Poynton 2 Canterbury 3
Canterbury got off to the best possible start in this years National League campaign taking all 3 points against league newcomers Poynton at Belle Vue, Manchester on Saturday.
Canterbury without England players Mel Clewlow & Cathy Gilliat-Smith due to an enforced rest period after International commitments started well and had the better chances in the opening 10 minutes. Hayley Brown shooting narrowly wide on 9 minutes after good work by Jo Bryant & then Sarah Kerly found herself 1 on 1 with the Poynton keeper on 12 minutes but she couldn't find a way past & Hayley Brown's follow up shot again going just the wrong side of the post.
However a minute later Canterbury won their first penalty corner & a well executed move saw the diving Hayley Brown deflect the ball over the keeper to score the first goal of the campaign. The game then entered a scrappy period with both sides struggling to settle with both midfields working hard but making little impression as the game swung from end to end.
With Canterbury's back four being well marshalled by the impressive Natalie Seymour there were few chances for the home side until the 22nd minute when a pass eventually got through the Canterbury lines to Cath Linekar & as the Poynton's centre forward looked to shoot she was harshly adjudged to have been fouled by Canterbury's Georgie Kemsley to win a Penalty for the home side. However from the spot Linekar failed to beat Becky Duggan in the Canterbury goal.
Linekar made ammends for her miss on 27 minutes when she found space in the Canterbury circle and made no mistake to send the teams in level at half time. The second half saw Canterbury take the lead on 40 minutes with Jen Wilson causes problems for Poynton on the right hand side and her cross found Tash Brennan whose touch wrong footed the keeper.
Poynton again drew level on 48 minutes when a speculative through ball took a cruel deflection off of a Canterbury defender and fell kindly into the path of two Poynton forwards who played a neat 1-2 past Duggan for Linekar to score her second.
Canterbury regained the lead on 66 minutes when Wilson again causing problems on the right found the hard working Sarah Kerly in the circle whose first time shot flew into the corner of the goal. Their was still time for the home side to create more chances but Canterbury held out with Lucy Stewart especially making some great tackles to help the Canterbury side take all three points.
Canterbury continue their travels this weekend this time heading down the M4 to take on the other league newcomers Clifton. Canterbury hope to have available Clewlow, Gilliat-Smith and also Susannah Townsend.
Squad: Duggan, Brown A, Brown C, Brown H, Kemsley, Seymour, Stewart, Milne, Chapman, Wilson, Brennan, Kerly, Bryant.