11TH SEPTEMBER 2005

WARDEN HILL UNITED 3 - 3 CAM BULLDOG LADIES

TEAM: Lina Elliott, Kirsty Swan, Michelle Stokes, Jenna Wood, Bev Tanner, Sharon Griffin (Beck Millard 45), Reanne Vines, Katie Everett (Lisa Matthews 75), Lucy Bennett, Michelle Purse, Jes Hearsum (Annie Culley 25). Unused sub: Lynn Carter.

Two goals in the final 25 minutes from Annie Culley and Michelle Purse meant that Cam salvaged a point at Warden Hill. United started so much better than the visitors and took the lead less than two minutes in when a square ball across a static defence was driven low into the net from 12 yards by Grace Parker. Parker added a second in the tenth minute when Cam goalkeeper Lina Elliott failed to collect a corner and the loose ball was forced over the line. The second goal finally woke the Bulldogs up and with Culley replacing the injured Jes Hearsum they started to threaten the United goal.

Cam pulled a goal back a minute before half-time when Culley's angled ball put Purse away and, after the goalkeeper made a fine initial save, the Bulldogs' striker just managed to get her follow up over the line. However, three minutes into the second half the visitors' back line was caught square and Natalie Berry ran clear to beat Elliott. But the third goal was only the catalyst for a terrific fightback. Purse hit the post in a goalmouth scramble and Culley curled a good effort at the goalkeeper, although it merely proved to be a sighter as in the 65th minute she collected Beck Millard's throw-in and beat the goalkeeper from the left corner of the area.

Elliott then made a wonderful point blank save to keep her team in the game before the equaliser arrived ten minutes from time. Culley advanced towards the edge of the area before slipping an inch perfect pass to Purse who beat the advancing goalkeeper from 15 yards. Berry had a free-kick well saved by Elliott late on but the Bulldogs, for whom Lucy Bennett was outstanding in midfield, deservedly took a point. 

25TH SEPTEMBER 2005

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 1 - 0 BRISTOL AND WEST

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, B Tanner, R Vines, K Everett (L Matthews 65), L Bennett, A Culley, M Purse, J Hearsum (L Carter 80). Unused subs: R Millard, S Griffin.

Cam ground out a deserved victory at home to Bristol and West. The game was by no means an exhibition of football but the Bulldogs fought hard throughout and were eventually rewarded for their efforts. It might have been a completely different game had Annie Culley's goal on 15 minutes not been ruled out for offside or had someone applied any kind of touch to Michelle Purse's driven cross just a minute later.

First half chances were at a premium thereafter with only Purse's drive across goal and a goalmouth scramble from a Lucy Bennett corner giving the spectators something to take their minds off a torrential shower. Bristol and West rarely threatened and came under tremendous pressure in the second half. Reanne Vines fired a shot straight at the goalkeeper, Bennett twice shot narrowly wide and the goalkeeper made a terrific stop to deny Jes Hearsum after Purse pulled the ball back from the by-line.

With 25 minutes remaining Cam manager Alistair Swan made a tactical change and his side made an instant breakthrough. Michelle Stokes found Bennett on the left and the Bulldogs' midfielder broke through the visitors' defence to slot a low shot into the net via the post. However, from there Bristol and West produced a determined rally that had the home side hanging on. Vines hacked the ball off the line after a corner had been turned onto the bar and then Bev Tanner did likewise from another goalmouth scramble.

Some pictures taken before and during the game!!

The 2005 -2006 Squad Before The Game Against Bristol and West

Back Row: Keith Watson, Lorne Ball, Kirsty Swan, Michelle Purse, Bev Tanner, Lisa Matthews, Lynn Carter, Katie Everett, Annie Culley, Becky Millard, Alistair Swan.

Front Row: Sharon Griffin, Jes Hearsum, Jenna Wood, Lina Elliott, Lucy Bennett, Michelle Purse, Reanne Vines.

