27th September 2021
Report by Jamie Cameron
A convincing win at Maidenhead United Women saw Cheltenham Town Ladies move to the summit of the Women’s National League Division One South West table.
In their first league game for three weeks, the Robins carried on where they left off before the break to make it five unbeaten in the league, four of those wins.
Lacy-Jai Liggett and Jade Grove (pictured) had given Cheltenham a 2-0 half-time advantage, before Amy Wathan added a third midway through the second half.
Kirsty Mathews got one back for the hosts, but the Robins quickly responded with a fourth through Abby Bevan to overtake Chesham United on goal difference and go top.
Manager Tom Davies selected a strong side for the trip to Berkshire, handing Ellie Walecki a start at wing-back and playing a front two of Grove and Liggett.
Of Saturday’s two new signings, Kate Bowden was on the bench, while Laura McGlone travelled but wasn’t named in the squad.
The first real chance of the game found the net as a great ball over the top from the ever-composed Georgie-Marie Barbour-Gresham was latched on to by Liggett.
She had to stretch, but got enough on it to poke home for her fourth of the season.
Cheltenham continued to threaten as Amy Wathan couldn’t quite get a touch on a ball across the area from Grove, and Barbour-Gresham had a header cleared off the line.
Billie Haynes was getting plenty of joy down the left and came close on a couple of occasions, before striker Grove got her first goal since returning to the club from Oxford United.
A free-kick wasn’t cleared by the Magpies, and Grove was on hand to powerfully fire in.
Maidenhead got a foothold in the game after the break and prevented Davies’ side from creating many chances, but the three points were all but wrapped up on 65 minutes.
A high ball proved difficult for the hosts’ ‘keeper, who could only watch it onto the crossbar. The ball dropped straight to Liggett, who squared it for Wathan to tap in.
The Robins then brought on all four of their substitutes in quick succession, with Holly Rogers and new signing Bowden among those to enter the fray.
Mathews’ header from a corner ended hopes of another clean sheet, but Bevan soon joined her teammates Liggett and Wathan on four goals for the campaign.
Rogers did excellently to work an opening and put the ball on a plate for the midfielder, who made no mistake.
That sealed a third away win out of three in the league for Cheltenham, who play the first of two home games in five days on Wednesday, when Portishead Town visit the Corinium Stadium.
Cheltenham: Watson, Walecki, Barbour-Gresham, Butler, Jones (Colley 75), Haynes (Hayward 81), Liggett (Rogers 76), Criddle, Bevan, Wathan (Bowden 71), Grove.
Robins’ Player of the Match: Jade Grove.
For the digital match programme for this game, click here.
