Plymouth Argyle Women vs Gillingham Women FC

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Plymouth Argyle Women FC vs Gillingham women FC Sunday, 26th September 2021

KO 2.30PM mANADON SPORTS & COMMUNITY HUB, Plymouth

Photo Credit: Richard Luscombe

MANAGERS NOTES

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It was evident how far this team has come in such a short period of time since we last played Exeter Photo Credit: QuinnKJ Photography

Welcome to Manadon Sports and Community hub, for today’s fixture against Gillingham. I would like to firstly thank those fans who travelled to Cullompton a couple of weeks ago for our National League cup victory over Exeter City.

know it’s going to be a close game and could come down to fine margins. All the fixtures in this league are tough, and we need to be on our game to hopefully claim our first home victory of the season.

In our last outing, it was an excellent performance from the girls and nice to bounce back with a positive a dominant display against Exeter. We controlled the game from start to finish and created lots of goal scoring chances. The back four and Poppy were solid throughout the game, and it was evident how far this team has come in such a short period of time since we last played Exeter.

We hope to add the 3 points to our tally already and start moving up the table, and the next month will be important to build that confidence in the side with the games coming thick and fast.

We would have loved to have continued the momentum last weekend, but due to Poppy receiving another international call up from Wales, our fixture away to Cardiff was postponed.

The girls have applied themselves this week and last, and we are fully prepared for today’s visit of Gillingham.

With the Club announcement of our three fixtures at Home Park, the first coming on Sunday 31St October to Ipswich, with tickets going on sale tomorrow, it would be great to continue the growth of the ‘One Argyle’ Brand, with fans coming along to support the girls.

We hope you enjoy today’s game, and thank you for your support.

Thanks Ryan Perks - First Team Manager

Gillingham have had a similar start to the season as us and have played similar teams, so we

Getting to know...

Gabi Alphous Attacker Gabi Alphous has been playing football since the age of 5. Having previously played for Lakeside Athletic, formerly Morley Ranger, and Callington.

Gabi has rejoined the Pilgrims having previously played for us back in 2016 Argyle’s new number 9 who plays most of her football either upfront or on the wing in Argyle’s 3 women attack, is our current top goal scorer following her brace against Keynsham Town and her

opening goal against Exeter City.

Known for her pace and trickery Gabi spends most of the game dribbling at her opponents and running in behind to stretch the opposition defence.

A good finisher as well, Gabi has risen to the occasion this year and will look to add more goals to her game to build on her already good start to the season.

Position: Attacker Squad Number: 9 DOB: 27/07/1997

match report

Exeter City Women 0.2 PAWFC Sunday 12th September 2021, 14:30 Speeds Meadow

Argyle regained Devon Derby bragging rights after a comfortable 2-0 win over Exeter City in the National League Cup. Argyle started brightly and nearly opened the scoring as early as the third minute. As Cross was played in behind by Knapman, her shot beat Lighfoot in the Exeter goal, but Seaman was there to clear the strike off of the line. Argyle created more chances with Knapman, particularly troubling the Exeter defence with her runs in behind. She nearly set up Alphous for the opening goal only for an offside flag to cut short the Argyle celebrations.

Alphous would, however, open the scoring in the 15th minute. After a corner was played into the Exeter box and not cleared, Alphous was the quickest to react, and her snapshot flew past Lightfoot to give Argyle the lead and Alphous her third goal of the season.

Photo Credit: Richard Luscombe

Argyle should have had their second in the 28th minute after Knapman unleashed a thunderous strike from the edge of the box. Unfortunately, Lightfoot was equal to it and did very well to palm the strike over the bar. Exeter did threaten the Argyle defence with some long balls in behind. Still, on the rare occasion they got past Argyle’s terrific back four, goalkeeper Poppy Soper comfortably dealt with any efforts on the Argyle goal.

While unfortunate to only take a one-goal lead into the second half, Argyle put in an excellent secondhalf performance to control the game. After a comfortable start to the second half, Argyle would double their lead in the 68th minute. Dandy won a free-kick after being hauled down as she spun past her maker.

She picked herself up and clipped a beautiful ball to the far post where the awaiting Jemma Rose – rose highest to head home for her first goal since returning to Argyle.

