The Gas Girls resumed league action in style on Sunday, making the short but successful trip to Portishead Town Football Club. They returned with three more points, four more goals, and their sixth clean sheet of the league campaign.
After two consecutive weeks of cup fixtures for both sides, league play was back on the agenda. As the game got underway, Rovers looked the stronger side, dominating much of the early action in the attacking third. Annys Turner impressed early on, linking play neatly and winning the first of several corners for the Gas Girls, though despite her smooth passes, Rovers struggled to find a finishing touch in front of goal. Meg Jarvis worked hard, driving the ball up the pitch, but her early effort drifted wide.
Portishead then had moments of possession, then a chance with Shannon Holloway swinging the ball in, but George Hunt reacted brilliantly, tipping it out for a corner that came to nothing. Layah Douglas worked hard to regain control for Rovers, allowing them to push forward once again.
Ella Pemberton tested the Portishead keeper with a good effort forcing a strong save as the keeper got down quickly to palm the ball away. The Gas Girls’ excellent football continued, with Thierry - Jo Gauvain showing great determination to block an opposition attack before driving the ball forward.
From another flurry of Turner corners, Maisy Collis linked up well with Chloe Bassett, but her shot flew just over the bar. The first goal of the game finally came on the 22nd minute when Jarvis struck confidently into the bottom corner to give the Gas Girls a deserved 1 - 0 lead.
As the game continued, Rovers maintained good control, with composed play from Pemberton and Bassett helping to keep possession. At the other end, Portishead’s Alanna Torrington attempted to find the goal with a long-range free kick, but Hunt was alert and saved to protect the Rovers’ lead.]
Charlotte Buxton then delivered a great cross into the box, which was headed just over the bar. From the resulting corner, Barrett got her head to the ball but sent it over once again and only moments later, she produced another strong effort that also flew high, keeping the score at 1 - 0.
As the game approached halftime, a Pemberton shot went high, and Hunt was forced to make another save. Then, just before the whistle blew, Rovers were awarded a free kick from distance. Collis stepped up, and her strike hit the top of the keeper's fingers but ultimately found the back of the net to double the Gas Girls' lead at the end of the first half.
Rovers started the second half strongly, with Pemberton and Turner working hard in midfield. It took only minutes for the Gas Girls to add a third, as Bassett found the ball on the edge of the box and her strike crashed off the bar and over the line, taking the score to 3 - 1. Moments later, Barrett fired a strike from the halfway line that went wide, followed by another Collis shot, but this one was palmed away by the keeper.
The hosts responded with energy and intent as they pushed forward, but Hunt was quick to react, gathering the ball confidently before any real danger could develop. Portishead continued to press, forcing the Gas Girls into a strong defensive display. Chelsea Heal saw her effort superbly parried by Hunt, and while Kelly Jones’ rebound looked destined for goal, Barrett was perfectly positioned to head the ball clear again.
On the 64th minute, both teams made substitutions, with Rovers swapping out Turner and Bassett for Amelie Gould and Captain Rianne Bourne-Hallett, followed seven minutes later but the third and final change for the Gas Girls, with Nia Rees replacing Ruby Scahill.
Hunt was called into action for a few more efforts as Portishead continued to push forward. Their captain, Holloway, took a shot towards the near post only to be saved. Later, Mia Blazey tested her again with a shot she saved to preserve her impressive run of six league clean sheets.
In the final ten minutes, a persistent Barrett came close again with a header that flew just over the bar. Then, on the 86th minute, opening scorer Jarvis struck once more, finishing confidently after being played through by Bourne-Hallett to give Rovers their fourth and final goal of the afternoon. Barrett’s determination for a goal carried through to the final whistle, as she struck the crossbar twice in quick succession, with the second landing it out and denying her a place on the scoresheet for the game.
When the whistle blew, the scoreboard read 4-0, and the Gas Girls had secured another victory, remaining unbeaten in the league and now sit second in the FAWNL table.
