WEYMOUTH LADIES 3 GILLINGHAM LADIES 1

WEYMOUTH gained their second East Division win of the season at home to Gillingham.

The home side went into the game with a strong squad of 14 and were confident of bouncing back from their heavy loss to Salisbury.

They started well and created a number of attacks with Kym Young and Emily Austin linking up well.

Gillingham had a few counter-attacks of their own and looked dangerous at times, but Wendy Butcher did not let anything past her.

Goalkeeper Laura Osborne looks more confident and accomplished with every match and didn’t have a great deal to do in the first half.

Butcher broke the deadlock from the second of two short corners won in quick succession.

A well-worked routine between Butcher and Austin resulted in a clinical finish from the former.

The 1-0 scoreline flattered Gillingham as Weymouth should have been two or three goals to the good.

Chloe van Crugten, pictured, played in four different positions and really came into the match in the second half.

Player of the match Naomi Gadian was excellent in defence, reading the game well and regularly breaking up Gillingham’s play.

Gillingham hadn’t learnt from the previous short corner as Weymouth scored with an identical routine midway through the second half.

Butcher again showed her class to double the hosts’ lead. Shortly after, Lynda Drewitt got to a rebound from another short corner to bury her side’s third.

Gillingham kept going and bagged a consolation strike.

Weymouth: Osborne, Wray, Ribbons, Gadian, Butcher, Huntley, Halford, Dive, Young, Blundell, Austin, Drewitt, Van Crugten, Dencher