30th January 2022
Report by Jamie Cameron
The Robins scored four second-half goals to see off Maidenhead United 4-1 and continue their winning streak in the Women’s National League Division One South West.
Cheltenham have now won five in a row in the league and remain unbeaten since the opening-day defeat to Southampton Women’s.
After a goalless first half, Lacy-Jai Liggett’s 12th of the season gave Town the lead.
Maidenhead equalised shortly after, but goals from Georgie-Marie Barbour-Gresham, Mai Butler and another from Liggett (pictured) saw the Robins move onto 32 points and maintain their eight-point advantage.
Tom Davies made three changes to the team that beat Larkhall 4-0, as Holly Rogers, Abby Bevan and Courtney Jones replaced Jade Grove, Charlotte Criddle and Sammy Hallsworth.
Meanwhile, Monet Legall made her first appearance in a matchday squad since the aforementioned season-opener, and came off the bench in the closing stages.
Both sides felt each other out in the first 10 minutes, and Cheltenham had attempts on goal through Lois Colley and Amy Wathan, without really threatening an opener.
On 12 minutes, Liggett had the best chance of the first half as she coolly went round the ‘keeper but couldn’t finish when off-balance.
Wathan then struck just wide from 15 yards out, and after that, both sides struggled to create anything of note and went in 0-0 at the interval.
After the break, Wathan nodded a Colley free-kick narrowly wide, before Liggett opened the scoring with a surging run into the area and a clever finish back across goal into the corner.
It didn’t take long for the Magpies to level as a mis-hit free-kick was turned towards goal and the ball nestled in the corner.
However, substitute Georgie-Marie Barbour-Gresham restored Cheltenham’s lead with her fifth goal of the campaign. She headed in Holly Reed’s corner from close range.
The Robins suffered a blow immediately after that goal as Sammy Hallsworth was sin-binned for dissent minutes after coming on.
It didn’t affect the pattern of the game too much though as they restricted Maidenhead in that period, and doubled their lead at the end of it when captain Butler popped up with a delightful finish to a Criddle cross.
The closing stages were impacted by a significant injury stoppage, but Liggett still managed to get her third brace of the season, nodding the ball past the onrushing ‘keeper and tapping home.
It was a winning return to the Corinium Stadium for Davies’ team, who return to Cirencester next Sunday, 6 February to take on Exeter City in the quarter-finals of the National League Plate.
Cheltenham: Watson, Jones (Barbour-Gresham 28), Butler, Owen, Colley Hallsworth (61), Liggett, Bevan, Reed, Haynes, Rogers (Grove 61 (Legall 89)), Wathan (Criddle 69).
Robins’ Player of the Match: Lacy-Jai Liggett.
Image courtesy of MikeJHalfordPhotos
