Page 11 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.34 2022-23

Ashmount Leigh 4 Sutton Utd Res 0
Ashmount Leigh completed a brilliant South East Counties League Surrey Division season
by winning the League Cup to go with their Premier Division title, defeating Sutton United
Reserves by four goals to nil at Meadowbank Stadium.
A crowd of 334 saw a very strong performance by Ashmount Leigh against a team
which finished third in the league, two goals in each half settling the outcome.
Sutton started brightly with Sophia Demetriou having a shot inside the first 15
seconds and forcing an early corner but Mount scored from their first attack on five
minutes when a cross from the right was headed home by Holly Walker.
Sutton goalkeeper Rohannie Ignacio was kept busy with sweeping up through passes
as Mount threatened with early deliveries towards their speedy attackers. It was Nicholle
Salvage who added the second Ashmount goal on 38 minutes, firing home via a deflection
and the post from the edge of the area.
Ashmount keeper Katie Peers had little to do in the first half but made a fine save on
the restart, turning away a goalbound strike low to her right from Ayesha Riley. Once
again, however, Mount scored from their first attack of the half when a clever move down
the left saw the ball pulled back for Salvage to calmly sidefoot into the bottom corner on
50 minutes.
Walker and Natalie Stephenson had impressed in central defence for the champions
and they were needed as spirited Sutton kept on attacking despite the deficit. Georgina
Wickham went close to pulling a goal back and most of the play was now in the Mount half
of the pitch.
Arguably the goal of the game concluded the scoring when a free kick was awarded
wide on the left some 25 yards out on 66 minutes. Up stepped Danielle Boyd to place a
super shot over the wall and into the net, giving Ignacio no chance.
Frequent substitutions gave players a taste of the big occasion and, with the outcome
settled, Ashmount were content to absorb pressure then break quickly. Sutton had a series
of corners and multiple sights of goal as they battled to the end for the consolation they
deserved but nothing would go in.
Ashmount Leigh celebrated their 'double'. The club was only founded in 2021 and
they are based in the north Surrey village of Nutfield running as a wholly independent club
with the stated aim of 'creating a social yet professional environment for women to play
competitive and enjoyable football. The club strives for elite standards on and off the field'.
Their outstanding results in the newly created Surrey Division of the SECWFL would seem
to suggest they are getting much right.
Ashmount Leigh: Katie Peers, Jess Chandler, Natalie Stephenson, Lisa Richards,
Harri Underwood, Rebekah Dunt, Lauren Callaghan, Emily Robinson, Holly Walker,
Rosanne Fine, Danielle Boyd. Subs: Lou Brooks, Jessica Rippin, Nicholle Smith, Michelle
Ward, Hannah Warner.
Sutton Utd Res: Rohannie Ignacio, Anna Harbison, Lucie Winn, Poppy Bowyers-
Mitchell, Dayna Clarke, Katie Smale, Aya Mirjan, Keira Parker, Emily Stanley, Sophia
Demetriou, Georgina Wickham. Subs: Ayesha Riley, Emma King, Charlotte Back, Olivia
Carter, Cerys Williams.

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