A Brilliant Birthday Win!

The dreaded Whitley bay away fixture was upon us. The only thing making the long journey more bearable was the thought of 3 points and a celebration in Newcastle that evening for birthday girl Claire O Hara.

From the outset, Chester was by far the strongest team, pushing early to secure an early lead. Whitley’s defence, however, managed to keep Chester at bay until half way through the first half, when forward Sophie Drew finished off midfielder Sarah Mulligan’s shot on goal at the post. Chester were intensely pressured in the later stages of the half, but solid work from the Chester defence, in particular player of the match Emma Blair, ensured that Chester retained a clean sheet.

In the second half, the play was just as intense, with long periods of possession for both teams. Chester’s lead was consolidated in the middle of the second half by birthday girl Claire O’Hara, converting from a straight strike on a short corner. Despite Whitley Bay’s best efforts, they were unable to put a mark on the scoresheet, a credit to Chester’s solid defence. Coach Paddy Bingham was obviously pleased with the team’s display of grit and determination, as they fought for the whole seventy minutes.