2ND OCTOBER 2005

STOKE LANE ATHLETIC 2 - 6 CAM BULLDOG LADIES

TEAM: Cam: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, B Tanner, L Carter (L Matthews 50), R Vines (S Griffin 80), A Culley, K Everett, L Bennett, M Purse.

Cam sent shock waves through the league with a terrific 6-2 dismantlement of last season's championship runners-up Stoke Lane, writes Keith Watson. Although it was an outstanding team performance, Bulldogs' striker Michelle Purse stood out with an amazing five-goal haul. Playing a 5-4-1 formation, the visitors set out to frustrate their opponents yet made an incredible start themselves. Within 60 seconds they had taken the lead as Katie Everett's precise through ball set Purse away and the Cam striker stroked in her opening goal of the afternoon. Stoke Lane were clearly rocked and fell further behind on 14 minutes when Purse pressurised Emily Bean into a poor backpass before rattling in her second. The home side fought back though and top scorer Kylie Allen pulled one back ten minutes later after skipping past two defenders and shooting wide of Lina Elliott. Allen then fortuitously equalised two minutes before the break when her attempted cross flew into the top corner of Elliott's net.

Stoke Lane tried to turn the screw early in the second half but, with Annie Culley dropping into the back line in place of Lynn Carter, Abi Hillier's shot straight at Elliott was the best they had to offer.
Cam soaked up the pressure and then countered with a classic sucker punch. Lively substitute Lisa Matthews found Reanne Vines on the right and her cross was lashed into the net by Purse with a little over 20 minutes remaining. Two minutes later the Bulldogs struck the killer blow as Culley's ball out of defence put Lucy Bennett away and she lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper. The hosts completely lost their shape thereafter and Cam were able to add two more goals. Sharon Griffin's first involvement as substitute was to send a teasing ball through the defence that allowed Purse to take advantage of a defensive error for the second time in the match to make it 5-2. The rampant Cam striker then took her personal tally to five and the team total to six by stabbing in the loose ball from a corner after Culley's header had been blocked.

Bulldogs manager Alistair Swan said afterwards : "That was an absolutely brilliant performance from the entire team."

9TH OCTOBER 2005

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 6 - 1 NEWENT TOWN

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, B Tanner, R Vines, K Everett, L Bennett, R Millard (S Griffin 70), A Culley (L Carter 80), M Purse.

Reanne Vines inspired Cam to another six-goal display that saw the Bulldogs move into second place in the league, writes Keith Watson. The home side were dominant throughout and centre backs Jenna Wood and Bev Tanner limited Newent's dangerous strikers to only the occasional foray forwards. Cam took a 17th minute lead when Katie Everett chipped a lovely pass between two defenders and into the path of Michelle Purse, whose driven cross was turned in at the near post by Annie Culley. The lead was doubled a little over ten minutes before half-time when Culley released Purse and, although the goalkeeper saved her effort, Vines followed up to score from ten yards.

The visitors made a spirited start to the second half and quickly pulled a goal back when a shot from Kookie Patel hit the crossbar and Annette Jones followed in to score. The Bulldogs threatened the Town defence straight away though, as Tanner went close from a corner and Everett beat the goalkeeper to a cross only to see the ball hacked off the line. However, from the resultant Lucy Bennett corner, Tanner beat a host of players to the cross and steered the ball into the corner of the net.

Purse hit the vital fourth goal on the hour as she took Beck Millard's pass in her stride, cut in from the left and curled a superb shot into the far corner. Four minutes later Purse added a fifth when Vines' persistence forced a mistake in the Newent defence and the Cam striker rolled the ball home. Lina Elliott made a fine save to stop Jones getting a second before Purse was denied her hat-trick and Kirsty Swan shot wide from the resultant corner. The Bulldogs' sixth goal came eight minutes from time when Michelle Stokes' throw was turned across the edge of the 18 yard box for Vines to hammer past the goalkeeper with her weaker left foot.

