Report & Reaction | Torquay Turnaround As Magpies Make Comeback

 

If a week can feel like a long time in politics then it seems like an eternity in football. Just seven days prior to the long trip down to South Devon, MUWFC had felt down on their luck after a heavy home defeat to Abingdon United on a day in which nothing went right and fortune evaded the team at every turn. 

 

Going into a game at confident, newly promoted Torquay United in front of their vociferous Plainmoor fanbase, contending with injuries and suspensions and going two goals behind early in the second half lesser teams would have crumbled. But Maidenhead United Women are made of stern stuff these days. 

 

A thrilling game unfolded on a warm, sunny day on the English Riviera. Maidenhead, as they had the previous Sunday, started well and Alex Dover glanced a header over the top, albeit from an offside position. The visitors forced two corners in the opening five minutes, the second of which was taken short for Tyra Wilson who sent in a powerful shot from range which was well gathered by Hannah Bishop in the Torquay goal. The end-to-end nature of what was to unfold became cleared within seconds of that early effort on goal however after Molly McKeever was forced into a last-ditch clearance after the Magpies were caught in possession. 

 

A period of steady Torquay pressure followed, but Maidenhead created the first clear cut opening of the game after 20 minutes had elapsed. Poppy Dearlove broke with pace from a Torquay corner, bursting into the opposition half and sliding a perfect ball through to young Wilson who rather rushed her shot and fired wide. This chance was the prelude to a busy period of chances – the experienced Sarah Stacey nodded a free-kick wide and barely a minute later Cherry Preisner stood up well to deny Beth Everson at her near post. McKeever had to clear an effort from Katie Dickson off the line then at the other end a neat move resulted in Mae Goulden’s snapshot being palmed behind by Bishop for a corner. Stacey lifted a Brooke Ellis cross over the top with Maidenhead appealing in vain for an offside flag that never came, Chloe Webb was next to block a shot on the line, Izzy Stockton curled a shot wide and then Dover headed a Wilson free-kick over the top. 

 

With the rapt crowd loving every minute, thirty second of play just after the half hour mark summed this game up. Megan Harper saw a shot inside the 18 yard box blocked and as the rebound fell kindly to her to have another strike at goal she missed her kick, Torquay regained possession and a brilliant ball from Matilda Franchi sent Ellis away and her lobbed pass was perfectly time for Stacey to run on a score past Preisner right footed to open the scoring. 

 

Torquay continued to press after the goal and Stacey side footed her effort over after another cross from the impressive Everson. Stacey and Everson were off target with efforts before the break before an inch-perfect tackle from Jess Geech denied Goulden an opportunity to strike at goal after a great link up with Stockton as an entertaining first half came to a close. 

 

There was no let up in action in the second period. United started well again, but Stacey had her sixth goal of the season barely three minutes in from close range as Everson inevitably created the chance. Maidenhead refused to throw in the towel however and came close when Wilson’s cross was flicked on by Harper only for Stockton to be denied by Bishop at point-blank range. The visitors were deservedly well back in the game just before the hour as O’Brien’s clever bent cross from the right was perfectly weighted for Goulden to toe-poke home. 

 

The thrills and spills continued. Ella Mae-Miller hit a long free-kick into the area which bounced back off the cross bar and with Preisner back-pedalling the Magpies ‘keeper was in the back of the net as Stacey somehow stabbed the loose ball wide. Another chance to kill the game off for Torquay came with fifteen minutes left as a role reversal saw Stacey set up Everson whose right-footed shot wide parried at full stretch by Preisner, with Webb completing the clearance. Inside the final ten minute a long ball sent Stacey in on goal but a brilliant challenge from the outstanding Erin Huntley prevented an opportunity for a strike at goal, Maidenhead however couldn’t snuff out the attacking phase and another Everson cross found Stacey at the near post whose shot was blocked by McKeever. 

 

How Torquay would pay for those missed opportunities. Thereafter it was wave upon wave of Maidenhead attack and after a Webb cross was mis-controlled by a Torquay defender, Stockton twisted, turned and sent her right footed effort beyond Bishop to equalise. Four minutes into injury time with the Magpies relentless in their press, a free-kick sent into the area by Webb was only half-cleared to substitute Laura Mitchell whose shot at goal was fired into the chest of Goulden who turned, shot instinctively and saw her effort bounce off the back of a Torquay player to spin past Bishop and complete the comeback and spark wild celebrations. 

 

Preisner, Webb, Dover, (sub Charles '63), Dearlove, Stockton, Harper (sub Mitchell '83,) O'Brien (sub Cechova '83), Wilson (sub Robertson 65'), Goulden, McKeever (sub Vince '83), Huntley. 

 

 

Match highlights provided by Torquay United FC are available HERE  

 

 

Assistant Manager Harry Baker and Goalkeeper Cherry Preisner spoke with FC Video after the match. You can view their interviews via our You Tube channel.