Page 21 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.32 2022-23

Ruislip Rangers FC formed their first girls team in 2006 and now have a thriving Girls Section
of over 200 girls in fifteen teams from Under 7s to Under 16s.
In 2021-22 they formed their first ever adult women’s team and entered the Women’s
football pyramid in the Thames Valley Counties Women’s Football League Division Three East.
The team, a mixture of Ruislip Rangers `old girls’, talented youngsters and complete
beginners, finished as runners-up and gained promotion.
This season, Ruislip fielded two teams. The Firsts, having added a few more experienced
players, suffered a few postponements at the start of the season leaving them to play catch up
to Division Two pacesetters, Wycombe Wanderers Reserves. Both sides were still unbeaten
when they met on 6th November but Ruislip achieved a comprehensive 6-0 victory.
Both teams continued in fine form, winning every league game until they met again on 5th
March. Once again Ruislip ran out convincing winners, 6-1 leaving them still eight points
behind but with three games in hand.
While Wycombe’s form then stuttered slightly, dropping four points in their last five
games, Ruislip won six on the bounce, clinching the title with two games to spare.
Ruislip reached the semi finals of the League Cup, scoring 34 goals in four ties, including
eight against a Division One team. However a below par performance against a very good
Eversley & California Reserves side saw them go out 4-2. In the Capital Cup they led against
Brentford B until goalkeeper Niamh O’Grady received a boot in the eye and had to retire hurt.
With no substitute keeper on the bench, they slipped to a narrow 3-2 defeat.
With a game to play, Ruislip are top scorers in the entire TVCWFL largely thanks to the
fine form of experienced captain, Liza Ramadanova (40 goals in 23 games), her 17-year-old
partner Krystal Follet (35 in 20) and Catherine Fahy (15 in 20, mostly off the bench).
Joint managers are Dave Holden (who has coached some of the current players since they
were U10s in 2006), Graham Pratt & John Gowen.
With several players heading off to university next season the club is seeking new recruits.
Anyone interested in playing for an ambitious but genuinely friendly club should contact
ladies@ruisliprangersyfc.org.uk.
Ruislip’s seconds have also had a great season, winning the league’s Development Division
on the last day. After a shaky start, with a 5-0 defeat to Kingsclere Reserves in their first fixture,
the team gelled and put together a run of nine wins out of ten before meeting Kingsclere again,
where a 6-3 win underlined the improvement. Although the next game was a shock 2-1 defeat,
three consecutive wins (spread from early March to early May) sealed the title.
The seconds also had a good run in the League Plate, winning two ties on penalties before
going out the same way in the quarter finals to Third Division Caversham AFC. Goalkeeper
Diva Shah excelled throughout.
Top scorers were Sophie Murphy with 39 from 16 games and Aurela Gashi (13 in 18).
Captain was Sophie Higham and managers were Geoff Davis and Nigel Jones.

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