16TH OCTOBER 2005

GLOUCESTER CITY 2ND XI 5 - 3 CAM BULLDOG LADIES

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, B Tanner, R Vines, K Everett, L Bennett, R Millard (L Matthews 55), A Culley, M Purse. Unused sub: L Carter.

Cam's unbeaten start to the season cam to an end at an above strength Gloucester City Reserves, writes Keith Watson. With their first team not having a fixture, City took the opportunity to include three senior players, including top-scorer Helen Wood. Even so, the Bulldogs should well have taken something from the game as they took the lead three times in the first half only to allow the home side back into the game. Cam could have taken a second minute lead but Bev Tanner headed a corner over the bar after arriving unmarked. However, the visitors did open the scoring after 12 minutes when Jenna Wood's long free-kick caused indecision between the Gloucester defence and goalkeeper and Michelle Purse nipped in to score.

But just three minutes later Tanner gave away a free-kick on the edge of the area that Donna Turner curled over the wall and into the top corner. The Bulldogs reacted well though and went back into the lead on 22 minutes when Purse crossed from the byline for Katie Everett to drive home her first goal of the season. The home side piled on the pressure thereafter but Helen Wood, who has scored 14 first team goals already this season, was marked superbly by her Cam namesake Jenna. Unfortunately, seven minutes before half-time City pulled level again when the visitors completely failed to react to a goal kick and Turner blasted a terrific shot back into the net from 35 yards. Still the Bulldogs came back though and two minutes before the break Purse made it 3-2 after holding off two defenders from Tanner's through ball. But with almost the last kick of the first half Jenna Wood made her one mistake of the game and her poor clearance fell to a City player who rifled a shot across Lina Elliott for 3-3.

The second half was far more in Gloucester¹s favour and they took the lead eight minutes into the second half when Helen Wood¹s free-kick took a wicked deflection off the wall to wrong foot Elliott. The hosts then hit a post before Wood rocketed a shot just over the angle of post and bar. The killer goal came 17 minutes from time when a right wing corner caused panic in the Cam defence and Tanner deflected the ball past her own goalkeeper. The Bulldogs kept trying to the end but it was not to be their day.

23RD OCTOBER 2005

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 2 - 1 DURSLEY TOWN

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, B Tanner, R Vines, K Everett (R Millard 75), A Culley, L Bennett, L Jackson (L Matthews 68), M Purse. Unused sub: L Carter.

One moment of quality decided a tense and hard-fought derby match in favour of Cam, writes Keith Watson. With the match poised at 1-1 with a little over ten minutes to go, the Bulldogs finally broke their tireless opponents down when Beck Millard picked out Michelle Purse with a wonderful diagonal ball, which the Cam top-scorer despatched for the winning goal. However, if Purse was the most likely source of a goal for the home side, the scorer of their opening goal was quite the reverse. Not since an 8-0 win over City of Gloucester in the 1997/98 season had Bulldogs captain Kirsty Swan found the net. But when Lucy Bennett's second minute corner dipped in towards the near post Swan was on hand to divert the ball past Jodie Turl and give her side an early lead.

Dursley could have been shattered by the setback but settled down and came at their hosts. Emma Leahey had already fired one warning shot across the Cam goal when Town equalised in the 14th minute. Julianne Farragher's low cross from the left was fumbled by diving Bulldogs goalkeeper Lina Elliott and Emma Kent drove the loose ball in from 12 yards. Farragher then broke clear of a flat-footed home back line but her fine shot was well saved by Elliott. The game looked like heading into half-time without further incident but then the bad luck with injury that has beset Town all season struck again three minutes before half-time. Dursley's Gemma Butler went in for a clattering 50-50 challenge with Reanne Vines but while the Cam player bounced straight back up, Butler did not move. The game had to be halted and an ambulance called to deal with a serious knee injury. Representatives of both clubs wish her well.

