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Rotherham United Ladies made it successive draws as they came back from a two goal deficit against visitors Crewe Alexandra in a game that was dictated by the strong wind and driving rain. Rotherham made three changes from last weeks team, with new signing Charlotte Spencer replacing injured Bridget Booth at centre half, Siobhan Wood replacing Natalie Mason on the wing and Kerry Jones coming into midfield for Claire Needham. Crewe, with the advantage of having the wind behind them, attacked from the start and were rewarded with the games first goal after only 6 minutes. A corner was not cleared and as the ball bobbled about the box it dropped at the feet of a Crewe striker who fired it past Charlie Whiteley. The Millers responded with Spencer winning the ball and playing it down the right channel where Jones flicked it on to Helen Lynskey who managed to get a shot across the goal, with the Crewe ‘keeper happy to see it go wide for a goal kick. Lynskey had another chance four minutes later after Hayley Wood had intercepted a Crewe pass and ran down the right before squaring the ball. This time Lynskey’s shot flew straight into the ‘keeper’s arms. Rotherham had a scare after 15 minutes as Crewe won a corner which was flighted in on the wind and it took a header from Amy Pollock to clear the ball from under her own crossbar. Crewe doubled their lead on the 22 minute mark from the penalty spot. They broke down the right channel, where Rachael Rutherford won the ball only to under hit her back pass into the path of a Crewe striker. Whiteley could only bring the striker down as she advanced on the goal and was then sent the wrong way from the resulting spot kick. Rotherham didn’t let their heads drop after this blow and a good passing move involving Siobhan Wood, Amy Pollock, Kerry Longstone and Sarah Thickett ended with Lynskey firing her shot over the bar. Lynskey then saw another shot go over after good link up play with Thickett. The Millers were forced into an early substitution as Siobhan Wood was unable to continue and was replaced on the wing by Klare Osbourne. Within a minute Whiteley saved low to her left to keep the home team in the game. Crewe then attacked down the right and Whiteley commanded her box by confidently plucking the resulting cross out of the air. Home captain Longstone tried to get her team back into the game as she won the ball and cut inside before hitting a fierce shot which forced the visiting ‘keeper to save. Rotherham were then indebted to Whiteley as she made two top class saves within minutes as the half came to a close. Her first bout of heroics came after Crewe won the ball in the centre of the pitch before playing an inch perfect pass through the defence for the striker, who advanced on goal and shot, forcing Whiteley to make a one handed save to keep the ball out. Sarah Saxon completed the clearance as the ball dropped just yards from goal. Whiteley’s second save was even better as a Crewe cross into the box was touched on to an unmarked player who shot from just outside the 6 yard box, only for Whiteley to block at point blank range before smothering the ball and keep the score at 2 – 0 to the visitors as half time arrived.
The Millers started the second half hoping to take advantage of the weather being in their favour but it was Crewe who again looked the more dangerous in the first few minutes. They moved the ball down the left and drove a cross across the six yard box with two Crewe players just unable to get a touch before Saxon cleared the danger. Crewe then almost extended their lead in fortunate circumstance as a hopeful through ball skipped off the sodden pitch faster than expected and Whiteley was grateful to see the ball fly just wide of her post. Rotherham responded with Osbourne’s shot-cross looking like it would find the top corner, only for the visiting ‘keeper to claw the ball away. The resulting corner by Pollock dropped to Lynskey whose shot was well saved but not held by the ‘keeper allowing Thickett to toe poke the ball towards goal. Unfortunately a defender was alert to the danger and managed to hack the ball off the line and away for a throw in. The Millers finally got back into the game with a goal on the hour mark. A free kick on half way was flighted to the edge of the box by Rutherford, flicked on by Thickett into Longstones path and the captain made no mistake as she drilled a low left footed shot across the ‘keeper into the far corner. The home team had another scare as Crewe broke down the right before finding an unmarked player on the left hand side of the box. Luckily the resulting shot was drilled just wide of the goal. Two minutes later Crewe again broke away down the right and this time the shot was on target but Whiteley again kept Crewe at bay with a good save before holding onto the loose ball. Pollock tried her best to get Rotherham on level terms with two shots from distance, both of which took deflections for corners. From the second of these Pollock’s cross was headed just over by Longstone. The Millers equalised after 78 minutes as Longstone came out of a tackle with the ball, turned and played it across to Osbourne who flicked a pass with the outside of her boot into the path of Jones run into the box. Jones kept her composure and fired her shot across the goal and past the ‘keepers dive to score. The home team almost took the lead two minutes later as Thickett shot inches wide after a cross from Wood was laid into her path by Jones. Rotherham kept up the pressure and a high, hopeful ball into the box by Thickett was spilled by the goalie, only for Lynskey to poke the ball wide whilst under pressure. The Millers were inches away from taking all three points in the last minute as Pollock’s shot from 20 yards rocketed past the goalie but, unfortunately, thumped into the cross bar and was cleared form danger. The final whistle was blown seconds later to confirm the 2 – 2 score line. Team:
Charlie Whiteley
Kerry Jones
Sarah Saxon
21. Charlotte Spencer
Kerry Longstone (C)
7. Amy Pollock
Sarah Thickett
Helen Lynskey
Hayley Wood
Rachael Rutherford
20. Siobhan Wood
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