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The first team travelled to Chichester eager to avenge the 1-0 defeat at the Alderbrook last month but again ended up with nothing as they conceded a sucker goal and looked devoid of ideas against a solid defensive opponent. The first half was basically awful, with Chichester dominating possession and having more chances on goal in the first 5 minutes than they did in the whole of last months' game. We seemed unable to string more than a couple of passes together and most of the team's first touch was woeful. The goal was a defensive calamity, with Laura caught pushed up and nobody covering, allowing Laura Streeter to run 20 yards unchallenged and finish well to Tracey's right. Our best chance of the half fell to Sam with a free kick from 20 yards, but although the direction was good there wasn't enough on it and the keeper gathered comfortably. Ellie was working hard and seemed our only outlet, but with an almost total lack of support she invariably got crowded out by their well disciplined back line. We started the second half better, and within a couple of minutes Sam missed our best chance of the match as she hit a close range shot well wide with no defender in sight, and the game then lapsed into Chichester again dominating possession but not doing much with it, and us almost immediately giving them the ball back after breaking up their attacks. We only woke up in the last twenty minutes, and pounded them for the remainder of the game, but they always seemed to get bodies in the way or cleared well under pressure. With minutes left, an Ellie shot was heading for the far corner until hitting the heel of a Chichester defender who was totally unaware of her saving block. Not good enough, and we need to raise our game if we're to stand any chance in the Cup semi.

Despite putting in an equally dismal first half performance, our 10 2nd teamers battled back against 9 Castle Colts to salvage a point from a 2-0 first half deficit. Both goals were scored by Nat Waller from the penalty spot, the first a blatant handball and the other a trip on player of the match Laura Butcher. The draw marks up our first actual point on the table, but we need two more wins from our remaining games to catch Redhill Reserves.

Fielding the same side as last week less Player of the Match Tracey Chapman, the 1sts anticipated a rough ride at East Brighton Park but raised their game against a strangely subdued Whitehawk. From the kick off, we looked the more threatening of the two teams for the first quarter of an hour, with only a Deano Carlin break causing any concern, and deservedly went ahead as Ellie broke clear on the right with the home support screaming for offside, cut in and lashed a low shot across the keeper into the far corner. However, within three minutes the scores were level, Cath Tomlin hitting a good cross in from the right and Carlin ghosting in at the far post to volley in from close range. The game then ebbed and flowed, with Whitehawk enjoying more possession without much in the way of chances, while our sporadic breaks caused them problems. Ellie can count a number of missed second-half chances as we could have nicked a win, but just as the game was petering out came controversy in the final seconds. After Cha unnecessarily gave away possession, Whitehawk won a corner in the final seconds. With the ball played into the six yard box, a mass melee ensued during which Whitehawk claimed the ball had crossed the line for a goal. The ref gave a free kick our way for a foul on Tracey and blew for time as soon as it was taken. Mass hysteria then ensued amongst many of the Whitehawk players, support, subs and coaching staff as they all blamed the linesman for not flagging for a goal. Once the ref had pronounced that in his opinion the ball hadn't crossed the line, their story then changed to 'someone picked up the ball'. I guess wishing for a game against Whitehawk without some sort of aggro is a bit much to ask for...

The 2nds were surprised to be informed at 10.40am that their game at Buxted was cancelled due to an unfit pitch - the only game in the League to be called off. With so little overnight rain, it's a shame it couldn't have been called off earlier if the pitch was that bad.

In a game dominated in the first half by the strong biting wind, Michelle gained us a massive advantage by winning the toss. With the wind at our backs, it was almost as if someone had clingfilmed the halfway line, and we dominated the half to an almost embarrassing degree, with only a few Woodstock forays into our half causing any problems at all. After a number of missed chances, we took the lead on 10 minutes, a scrambled clearance from a melee in the box falling to Liz just outside the 'D', and she hooked her shot in over the keeper's head. We kept up the pressure, but constantly seemed to either want to take on the whole opposition before passing, or when in a position to shoot pass the ball all the way round the outside of the area or walk it into the net. The second goal came on 22 minutes in controversial circumstances, Cha being flagged for the ball out of play but the ref waving play on for her to cross for that most unique of occurrences - an Ellie header. An excellent header it was too, beating the keeper from about 12 yards. Almost from the restart the ref was involved again, overruling an offside flag to allow a Woodstock striker one-on-one with Tracey - unfortunately for the home side she delayed her shot, and then hit it straight at the keeper. The only other chance of note in a poor first half was Ellie's superb strike on the half-volley from a poor Woodstock goal kick, which required a great save from their keeper to palm it round the post.

With only a 2-0 lead and the prospect of the wind in our faces for the next 45 minutes, we were delighted to find on emerging for the second half that it had dropped almost completely. However, so had both sides' interest in playing, and the remainer of the game was played at snail's pace, with neither side really motivated enough to create anything. A brief Woodstock spell of pressure about 10 minutes from time produced their best chance, a right wing cross only half cleared and resulting in a fierce shot the cannoned off the bottom of the right hand post. Tracey was called into action again minutes later, more dithering in defence resulting in her picking up a knock as she came out to block a Woodstock player on the dead ball line. Two minutes from time, Cha was allowed time and space to run, and with no defender in sight she hit a 25-yard shot which beat the keeper to complete the scoring. Ultimately a welcome 3 points and a clean sheet, but a dreadful performance after the heroics of last week. If Woodstock play the rest of the season like today they are relegation certainties.

The 2nds could again manage only 9 players for the visit to struggling Eastbourne and the extra numbers proved the difference in an even game, the hosts edging home 3-1. Natalie Waller was our scorer.

After last week's less than impressive performance against Chichester fresh in their minds, the players put everything into this must-win cup tie to keep their season alive. An excellent first half hour's attacking play, which produced more shots on goal than we've managed in all the previous games combined since Christmas, resulted in the opening goal for Sam who neatly curled the ball past the keeper with the outside of her foot from six yards. We kept it reasonably tight at the back for the remainder of the half, although one lapse allowed a Woking shot from close range which Terri pulled off a world class save to tip around the post. From the restart Woking piled on the pressure, but from our first break on 53 minutes they conceded a free kick just outside the box which Sam hammered into the top corner to double the lead. The Woking bench, who had been getting increasingly aggravated with the referee as the game commenced, totally lost the plot about five minutes later after the Woking captain was booked, with their coach being sent off for foul and abusive remarks. Fran then compounded their problems by adding our third, her excellent right wing run capped by a glorious 25-yard lob over the keeper. Soon afterwards the Woking bench was in trouble again, this time one of the subs being sent off for more abusive comments to the ref. Midway through the half Woking pulled one back, as our defence was caught square and Becky Tobin ran through to score. Eight minutes from time they benefitted from a contentious penalty decision which Zoe Clifford shot home to set up a tense finale. Play was held up for several minutes after a collision between Terri and Tobin was they both went for a 50-50 ball that neither was willing to concede - Terri's knee came off worst but after treatment she was able to continue. We were able to keep the ball for the last few minutes to inflict Woking's first defeat of the season in League competition.

A combination of the thaw and persistent rain on Friday night/Saturday morning resulted in Jarvis Brook calling off the 2nds game v Redhill Reserves on Saturday.