The football season is upon us and there is a match at Highworth on Sunday, so just to remind you about Ladies Football here is the last game of last season against Cheltenham.

The floodlight match was won by Spitfires.

Match report if you missed it.

On Thursday evening third placed Swindon Spitfires hosted Cheltenham Town who were in second place and needing to win all their remaining game to win the league. A win for Spitfires would see them finish no lower than third.

The game lived up to the pre-match expectations with a very combative encounter that ended in a 2-2 draw that did neither side any favours, with Spitfires feeling the most aggrieved after conceding an equaliser seven minutes into stoppage time from a corner than never was.

With Cheltenham electing to kick down the slope in the first half the expected onslaught never really materialised, with Spitfires having the better of the play. And it was the home team who opened the scoring in the 11th minute when a 25 yard drive from skipper Emma Skinner eluded the back-tracking Martha Seymour-Hyde in the visitors’ goal.

Cheltenham had a couple of opportunities to restore parity before the break, butSpitfires’ defence held firm; the best chance coming when Chenise Austin ran onto a ball over the top, only for Laura Stallard to nick it off her toe as she was about to shoot.

Spitfires began the second half strongly with the front two of Karyn Coombs and Sarah Uzzell putting Cheltenham under pressure but without finding the killer blow. And Hayley Huckin came close when a curling shot just cleared the far post and rippled the side netting.

Cheltenham were pushing desperately for the win that they needed and were finally rewarded in the 79th minute when Austin headed home from a corner.

But the home side were not in the mood to make it easy for the visitors, and came back strongly with Sammie Smith testing the keeper with her free-kicks. And from one such kick in the 86th minute Seymour-Hyde did well to tip the ball round for a corner that was delivered for Debbie Rose to head home.

Two minutes into stoppage time Cheltenham thought they were awarded a penalty, but on the advice of his assistant the referee changed it to a free kick on the edge of the area that came to nothing.

But five minutes later they did get their equaliser from a corner that should have been a goal-kick, Charlie Griffin stabbing home after a scramble in the 6 yard box. But it was too late for Cheltenham who now need St Nicholas to lose their last game to be able to clinch the title.

Thanks to Mike Skinner for the copy.

Gallery

calyx pictures, featured, football, Highworth Town FC, ladies football, sportswindon, Swindon Spitfires