AFC Rushden & Diamonds Ladies team once again proved what a force they can be with their second best result of the season when they beat Rothwell Corthinians Ladies by 10 goals to 2, in a dominant performance at Bozeat Playing Fields. The game saw Diamonds forward Cat Sealey scoring seven goals to equal Kelly Rust’s goal scoring record in a single game for the club. The Diamonds have now two forward players both on 12+ goals for the season with only 4 games played.
As usual the Diamonds wasted no time in stamping their authority on the game with a goal within the first 8 minutes, after some great midfield build up Cat Sealey pounced on a through ball to smartly place the ball through the legs of the keeper and safely into the bottom of the net.
After the first goal the Diamonds usually score another, but this time it was within a minute of the restart, and it was in-form striker Cat Sealey who once again converted from close range to make the scoreline 2-0 after 10 minutes.
Two goals within ten minutes set the tone for which the game with good individual performances throughout the game from the likes of Natasha Lowe, Kerry Lawrence and Kelly Rust (filling in for Emma Morris at centre back) helped the Diamonds maintain their lead. After 20 minutes Diamonds made their first change of the game with Jenna Looker being replaced by Emma Morris which allowed Kelly Rust to push forwards into attack alongside Sealey, with Morris taking her usual position in the back four.
The change seemed to have worked almost immediately, as on 37 minutes gone Kelly Rust scored her first of the game after a great piece of play between the midfield and the front two, which Rust Finished in typical fashion to give the Diamonds a 3-0 lead.
With the goal safely in the back of the net and with the Diamonds in a well-deserved lead attention turned to preserving the lead, via a series of great passing moves and personal displays of drive and commitment from the strong Diamonds unit. Cheryl Murkitt produced a great display of football, fighting for every ball on the right to ensure the Diamonds maintained their lead.
In true Diamond fashion they took things a stage further by adding a fourth goal before the break, when on 41 minutes Cat Sealey capped a fine performance in the first period by completing a first-half hattrick by taking on the keeper and passing the ball safely past her and into the back of the net.
However the Diamonds did suffer a setback just before the interval, as right on the stroke of half time a great piece of footballing play from Rothwell saw them get through the Diamonds back four to win a corner, from which a shot from Janine Dickson went past the fingertips of Diamonds Keeper Kerry Cosham.
Half Time : AFC Rushden & Diamonds Ladies 4 Rothwell Corinthians Ladies 1
The second half started in a similar way to recent games, with a Diamonds goal within moments of the restart, as Cat Sealey made it 5-1 with her fourth goal of the game by pressurising the visiting keeper. A second half change saw Harriet Clarke replace Alix Daverson for the Diamonds.
The Corinthians ladies did not give up, and showed the determination to create a fine move that saw Naomi Smithurst make the score 5-2.
With both teams playing well both enjoyed a great series of play but it was the Diamonds ladies who added another goal to the scoreline with Cat Sealey on the score sheet once again with her fifth of the match making it 6-2 with 56 minutes on the clock.
After one more change from the Diamonds which saw Claire Stancliffe being replaced by Fiona Strathern, the Diamonds added to their goal tally on 72 minutes with Kelly Rust netting after some good team play. Less than a minute later Cat Sealey added her sixth of the game after a pass from Kelly Rust took the defence in the wrong direction and in FIFA style passed to Cat who was free in the box to convert from close range.
A final brace of goals gave the Diamonds their second highest tally of the season with Star Striker Cat Sealey getting her seventh goal, and then the final goal, taking the scoreline into double-figures, came from substitute Harriet Clarke, who got the goal she deserved after 2 weeks of solid performances supporting the strikers, when her shot from outside the box caught the Rothwell keeper off guard.
A solid and goal filled game shone with individual performances that helped the Diamonds keep the game under their control, and included a solid and strong performance from Left Back Elise Young whose timing and position held keep the visitors at bay on that side of the pitch helping her to be awarded the joint player of the match with Cheryl Murkitt.
Full Time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds Ladies 10 Rothwell Corinthians Ladies 2
For the latest League Table please see the NWFL website here – and for the Diamonds Ladies results and fixtures see here.
AFC Rushden & Diamonds Ladies: Kerrie Cosham, Alix Daverson, Kerry Lawrence, Jenna Looker, Natasha Lowe, Cheryl Murkitt, Lauren Perkins, Kelly Rust, Catherine Sealey, Claire Stancliffe, Elise Young
Subs: Ashleigh Beale, Harriet Clarke, Emma Morris, Fiona Strathern
Goals: Sealey x7, Rust x2 & Clarke
Rothwell Corinthians Ladies: Sophie Bendon, Georgia Burns, Naomi Dickson, Katie Elmore, Dannielle Ives, Rebecca Johnson, Roisin Lawrence, Chloe Ledger, Charlotte Reed, Emma Shuttleworth, Janine Smithurst
Subs: Laura Inskip, Jasmin Marlow
Goals: Dickson & Smithurst
Referee: Richard Armitage
AFC R&D Ladies Player of the Match: Cheryl Murkitt / Elise Young
