defence to get off a shot, as Knight could only watch as it rolled past her into the bottom corner to give Pheonix the lead.

The game was now firmly in the favour of the home side, and two minutes after the goal, they were in again as a long ball into the box was hit on the volley by Atkinson, only for Knight to watch it sail comfortably over the bar. Mudeford’s next effort on target however was far more accurate, as a cross into the box from Atkinson was knocked down and fell to the feet of the unmarked O’Connor, who hit it first time, finding the corner once again. With 16 minutes gone, Phoenix were very much in control at 2-0.

Alton were in need of establishing a foothold, as Mandell was repeatedly finding herself defending one-on-one against Sophie Matthews and regularly trying to call for her teammates to help. It looked as though their way back would come on 18 minutes when a break away looked to bear fruit, but Daisy Bradford did a great job of holding up the attack long enough for others to get back, and while Alton did get off a shot, it sailed comfortably wide of Maisie Roff’s left-hand post.

The first changes of the game came on 30 minutes, as Mandell having got hurt would depart for Alton, while Mudeford would take off O’Connor and Curtin, bringing on Ella Gregory and Sarah Stocker. It wouldn’t be long before the home subs would have an impact, as a drive through the middle saw the ball played into Stocker inside the box. She snapped a shot off, but it was blocked by a defender, only for the rebound to fall to Gregory. Quick feet saw her beat one defender, before getting a shot off between another two and beating Knight as the ball drove into the top left corner for 3-0.

It had been a dominant first half from Pheonix, but Alton would have the last word, and their best effort, as the half rolled into injury time, with a stinging shot being saved by Roff down at her right post. The resulting corner was well defended and 3-0 was the half-time score.

The second half saw Matthews make way for Jess Ellwood, who moved over to the right while Atkinson switched to the left. Wing play had caused Alton problems in the first half, and this switch only served to enhance their troubles, and within two minutes good play down the right led to Stocker putting a ball across the box, only for no one to get on the end of it and the ball is cleared. Within three minutes, Phoenix did it again, this time Stocker’s cross was parried away by Knight in the Alton goal, and temporarily cleared out of the box. Despite several attempts to clear completely, good home pressure meant Alton were never able to get it out of their half, and a delightful through ball put Andreotti clear and one on one with Knight. The keeper was out quickly, but a neat finish from the Vice Chairman saw the score move to 4-0.

Alton did not let their heads drop and were unlucky to not pull one back shortly after. As a dangerous effort dropped at the far post and was scrambled out for a corner. The resulting corner was well cleared and fell to Megan Smith, who charged on a break away, a neat bit of footwork leaving her defender for dead before getting to the box and putting a cross in. The ball fell to Gregory who would have expected to tuck it home, but the connection wasn’t quite as planned, and Knight was relieved to see the shot go over her bar instead.

Mudeford’s dominance continued with fast-paced attacks down the wings cutting Alton apart time and time again, with Smith playing more as an extra attacker than fullback at times. Further chances would come, as another effort from Gregory was straight at the keeper, while a cross from Atkinson was cleared by Knight. Stocker meanwhile, was in the hunt for a goal and should have had it when the ball fell kindly to her in the box and from close range, she hit it with the outside of her boot. It looked for all the world it would nestle in the corner, but instead went wide of the post. There was further frustration when some good link-up play between Stocker and Ella Gregory looked like it had put Stocker clean through, but there was a little too much pace on the ball which enabled Knight to come off her line and get the ball first. Stocker was to have her moment however, as about halfway through the second half, some great play down the right by Megan Smith saw her put in a cross that Stocker took control of, and this time drill into the corner to make it 5-0.

It would have been easy for Phoenix to ease off from there, but that was not the case. Megan Smith and Jess Ellwood continued to link up excellently down the right, as a ball down the line from Smith saw Ellwood chase and keep it in with a touch on the line. She was then able to beat the defender to it and lay it off back to Smith who had followed in support, but the cross into the box was cleared. Chiara Andreotti would then have further chances to add to her tally, as a through ball saw her beat off a defender to get a shot away, but straight at Knight, while another effort would go just wide.

Alton to their credit kept on going, with Lexie Dale proving a bright spark in the closing stages on their left. They would even have their best two chances of the half as time ticked away. The first was a free kick just inside the Phoenix half that was hit long, catching everyone off guard as it got through to Maisie, but dropped just in front of her as she had to react and scramble with her feet instead of her hands. The second was another free kick, this time closer and just to the right of centre, that would bring a decent save from Maisie Roff as she protected her clean sheet.

The full-time whistle would see Mudeford seal back-to-back victories and keep their first clean sheet of the season, while Alton’s wait for a point, or a goal, goes on. This was a well-earned victory, brought about by domination on the wings.

My Player Of The Match: Megan Smith