From that point, Argyle were very comfortable, and Exeter barely threatened the Argyle goal. Indeed, Argyle could have extended their lead with Dandy, Knapman and debutant Ellen Thomas, all going to close to the third goal for Argyle.

Overall it was a very comfortable win for Argyle, who showed exactly why they’re a league above their Devon rivals.

Argyle: Soper, Perrin, Rose, Huntley, Train, Crawford, Ireland, Dandy, Alphous, Knapman, Cross.

Subs: Middleton, Thomas, Kowlaski, Ramsey, Eaton Exeter: Lightfoot, Toogood, Seaman, Taylor, Sharpe, Kilburn-Thompson, Kaptein, Watkins, Baker, Pengelly, Stacey.

Subs: Bond, Sandland, Preston, Warman, Grigg

Visitors Welcome Here is a brief explanation of the history of our visitors today Gillingham Women FC. We hope you all enjoy the game today and have a safe journey home.

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Plymouth Argyle would like to extend a warm welcome to today’s visitors to Manadon Sports & Community Hub.

In 1995, the Gillingham F.C owner co-opted a local women’s football team called Borstal ‘88.

Then in June 2014, the team was brought back under the banner of the men’s football club, Gillingham F.C after a period as an independent outfit. Following this takeover, the club became known as Gillingham Ladies, In June 2020, Gillingham FC announced that, as a result of restructuring necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, they would no longer operate Gillingham Ladies with immediate effect. The club, sanctioned the FA Women’s National League, simultaneously announced a rebrand as Gillingham Women and continued competing as an independent entity.

Gillingham Women FC now play within the Women’s FA National League (Tier 3) under Club Chairman, Josh Oatham, and are aiming for to progress through the league table.

NEXT UP vS Bridgwater United vs Plymouth Argyle women fc FAWNL Southern Premier Division Sunday 3rd October 2021, 14:00 Fairfax Park

STANDINGS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Ipswich town Women Southampton FC Crawley wasps Bridgwater United Women Oxford United Portsmouth London bees

Gillingham Cardiff Ladies chichester and selsey Plymouth Argyle Keynsham MK Dons hOUNSLOW wfc

18 15

12 11 10 10 7 7 6 4 3 3 1 0

player sponsors

Photo Credit: QuinnKJ Photography

GK

DF

DF

Poppy Soper

Rosie Train

AFT

GB Confectionary Company

DF

DF

Panagiota Papaioannou PASALB

DF

Katie Middleton

Lydia Huntley

PASOTI

Sponsor Avaliable

DF

DF

Izzy Mansell

Olivia Ramsey

Sponsor Avaliable

Isiqalo

Rebecca McMullin Sponsor Avaliable

DF

MF

DF

MF

Jemma Rose

Ellen Thomas

Emilia Rahaus

Emily Eaton

Pasoti

Sponsor Avaliable

Sponsor Avaliable

ASC Plumbing & Heating

MF

MF

Rebecca Dandridge ADP Diamond MF

MF

MF

Beth Ireland

Zoe Cunningham

Megan Kowalski

Shore Partnership

P Elliott

Sponsor Avaliable

CF

CF

CF

IMY Crawford

Tracey Cross

Gabi Alphous

Natasha Knapman

Itec

Sponsor avaliable

West Country Brick Works

RGB Building Supplies

t e a m s h e e t

MANAGER Ryan Perks Poppy Soper Ellen Thomas Rosie Train Jemma Rose Katie Middleton (c) Lydia Huntley Emily Eaton Zoe Cunningham Gabi Alphous Rebecca Dandridge Beth Ireland Katelyn Bell Natasha Knapman Izzy Mansell Olivia Ramsey Faye Ivall Imy Crawford Tracey Cross Megan Kowalski Rebecca McMullin Panagiota Papaioannou

MANAGER Josh Oatham

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Cara Davies Jasmine Auguste Millie Waud Georgia Pearch Hannah Wheeler Vicky Ashton-Jones .

Georgia Griffin Jade Keogh Charlie Goad Otesha Charles Kara Fordjour Beau Parker Mel Espinosa Megan Maslak Amy Russ Sophie Chapman Courtney Cook Niamh Jestin Phoebe Leitch Lilli Maple Lydia Wills Amy Haynes Cat Cooper

Referee: Ryan Cornelius Asst. Referee 1: Steven Mason Asst. Referee 2: Stephen Brealy

#COYG @ArgyleWFC