By Chris Dicketts
Gills Ladies comfortably beat their local rivals Ebbsfleet 5-0 this weekend in an eventful game at Stonebridge Road.
The result sees the Gills move into second place in the League, one point behind MK Dons with a game in hand.
The Gills started slowly but soon found their stride with goals from Vicky Ashton-Jones, Ashlee Hincks, Natalie Crinean and a brace from Danielle Farmer.
Manager Ian Varley made one inspired change from the team that beat Ipswich last weekend, as he brought back the fit again Ashton-Jones in place of Jade Johnson.
It took seven minutes for the Gills to register their first chance as the hosts dominated the early stages without really threatening Katie Duffy in the Gills goal.
When the Gills finally got a shot on goal it was a sign of things to come for Faye Baker in the Fleet goal. A long ball out of the back found Ashton-Jones in acres of space on the right wing. She played in Natalie Crinean who hit her shot just over the cross bar.
Ashlee Hincks was causing problems whenever she broke down the left wing. It was no exception in the 15th minute when she beat Fleets' right back and let fly but her shot went just wide.
In the 20th minute Danielle Farmer played a superb ball over the top of the static Fleet defence, Natalie Crinean raced through but again the shot went wide of the far post.
The Gills were creating plenty of chances by now but just couldn't find their shooting boots. Again Vicky Ashton-Jones raced towards the keeper and as she was bearing down on goal she dragged her shot just wide of the far post.
Just after the half hour mark the Gills were on the attack again, this time it was Ashlee Hincks with a cross as Ebbsfleet struggled with the Gills forward play. Her cross flashed dangerously across the box in front of the keeper. Vicky Ashton-Jones picked the ball up at the far post but her shot went agonisingly wide.
The Gills looked like they would score their first goal of the game in the 38th minute; Deanna Cooper played a delightful ball to Natalie Crinean. She took a touch and rounded the keeper, just as she was about to put the ball in the empty net a tackle came in from a defender to clear the danger.
Just before half time the goal that the Gills had been threatening finally came. Vicky Ashton-Jones ran onto a long ball out of the back, robbed the keeper just as she went to pick the ball up, rounded her and slotted into the empty net.
Just two minutes later and the Gills went further ahead; Vicky Ashton-Jones took on and beat the left back. She found Danielle Farmer who turned the centre half and calmly slotted home under the despairing dive of the goalkeeper.
Half Time 0-2
The Gills started the second half in the same way they ended the first creating chance after chance and testing the Fleet keeper.
Just a minute into the second half Vicky Ashton-Jones found herself in acres of space and her cross found Ashlee Hincks on the far side of the box; she stabbed her shot just wide of the near post.
In the 51st minute Natalie Crinean found Jodie Mugford in space just outside the Fleet area, she let fly and her shot crashed back off the cross bar. Ashlee Hincks followed up the rebound but her shot crashed back off the advertising hoardings behind the goal.
Ashlee Hincks again caused problems in the 55th minute when she bombed down the left wing, cut inside onto her right foot. She left fly with a stinging drive but Faye Baker was equal to it in the Fleet goal.
In the 65th minute Les Kay swung a good ball into the area Natalie Crinean picked up the ball and had a shot, the rebound fell to Vicky Ashton-Jones and her shot was cleared off the line by the busy Fleet defence.
Just three minutes later and the Gills wrapped up the game with the third goal. Vicky Ashton-Jones was at the heart of the move again. She put the ball into the area and Ashlee Hincks did the rest putting the ball into the empty net.
Moments later the Gills went further ahead. The defence that had nothing to do all afternoon and looked impressive were involved in the move. It was their long ball up field that Natalie Crinean latched onto, shrugged off the central defender, rounded the keeper and slotted home.
Becky Lyon played a sublime ball out of defence that found Ashlee Hincks unmarked on the left wing; she cut inside and delivered a pin point cross. Deanna Cooper rose highest at the far post but her header went agonisingly wide of the goalkeeper at the near post.
In the 85th minute Becky Lyon played the ball out of defence and found Ashlee Hincks, she hit a shot that was saved by the keeper. The ball only got as far as Jodie Mugford, her cross found Danielle Farmer who slid in at the far post, but the ball came back off the upright and was cleared.
Just as the clock was ticking down to the end of the game the Gills added a deserved fifth goal. Deanna Cooper fed the ball to Danielle Farmer. She cut inside the area and was flattened by two Fleet defenders. The referee had no choice but to point to the spot, Farmer picked herself up, dusted herself down and hammered home an impressive penalty.
Gills: Duffy, Judd, Herrett, Lyon (c), Kay, Ashton-Jones (Broad, 75), Cooper (Russ, 87), Mugford, Farmer, Hincks (Overton, 84), Crinean
Subs not used: Halfpenny, Johnson,
Ebbsfleet: Baker, Philpott, Pattenden, Spry, Blackie, Gilmour, Ferrarri, Campbell, Williams, Bishop, Macevoy
Subs: Wells, Chambers, Grinyer, Lawrence, Phillips
