Wycombe Wanderers

Wycombe Wanderers Ladies' development side collected a 5-0 victory over Buckingham Athletic on Sunday afternoon.

Following the heavy rain and flooding, the game was moved from Buckingham to Thame, the development team’s home pitch, to get the game played. Wycombe faced a physically strong Buckingham team, from the top Thames Valley Women’s League. The prize was a place in the quarter final of the Berks & Bucks Junior Cup.  The pitch was heavy, slow and uneven which didn’t favour slick passing football.

The opening period was a little scrappy dominated by contested ‘first’ and ‘second’ balls, particularly in the middle of the pitch. Halle Poland and Katie Thorne scrapped well for the Chairgirls in central midfield, to provide the basis for Wycombe’s attacking play. Wycombe played some neat and tidy football at times, looking to use the width of the pitch, stretching the opposition and probing down the flanks. This approach forced Buckingham back, and created a number of chances for the young Wycombe team, from crosses from both flanks, with both Chloe Ball, Rachel Southby and Amelie Baker getting down the sides well, supplied by Fin Lennard and Sarah Timmins.

The pressure finally told after 25 minutes when Ball latched onto a loose ball in the box, ‘firing low’ into the corner with her left foot, and a two further goals soon followed before half time, with Ball getting her second, and Lily Chowdhry also netting from close range. 3-0 at half-time was thoroughly deserved on chances created, and the possession Wycombe had enjoyed.

After the break Buckingham were unable to respond and Wycombe kept their intensity and shape to their play. A further two goals materialised with Ball completing her hat trick and Poland also finding the net through a speculative shot from outside the box, to make it 5-0. A number of golden opportunities were spurned, as in the first half, with the Chairgirls not quite able to convert or find the killer pass.

At the end of the game, the Development team were delighted to progress to the next round, after keeping a clean sheet, and creating a number of chances.

Team: Whittle; Timmins, Knock, Coward, Lennard; Baker, Poland, Thorne; Southby; Ball, Day

Subs: Winfield, Chowdhry, Shah.