Women’s football Newton backs goal machine Kerry to continue her hot streak
KEYNSHAM Town boss Barrie Newton is backing prolific striker Kerry Bartlett to continue her remarkable goalscoring run for the club.
Newton, 71, founded the club 25 years ago and has steered them to top spot in the South West Division of the FA National Women’s League. They are also through to the third round of the Women’s FA Cup and last weekend reached the last 16 in the National League Plate with a 7-1 thrashing of Maidenhead United.
Bartlett’s four goals in their 8-3 FA Cup trouncing of C&K Basildon the previous week has earned her a national award as the player of the round – and she was on target again against Maidenhead, with Justine Lorton (2), Keka Vega, Kersten Rendall, Katie Jones and Laura Williams also finding the net.
“The award is justified – Kerry’s a natural goalscorer,” said Newton. “She scored 45 goals last season in 26 games and this year she’s scored 37 in 16 games.
“I am expecting her to beat last year’s record if she stays free from injury because we’re only halfway through the season.
“She’s scored goals throughout her career, but the last 18 months is probably the most prolific of her career.
“She’s crucial to our side because when you need a goal, if you’re behind or you are drawing, you need someone to get you back and she’s the player everyone looks to.”
Now 35, former Bristol Academy forward Bartlett is thrilled with her award – and says she has no plans to hang up her boots just yet.
“I’ve never won anything like this before and the Women’s FA Cup is such a big thing in our game, so I am very proud,” she said.
“Strikers never lose count of how many they’ve scored – I am on 37 and counting this season. I keep thinking do I retire yet, and then I keep bettering my record number of goals. I can’t retire just yet.
“I can’t do it on my own. I’m not the sort of player that can take on ten players and score. I need people to help me and assist me and they’ve done a great job.
“At some point it is going to come to an end, but for now I have got no immediate plans to retire. I’m probably not a good trainer, but Sundays are what I live for.”
Keynsham round off 2018 with another big home game when they face second-placed Southampton in a league fixture on Sunday.
Then comes the stiffest FA Cup test they will have faced so far when they host higher-ranked Fylde on January 6. The Lancashire club currently lie fifth in the National League’s Northern Premier Division.
“They are a very organised side with lots of ex-Liverpool and Everton players, but they will have to travel 200 miles to play us. We are relishing that,” said Newton.
Bartlett added: “Fylde will be a difficult one because it’s just after Christmas, so hopefully people aren’t going to eat too much food and come back out of shape. On the day anything can happen, but we know they are a decent team. I think we can beat them as long as our attitude is right.”
Brislington claimed a 2-2 draw in their SW Division clash at Cheltenham Town after fighting back from behind.
Anusia Rourke’s flying header gave the visitors a fourth-minute advantage, only for Cheltenham to reply a minute later through Sally Butterfield. Georgia Brown put the hosts ahead in the 26th minute, but Polly Wardle fired home a free-kick just before the interval to earn the Ironmould Lane side their point.
SW Women’s League Premier Division leaders Keynsham Town Development showed they can follow in the footsteps of the freescoring first team as they thumped visiting Torquay United 8-2 in the only game in the division to survive the weather.
Liberty Sims led the way with four goals, Rhianna Ben-Carew bagged a hat-trick and Hannah Thompson also got her name on the scoresheet.
Frampton Rangers were toppled from top spot in the Eastern Division as their 2-1 defeat at Wootton Bassett Town saw the Wiltshire club take over pole position. Chloe Picture: Dan Regan
Timbrell scored for the visitors. Almondsbury went down 2-0 at Cheltenham Town Development and Oldland Abbotonians suffered a 3-0 reverse at Swindon Town Development – their seventh defeat in eight.
“We actually played quite well, but we are up against a lot of good teams this season and need to find a way of grinding out some results,” said Oldland boss Steve Lavis, whose side are second from bottom. “I don’t know if it’s going to be one or two sides going down this season, but we have to start picking up some points soon.”
In the Western Division, Weston Mendip saw their game against Pen Mill called off, while Westonsuper-Mare suffered a 5-0 defeat at Feniton.
Chipping Sodbury Town booked a quarter-final clash with Cheltenham Town Youth after a 5-1 victory over local rivals St Nicholas Reserves in the Gloucestershire County Women’s League’s Gordon Perrett Cup
In Division One, Mira Lowe and Hannah Price both scored four times, with Madison Price also on target, for Bristol Ladies Union in a 9-2 win at Cheltenham Civil Service.
Hayley Bullock scored the only goal of game as Longwell Green triumphed at Forest of Dean.
In Division Two, Bradley Stoke Firsts clinched an important result as their 3-2 win over Cotswold Rangers saw them leapfrog their opponents to take over top spot. Sally Thomas, Hattie Gillett and Heather Wearmouth netted for the home side.
