February 10, 2025
Report by Ben Stevens.
Photo courtesy of Jason (@Zider_Red on X, formerly Twitter).
Cheltenham Town Women picked up a massive three points at the weekend, beating Billericay Town 3-0.
Captain Emily Owen, (pictured), opened the scoring after just 15 minutes, tapping the ball in from close range, before an Una Lue brace secured a big three points.
First Half:
One change from the Oxford United defeat saw Holly Finch replace Courtney Jones in the Cheltenham defence.
Much like the Oxford game, Cheltenham started off strongly, and their high press earnt them an early goal.
Some brilliant link-up play by Henna Butcher and Una Lue in the middle of the pitch made space for a shot, which brought the home side a corner.
The initial cross was initially cleared away by Billericay, but the second attempt in found the captain Emily Owen, who tapped the ball in from two yards out to give Cheltenham an early lead.
Butcher came close to doubling the host’s lead with an effort crashed against the bar, but the second goal came just minutes later from Una Lue.
Once again, it was fabulous work from Butcher to win back the ball in midfield and Lue turned her defender on the edge of the box, before slotting home into the far corner with ease.
Anais Trinci had a glorious chance to add a third after Lue put O’Hanlon under pressure and forced a mistake, but Trinci’s effort is just over the bar.
Lue then added her brace after 29 minutes, after a perfect cross from Libby Bell found Lue in the middle, who finished with a superb strike for her 14th goal of the season.
Second Half:
Tom Davies’ side almost added a fourth in the first minute of the second half, after Owen’s free-kick from the edge of the box hit the post but no one could connect with the rebound.
Cheltenham had chances during the second half but nothing troubled O’Hanlon too much.
The Robinesses did have the ball in the net for a fourth after Ffion Llewlleyn’s free-kick was saved and Meg Attenborough tapped the ball in, but the offside flag was up and the score remained 3-0 as Cheltenham secured an important three points to move them up to eighth in the Southern Premier Division.
Cheltenham: Pugh-Jones; Finch, Llewellyn, Owen; Trinci (Morgan 90), Attenborough, Collis, Bell (Hateley 66); Greenwood (Curtis 75), Butcher (Leach 82), Lue (Newns 84).
Cheltenham Player of the Match:
Chosen by Opposition: Henna Butcher
Attendance: 151
