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26/06/91
Force Six Storm Strikes Rovers
by Jeremy Ruane
A storming second half display from Gold Chick Poultry Farm Eden saw off the threat posed by Glenfield Rovers on June 26, and lifted last season’s runners-up to outright leadership of the Premier Women’s competition, with a game in hand to boot, following their 6-0 triumph.
A tense Eden were harried and bustled off their usual flowing game by a Glenfield side who had the better of the first half-hour, despite efforts from Karin Jensen and Monique Van de Elzen for Eden.
With two minutes to half-time, Glenfield’s defence switched off - a crime dutifully punished by the ever-alert Van de Elzen, who raced clear to smack home the opener, hard and low beyond a stunned Adele Webb.
A sign of things to come in the second half emerged straight from the kick-off, Jensen having been adjudged offside after tucking home a Helen Exler through ball. But two minutes were all Eden had to wait before the all-important second strike. A pinpoint corner from Michele Cox caused pandemonium in the Glenfield defence, with the normally solid Jill Corner sending a goal-line clearance to Tarah Cox, who didn’t refuse the opportunity to net her first left-footed goal.
Up to now, the staunch support of Rovers had helped lift the team’s display, but they were all but silenced in the 52nd minute, Van de Elzen rifling in a half-volley on the turn, following a neat lay-off from Jensen.
Four minutes later came the goal of the night. Michele Cox orchestrated proceedings, finding Exler. A first-time switched ball found Lyn Pedruco raiding down the right, and in thundered number four.
Within five minutes Eden had further increased their lead. The initial raid saw Cox, Van de Elzen and Exler combine to see Jensen force a good save from Webb. The resulting throw-in saw Van de Elzen lay the ball back to the edge of the area, where Pedruco was lurking to lash home number five.
Rovers decided that they wanted a piece of the action, and duly retaliated with an attack which forced a goal-line clearance from Paulette Wheeler, after good work by Anita Hall.
Back came Eden, and Michelle Loos netted her first goal of the 1991 campaign, scrambling home from Beth Clark’s corner. Clark went close herself in the dying minutes, Cox and Van de Elzen weaving their wizardry to put the Under-19 rep clear. But Webb foiled the opportunity, and left the final scoreline at 6-0 to the “Gold Chicks”, a performance which spoke volumes for their fitness and work-rate.
Webb and Hall could hold their heads up high for Glenfield, for whom the usually irrepressible Debbie Pullen was prevented from casting her skill-laden spell by the close attentions of a rampant Eden midfield, made up of Tarah Cox, Pedruco, Van de Elzen and, particularly, Michele Cox, who marked her SWANZ team-mate out of the game.
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