Ladies win with five-star performance
Exeter City Ladies continued their fine league form with a comprehensive 5-0 victory against visitors Shanklin – with all five goals coming within a space of 15 minutes.The Grecians knew they would be in for a tough game – especially after having lost to Shanklin at the start of the season – but they put in one of their standout performances of the campaign to date to register the three points.
Exeter stopper Carley Barber had to be alert in the early stages to keep a header out with a one-handed save low and to her right, before pushing a shot around her near post to keep the Shanklin attack out.
However the Grecians went ahead with 18 minutes player – a corner was cleared as far as Catherine Wright, whose 25-yard effort hit the bar, but the ever-alert Tash Knapman was alive to pounce on the rebound and struck high into the net.
Just a minute later the lead was doubled when right-back Carla Staddon sent over a cross for Chloe Williams to control a volley back over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Soon after Knapman hit the bar, and as Lola Garcia Sanchez tried to pick up the pieces, she was upended and the referee pointed to the spot – Kirsty Caunter struck from 12 yards to open a three-goal margin.
Caunter got her second and City’s fourth just after the half-hour – Vicky Barter had made a terrific run from the halfway line before playing in Knapman, who in turn squared for midfielder Caunter who struck high into the net from the edge of the area.
The scoring was rounded off a minute later when left-back Marika Ghiglia delivered a great cross which the Shanklin ‘keeper misjudged, allowing Garcia Sanchez to pass into the back of the net as she received on the far side.
A well-contested second period saw both teams create chances but no goals scored, and Hollie Stone, Sophie Simpson and Helen Kukor all saw game-time from the bench as manager Gareth Young used his squad to good effect.