FA CUP 5th round

Curzon Ladies FA Cup run came to an end at the hands of a big, strong Aston Villa team that did a professional job and who will now face Chelsea in the quarter final.

Aston Villa started brightly and had Curzon under pressure right from the start. Curzon looked nervous and failed to clear the danger several times, the more experienced Villa were breaking and supporting quickly and Curzon couldn’t get their game going with sliced clearances and miss placed passes.

Villa took the lead after 20 minutes with a throw in from the left, the Villa striker received the ball almost on the dead ball line with her back to goal she turned and crossed the ball and some how the ball deflected and went in at the near post. A soft avoidable goal but on the balance of play Villa deserved the lead.

This gave Curzon a wake up call and more urgency was shown as Curzon began to take the game to Villa and after a great move involving several players Liz Baird struck a half volley against the woodwork, this lifted Curzon more and now Villa were holding on. Curzon drew level with a sweeping move, captain Amanda Goodwin split the defence and Nikki McLeod smashed the ball into the corner. Aston Villa were glad of the half time whistle.

The break did Villa good and they started the stronger, and pushed Curzon back forcing several corners, this is Villa's strength and Curzon were competing but not getting out. After 20 minutes of the half a Villa corner floated in and the tallest Villa girl got her head to it and stuck the ball into the corner of the net. Without any cutting edge in terms of creative play Villa had taken the lead for the second time which was deserved again thanks to pure hard work and determination.

Curzon rallied but again lacked the composure to string together the passing play they had produced in the earlier rounds again down to Villa's work rate and graft. A double substitution allowed Curzon to throw more players forward and a snap shot from the vastly improved Jodie Redgrave crashed against the up-right when everyone thought it was in, the fine line between winning and going out of the cup was two players hitting the woodwork when on another day they would have gone in.

Curzon now get back to league action with the league leaders Liverpool Ladies visiting the Tameside Stadium next Sunday the 21st February.

Curzon team - Freya Lees, Sophie Riley, Kellie Leyland, Liz Baird, Becky Lee, Amanda Goodwin (Capt.), Jodie Redgrave, Carla Cleworth, Shelley James, Gail Pennington, Nikki Mcleod Subs Subs Leanne Smith, Nicky Maylett, Sophie Turrell, Issy Hayes (70), Emma Lambourne (70)

Curzon player of the game - Gail Pennington.

FA CUP 4th round

Curzon went to Liverpool on Sunday and swept aside the combination team with a professional performance from every player that took the field for Curzon.

A difficult pitch made it tricky to play the flowing football that Curzon are capable of but the way the team are performing we were confident that we can play on any surface.

Curzon started brightly with positive wing play down both sides, returning from a break from football Nikki Mcleod looked sharp and ran the Liverpool team ragged all game and Becky Lee starting her 1st game of the season after injury also caused problems all game.

The first goal was a move down the left with Becky Lee playing a neat 1-2 and crossing for Nikki Mcleod to head home from 5 yards. The Liverpool team did rally and after a tackle the ball rolled back to Freya in goal, she picked it up and the Ref blow for a back pass, the indirect free kick was 10 yards out, The Liverpool girl struck the free kick well and it was Sophie Riley whom dived in front of the ball to clear the lines. This was the best chance for the Liverpool team.

Curzon were given the opportunity to go two up by the Liverpool keeper handling outside her area. Leading goal scorer Shelly James stepped up and planted the ball in the top corner, 2-0 at half time and well in charge.

Curzon began the second half as they left the 1st in total charge of the game. The Liverpool side never gave up and battled away to their credit but the challenge of the Curzon girls was to look a league above and they achieve that, all the threat was from Curzon and Becky Lee made the score 3-0 with a 25 yard screamer that hit the roof of the net. This took the stuffing out of the Liverpool side and Curzon looked stronger and fitter as the game went on.

Emma Lambourne made it 4 with her head, a quick counter attack and a pin point cross from Shelly James, and Nikki Mcleod made it 5 and rounded off a great performance. Curzon could have had more before the end and Jodie Redgrave was unlucky not to cap an outstanding performance after her bullet header came back off the post.

The fifth round of the WOMEN’S FA CUP v Aston Villa at the Tameside stadium is 2pm kick off on Sunday 14th February.

Curzon team - Freya Lees, Sophie Riley, Kellie Leyland, Liz Baird, Becky Lee, Amanda Goodwin (Capt.), Jodie Redgrave, Emma Lambourne (75), Shelley James, Gail Pennington, Nikki Mcleod Subs Subs Leanne Smith (80), Nicky Maylett, Sophie Turrell (75), Patrice Shirley, Carla Cleworth (65).

Curzon player of the game - Jodie Redgrave.

FA CUP 3rd round

A fixture reversal allowed this game to go ahead, and put Curzon again on their travels, this time to the North East and high flying combination team Middlesbrough.

This was Curzon Ladies' first fixture since November the 8th and just that fact proves the ladies really showed 1st class attitudes in this game.

The game was under way and right from the start Curzon had their work cut out to handle the Boro frontline that were mobile and direct, Curzon worked hard to get a foot hold in the game but the greasy surface was causing slips in the back line, after only 10 minutes Middlesbrough took the lead from the spot after Curzon’s goalkeeper Freya Lees couldn’t get to a through ball quick enough and upended the boro striker.

The Curzon response was special, a move involving quick passing football between Amanda Goodwin, Carla Cleworth and Issy Hayes allowed Shelley James to go clean through and smash the ball home to draw level. Shelley is now one of the leading goal scorers in the country in ladies football and has recently turned down a chance to move a way from Curzon for another Premier league side, her all-round game is improving and her linking with other players is creating chances.

Curzon took charge and began to knock the ball around, a quality corner from AJ had the keeper flapping and Shelley James lifted the ball just over the bar, at the other end Freya was in action with a great save after a Boro corner.

Then another move again with AJ and Carla involved gave space down the right for Issy Hayes to cross and Shelley James' first time shot was well saved. Curzon were well on top and forced two free kicks, AJ hit the top corner with both but the Boro keeper was equal to it both times. Curzon were enjoying great service down both flanks, Jodie Redgrave and Emma Lambourne had the beating of the full backs and were well supported by Gail Pennington and Liz Baird. Kellie Leyland and Sophie Riley now were commanding their defence.

Middlesbrough was glad to hear the half time whistle with Curzon playing some quality football.

The start of the second half and Curzon burst into life again with quality passing and good movement down both flanks, the Boro backline held strong and the keeper was on top form, the threat of Middlesbrough was now just hopeful long balls which Kellie Leyland and Sophie Riley dealt with.

Curzon did everything but score and must learn to be more ruthless in front of goal, considering the lack of match practice in recent weeks Curzon looked strong and with extra time approaching the fitness level would be tested to the maximum.

Then in the 89th minute after another passing move Shelley James was fouled on the edge of the penalty area, while the Boro keeper lined up her wall, quick thinking captain AJ floated the ball into the opposite side of the goal to win the game for Curzon and send her team into the fourth round where they await Rochdale or Liverpool Feds.

Curzon team - Freya Lees, Sophie Riley, Kellie Leyland Liz Baird Carla Cleworth, Amanda Goodwin (Capt.), Jodie Redgrave(70), Emma Lambourne(80), Shelley James, Issy Hayes, Gail Pennington Subs Leanne Smith, Nicky Maylett(80), Sophie Turrell, Patrice Shirley(70).

Curzon player of the game - Liz Baird.