Bradley Stoke Development suffered their eighth defeat in ten games as they were walloped 19-0 at Cheltenham Town Youth. Kerry Bartlett with her player of the round award after scoring four goals for Keynsham against C&K Basildon in the Women’s FA Cup Picture: Nick Webster
Vanessa Brill scored a consolation goal for Burnham United in a 5-1 home defeat by Bishops Lydeard Reserves in Division One of the Somerset County Women’ League.
Josie Cherson (2), Natalia Bak, Robyn Carter and Megan Carter were on target for Division Two leaders Hutton in a 5-3 win at Porlock.
RESULTS
FA Women’s Super League: Brighton 0 Chelsea 4, Everton 0 Bristol City 2, Manchester City 1 Birmingham City 0, Reading 2 Liverpool 2, Yeovil Tn 0 West Ham 5.
FA Women’s National League Plate third round: Keynsham Tn 7 Maidenhead Utd 1. FA Women’s National League SW Div: Cheltenham Tn 2 Brislington 2, Southampton 3 Larkhall Ath 0.
SW Women’s League Premier Div: Bishops Lydeard v Downend Flyers p/p, Ilminster Tn v Marine Academy Plymouth p/p, Keynsham Tn Dev 8 Torquay Utd 2, Middlezoy v Forest Green Rov p/p, Portishead v Exeter C pp.
Eastern Div: AEK Boco v FC Chippenham p/p, Cheltenham Tn Dev 2 Almondsbury 0, Swindon Tn Dev 3 Oldland Abbotonians 0, Trowbridge Tn v Laverstock & Ford p/p, Wootton Bassett Tn 2 Frampton Rngrs 1. Western Div: Alphington v Exeter & Tedburn pp, Bideford 3 Bude Tn 1, St Agnes v Plymouth Argyle Res p/p, Weston Mendip v Pen Mill p/p, Weston-super-Mare 0 Feniton 5.
Gloucestershire County Women’s League Gordon Perrett Cup second round: Chipping Sodbury Tn 5 St Nicholas Res 1. Div I: Abbeymead Rov 6 Longlevens 1, Cheltenham CS 2 Bristol Ladies Union 9, Forest of Dean 0 Longwell Green 1.
Div II: Bishops Cleeve 1 Gloucester C 13, Bradley Stoke Firsts 3 Cotswold Rangers 2,
Bristol Ladies Union Dev 3 Mitcheldean 1, Cheltenham Tn Yth 19 Bradley Stoke Dev 0, Cirencester Tn 5 Cribbs 0, Downend Flyers Res v Dursley Tn p/p.
Somerset County Women’s League Div I: Ash Rngrs v Purnell Sports p/p, Burnham Utd 1 Bishops Lydeard Res 5, Combe v Ilminster Tn Res p/p, Pen Mill Res v Portishead Res p/p, Wellington v Frome p/p. Div II: Crewkerne Rngrs v Isle of Wedmore p/p, Evercreech v Cheddar p/p, Porlock 3 Hutton 5, Purnell Res home walkover v Hamilton.
FIXTURES - SUNDAY FA Women’s National League SW Division: Cheltenham Tn v Larkhall Ath, Keynsham Tn v Southampton, Maidenhead Utd v Southampton Saints, Swindon Tn v Buckland Ath.
SW Women’s League Premier Div: Downend Flyers v Callington Town, Exeter City v Bishops Lydeard, Forest Green Rov v Portishead, Ilminster Tn v Middlezoy, Keynsham Tn Dev v Marine Academy Plymouth.
Eastern Div: Frampton Rngrs v AEK Boco, FC Chippenham v Almondsbury, Laverstock & Ford v Wootton Bassett Tn, Oldland Abbotonians v Trowbridge Tn, Swindon Tn Dev v Swindon Spitfires.
Western Div: Bude Tn v Weston Mendip, Plymouth Argyle Res v Pen Mill, Plympton v Feniton, St Agness v Exeter & Tedburn, Weston-super-Mare v Bideford. Gloucestershire County Women’s League Div I: Chipping Sodbury Tn v Cheltenham CS, Longlevens v Bristol Ladies Union, Longwell Green v Bristol & West, St Nicholas Res v Forest of Dean.
Div II: Bradley Stoke Firsts v Downend Flyers Res, Cotswold Rngrs v Bristol Ladies Union Dev, Cribbs v Dursley Tn, Gloucester C v Bradley Stoke Dev, Mitcheldean v Bishops Cleeve.
Somerset County Women’s League Div I: Burnham Utd v Ilminster Tn Res, Pen Mill Res v Ash Rngrs, Purnell Sports v Frome Tn. Div II: Crewkerne Rngrs v Porlock, Hamilton v Evercreech, Hutton v Draycott, Isle of Wedmore v Cheddar.