Crawley Wasps beat AFC Wimbledon Ladies

London & South East Counties Regional League

AFC Wimbledon 2 Crawley Wasps 3

REBECCA Carter's deflected shot was enough to give Crawley Wasps victory over leaders AFC Wimbledon at the Kingsmeadow Athletics stadium on Sunday.

Wimbledon had taken maximum points from three games without conceding a goal but newly promoted Wasps looked the sharper from the start and on six minutes in-form Leigh-Anne Covey showed great composure to volley home a cross by Carter.

Wasps continued to pressure the home side and Carter was denied by the keeper after she got in behind the Wimbledon defence.

Left midfielder Toni Smith, returning to Wasps after spells at Chelsea and in the USA, doubled the lead on 39 minutes, wrong-footing the defender on the edge of the box and calmly placing the ball beyond the reach of the diving goalkeeper.

Sian Spicer picked up an ankle injury and was replaced at half-time by Claire Burrage who along with fellow defenders Lisa Richards, Jessica Greasley and Michelle Ward came under increasing pressure after the restart.

Wimbledon pulled one back on 51 minutes when Wasps failed to clear and the ball broke kindly in the box for the home side, a good finish giving keeper Catherine Poleykett no chance.

Poleykett then made an excellent save, tipping a close range header from a Wimbledon corner around the post.

But substitute Mikaela Rego picked out Carter with an excellent pass that bisected the Wimbledon centre backs and Carter's shot deflected over the onrushing keeper and into the net.

The home side scored a consolation on 84 minutes with a fine header from a poorly defended free-kick but Wasps hung on to secure the points.

Wasps: Poleykett, Richards, Burrage, Spicer, Greasley, Ward, Covey, Davies, Elliott, Smith, Carter, Minihane, Portwine, Rego.

CRAWLEY Wasps are currently looking to recruit girls in school Years Five and Six.

The club run training sessions on Tuesday evenings from 6-7.30pm at Finches Field, Old Brighton Road South, Pease Pottage RH11 9AH. Call Jane Grimshaw on 01293 541557 for more information.

Crawley Wasps LFC is a chartered standard club, with all managers and coaches qualified to FA level one, CRB checked and all hold an emergency first aid qualification.