After the break, the home side exerted pressure on the visitors but Town centre backs Sally Ash and Stacey Miles defended superbly, while Charlotte Palmer seemed to cover every blade of glass in front of them. With time running out it became apparent that it would take either a mistake or a moment of brilliance to decide the match. Thankfully it was the latter. Receiving the ball 25 yards from goal on the right, substitute Millard found an angle to finally catch Dursley out and Purse nipped in to bring down the ball and stroke it wide of Turl to make it 2-1. The visitors had one last chance to salvage something two minutes from time but when Bev Tanner fouled Farragher on the edge of the box the Dursley striker curled her free-kick just over the bar with Elliott scrambling.

30TH OCTOBER 2005

DOWNEND FLYERS 3 - 4 CAM BULLDOG LADIES

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, B Tanner, L Carter (L Jackson 45), R Vines, K Everett, A Culley, L Bennett, M Purse. Unused subs: S Griffin, R Millard, L Matthews.

A 90th minute winner from Lucy Bennett following a hat-trick from Michelle Purse gave Cam a thrilling victory at Downend, writes Keith Watson. Alistair Swan's side were 3-1 down at one stage and 3-2 down with just four minutes remaining but their new-found resilience got them not just an equaliser but a dramatic winner as well. The appalling Page Park pitch gave no indication that such a gripping match could be staged but both sides contributed to an excellent game of football. Purse had the first effort of the game when she spun her marker from Bennett's throw but Flyers' goalkeeper Zoe Hodgson held her shot well. Downend then piled on the pressure but visiting goalkeeper Lina Elliott made two fine saves from a free-kick and a point blank range shot, while Hodgson pushed a drive around the post after Bennett had latched onto Katie Everett's through ball.

However, the Bulldogs did take the lead in the 19th minute when Purse robbed a defender on halfway and sprinted clear to beat the onrushing Hodgson. The lead lasted just a minute though as Downend bundled in a corner. The home side then went in front nine minutes before the break when the Flyers' right-back broke through to send a drive across Elliott. Just two minutes into the second half Downend went 3-1 up with a 25-yard drive that found the top corner. Six minutes later Cam pulled a goal back when Reanne Vines and substitute Lauren Jackson earned a corner that Purse met with a thumping header reminiscent of an angry Duncan Ferguson.

Both teams looked as likely to score as each other in the final half hour but the game stayed locked at 3-2 with time running out. However, with three minutes to go the Bulldogs forced another corner that Purse and Michelle Stokes both had a go at before Purse finally kneed the ball over the line for the equaliser and her hat-trick. The visitors would have been well satisfied with a point but in the final minute of normal time Bennett cut in from the left and slid a low shot wide of Hodgson to snatch an incredible victory. An excruciating five-minute period of injury time followed but Elliott snuffed out Downend's last chance and cemented her player of the match performance with a superb take from a corner in a packed penalty area.

20TH NOVEMBER 2005

GFA CHALLENGE CUP

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 0 - 2 STOKE LANE ATHLETIC

TEAM:  L Elliott, R Millard, M Stokes, A Culley, K Swan, L Carter, S Griffin, K Everett, R Vines, L Bennett, L Jackson.

Below strength Cam gave a hugely creditable performance despite going out of the county cup to Stoke Lane for the second year in a row, writes Keith Watson. Second half goals from Jade Daly and Krystina Pilkington settled the tie against a Bulldogs side minus Bev Tanner, Jenna Wood and Michelle Purse, who were on duty with the Gloucestershire FA XI in Cornwall. With Lisa Matthews also out after an infection, Cam had a bare 11 to work with and had to reshuffle their pack accordingly.

