Cardea Ladies Brush Aside Swavesey

Cardea hosted Swavesey Spartans on Sunday afternoon in the Cambridgeshire Women's North League in both teams' 2nd fixture of the season.

The only previous meeting between the two sides was in October 2019 when that fixture ended in a 5-0 victory for Cardea.

Both teams were coming into this game full of optimism after the opening day wins. Cardea beat Pinchbeck United 6-2 at home whilst Swavesey secured a 3-0 win away to Cambourne United.

Despite both sides unbeaten from the first game, any Cardea nerves would have settled within 1 minute of the referee blowing the whistle to start the game. Cardea took control very early on, worked the ball nicely to find Helen Buckingham on the left side of midfield who in turn provided a cross for Courtney Coles to score her first of the game to open up the scoring, this also being the fastest goal the Ladies have scored.

This sparked confidence into the home side and not long after, in the 7th minute, a Cardea attack was halted and the ball was put out of play for a corner. Coles turned provider this time and whipped in a dangerous corner for Keleigh Slipper to nod home her first goal for the club and the second of the game.

just a minute later, that partnership was built again, Coles sending in another brilliant corner and Slipper to finish into the back of the net for her second of the game, only for the referee to disallow the goal as Slipper was judged to have pushed the opponent to get to the ball.

You would have thought that Swavesey would have learned from this and to stop conceding corners but just 2 minutes after the second, it was then 3-0. Coles was again on corner kick duty and i'm sure Slipper was waiting to get on the end of this one too, however, Coles send the corner in, missing everyone in the area and finding the back of the net, directly from the corner.

Unfortunately Cardea slacked and despite scoring 3 goals in the opening 9 minutes, it then took a massive 8 minutes to get on the score sheet again. A great press from Maisie Homden in Swavesey's area saw her win the ball back, poke it to Emma Pollard to score from a tight angle and what a strike it was to make it 4-0.

It was soon 5-0, 3 minutes later and finally captain Laura Rudd got in on the act, heading home from yet another Coles corner to register her first goal of the season. She clearly wasn’t impressed as she looked more annoyed than happy, maybe because it messed her eyebrows up.

Cardea hadn’t finished yet and after a 15 minute respite, the Swavesey keeper was picking the ball out of the net again, Rudd now turned provider and found Coles who completed her hat trick with a good strike from just outside the box, leaving the keeper with no chance. A classic Coles finish.

With just 3 minutes to go before half time Cardea made it 7-0. Coles was again causing Swavesey all kinds of problems. This time, a low drive in the bottom corner after some good footwork from Jess O’Sullivan to send Coles through on goal.

HT Cardea Ladies 7-0 Swavesey Spartans Ladies

Half time saw Anna Langa enter the fold, replacing Sophie Smith-Groom who impressed manager Paul Clarke on her league debut.

The second half started in the same way as the first, albeit a bit slower, Rudd grabbed her second of the game after picking up the ball, driving at the Swavesey defence and slotted home with right footed finish low into the net to make it 8-0

within 60 seconds it was 9-0 and Rudd joined Coles with a hat trick of her own, again picking up the ball and driving at the defence to complete the perfect hat trick, scoring with her left foot. Homden is claiming an assist but rumour has it was a lucky deflection on the way through to Rudd.

The home side then decided to make some changes and most notably to give Swavesey a rest by taking off Coles, Ella Harness was the replacement.

The game slowed down and Cardea were in full control, playing some nice,slick football.

Mariah Keys-Heaps was another debutant and replaced Buckingham, who for once was well behaved, leaving Homden to do her dirty work.

In the 74th minute Cardea Centre Back Slipper won the ball back just inside the Swavesey half and after watching Rudd terrorize the away side's defence she decided to have a run herself. Slipper however, decided against slotting home, instead smashing an unstoppable 30 yard screamer, the best goal of the game and an early contender for goal of the season.

Swavesey grabbed a consolation 2 minute later to make 10-1 and could at least head back to Cambridge with a goal to show for their efforts. What a goal it was too, the away captain hit a fantastic strike past another debutant in goalkeeper Laura Parr who only had a few things to do until the point.

With 3 minutes left to play, Jade Foley got herself an assist, setting up Mariah Keys-Heaps who rounded off the scoring with a fine strike, finding the back of the net for her first Cardea goal, not a bad way to start.

FT Cardea Ladies 11-1 Swavesey Spartans Ladies

Manager Clarke was delighted with the girls and kept his analysis short and sweet "We created so many chances, played some really good football and scored some really good goals"

Well done to Jess O'Sullivan who was named Player of the match.

Next up for Cardea is an away trip to face Cambourne United in the Women's League Cup.