Women's Report | Cards hammer Havant in extra sweet victory

Woking Women 4-1 Havant & Waterlooville Women
22nd October 2023
SRWFL Division One South

Woking came out on top in a fiery game at the Eastwood Centre, thanks to an early second-half penalty save and two late goals. Charlotte Keenan, Helen Ogle and a Kaitlin Howard brace was what was required on the day, to thump high-flying Havant & Waterlooville.

A theme throughout the game was the magnitude of brilliant saves made by Amy Jenkins in goal and this all started in the first five minutes when Havant’s number 19 was played through one versus one but was denied by our number one.

She was at it again moments later with a very important last-ditch save, after Havant’s number 19 had done all but score, after some great play from the away side.

Two very early chances for The Hawks saw the possession nudge in their favour, but with the Cards first major threat, they took the lead thanks to a brilliant finish from Charlotte. It came from Bianca Underhill running down the right-hand side and playing in our number nine, who riffled the ball into the top right corner. The opposition's keeper could do nothing about it.

The goal had encouraged the home side into the game a lot more and nearly doubled their lead when great play between Charlotte and Trudy Bryan-Kerr, set up a chance but the latter was unlucky to see her shot go over the bar.

Despite back-to-back clean sheets, Havant equalised in the 38th minute after a ball played into the box wasn’t cleared and was slipped under the on-rushing Amy. Despite the visitors being more in control in the early parts of the game, it was a goal that could have been dealt with a lot better and came very much as a sucker punch just before half-time.

This didn’t affect the player though in the slightest, as just two minutes later, the Cards were back in front. Trudy played a pass to Kaitlin whose touch got away from her, but the defender sliced the ball back into her path for the captain to nutmeg the ‘keeper and regain her team’s one-goal advantage.

HT: Woking 2-1 Havant & Waterlooville

For the start of the second half, Anthony Rosenberg-Murray made four substitutions, as Sheena Nichol, Lily Davis, Laura Mitchell and Sian Hardaker all replaced Trudy, Ellie Boddy, Sophie Burgess and Alicia Christie.

Just three minutes in, Havant had been awarded a penalty for a supposed shirt pull in the box, but it was even oblivious to the away side. With not many people understanding what had just happened, the ever-so-present Amy stayed focused and made a fabulous save to her right, to keep the score at 2-1. She managed to palm the ball away before Bianca then cleared any further danger.

Just before the hour mark, Lily picked up the club’s first booking of the season, as she received a yellow card for a foul on her opposition number. She was then substituted ten minutes later due to an injury she picked up, which will be assessed later in the week.

Charlotte had been linking up really well all game with various different teammates and did so once again when she found Kaitlin in the box, but the skipper’s effort was well saved.

More substitutions followed as Trudy replaced Kaitlin, who handed the armband to Fran and then minutes later Sophie replaced Fran, meaning Laura took the captaincy.

With the tight edge in the game still visible with only ten minutes to go, it was Amy yet again who made another vital save, as she got down low to divert an almost certain late equaliser for the away side. With the score still at 2-1, it was clear on reflection just how important she had been for her team on the day.

Kaitlin returned to the pitch in what would have been the last substitution of the game, as she replaced Charlotte up front.

Five minutes from time saw Helen finally get a well-deserved goal, as a big sigh of relief came from everyone associated with Woking. The number seven found space between the two central defenders and smashed the ball into the bottom left-hand corner to send the team into jubilation.

She was unfortunately substituted just after the restart due to being on the end of a nasty tackle, in which the recipient was booked for. Charlotte made an unexpected return to the game in her absence.

Then on the stroke of full-time, it was well and truly game, set and match as from the resulting free-kick in which Helen was fouled, Sheena played a beautiful long ball straight onto the feet of Kaitlin, who volleyed home to double her tally for the day.

FT: Woking 4-1 Havant & Waterlooville

This was a big win for Woking, not just in the context of the league standards, but in the way they did so after being faced with a lot of adversity throughout the 90 minutes. They will take great pride in this, as attention now turns to next Sunday’s challenging fixture against AFC Stoneham Ladies, once again at the Eastwood Centre.



Woking Starting XI: Jenkins, Burgess (46) (83), Cotter (83), Boddy (46) (68), Underhill, Christie (46) (68), Theocharous (68), Ogle (89), Bryan-Kerr (46) (73), Howard © (73) (83), Keenan (83) (89)

Subs: Davis (46) (68), Hardaker (46), Mitchell (46), Nichol (46)

Attendance: 56

Player of the Match: Amy Jenkins