Beck Millard started in an unfamiliar right-back slot with captain Kirsty Swan moving to centre-back and Sharon Griffin making her first start since September on the right side of midfield. Naturally, Stoke Lane settled the quicker and twice shot over the bar from
distance in the opening ten minutes. However, the Bulldogs came back and might have taken the lead themselves when Griffin tackled the last defender to break away but her hurried shot under pressure was easily saved. Lucy Bennett and Millard both drove 25-yard shots wide for the home side before the half hour mark, while Stoke Lane's Kylie Allen went close with a similar shot from distance.

Cam's best chance of the match arrived ten minutes before the break. Bennett raced clear after Lynn Carter's goal kick was flicked on by Lauren Jackson but her lob over the stranded goalkeeper flew just wide of the post. The visitors finished the half strongly though and twice in quick succession Allen threatened the hosts' goal before another shot on the run was adjudged to have been handled by Annie Culley and referee Colin Gay pointed to the penalty spot. However, Pilkington pulled the spot kick wide of the right hand post, although Bulldogs goalkeeper Lina Elliott seemed to have it covered anyway. Two minutes into the second half Elliott superbly beat a fierce Allen drive away and from the resultant corner Stoke Lane hit the bar. The visitors were definitely on top and had a goal disallowed for offside soon afterwards.

However, there was no reprieve for Cam on 61 minutes when Abi Hillier crossed from the left and Daly turned Swan before beating Elliott low to her left. The lead was doubled three minutes later when a fine right-wing moved was swept in by Pilkington. With no substitutes to use, the tiring Bulldogs were always going to struggle to come back and Reanne Vines 30-yard shot at the goalkeeper was the best they offered thereafter. Stoke Lane continued to press at the other end but Elliott made another fine save from an Allen snapshot, while rookie right-back Millard deservedly earned Cam's player of the match award. Bulldogs coach Keith Watson said: "Playing Stoke Lane without three of our best players was always going to be a test but I think it was a test that those 11 players passed."

27TH NOVEMBER 2005

DURSLEY TOWN 3 - 3 CAM BULLDOG LADIES

TEAM:  L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, B Tanner, R Vines, K Everett, A Culley, L Bennett, L Jackson (L Matthews 82), M Purse. Unused subs: L Carter, S Griffin, R Millard.

Julianne Farragher hit two goals in the final three minutes of Dursley Town's derby match with Cam to salvage a point for her side. But while Dursley deserve a great deal of credit for further enhancing their never-say-die reputation, the Bulldogs simply threw the game away. Both sides contributed to a lively opening but it was the visitors that made the ninth minute breakthrough with the first real effort of the match. Michelle Purse broke through Stacey Miles' tackle and curled a 20-yard shot over Jodie Turl. The lead could well have been doubled soon afterwards but Reanne Vines directed a tame effort straight at Turl from a Lucy Bennett corner. Cam were really in the ascendancy but they took their foot off the gas and were punished in the 28th minute. Emma Kent's cross from the right was headed in by Farragher, with the Bulldogs' defence about as conspicuous as the crew of the Marie Celeste. However, the visitors' took the lead again just five minutes later when a half cleared corner was laid back from the edge of the area by Annie Culley for Jenna Wood to drive an absolute screamer past Turl from 35 yards. Cam might have gone in at the break even further ahead but Bennett sliced wide after linking well with Katie Everett, while Purse ballooned a shot over the bar after a corner fell kindly.

Dursley were more determined in the second half and twice troubled goalkeeper Lina Elliott early on. The Bulldogs number one then made another fine save to tip over Andrea Bonser's shot on the turn. At the other end, Turl made the save of the match to beat out a Purse drive at the near post. Town continued to exert pressure on the Cam goal but they struggled to create further chances and conceded again with a little under 20 minutes remaining. Purse pulled the ball back from the byline for Lauren Jackson to control and drill in her first goal in senior football from close range. It could have been worse for the home side but Purse hit a shot on the turn over, while Michelle Stokes¹ shot from a corner hit teammate Everett.

The Bulldogs looked to be cruising to the three league points but then they did not so much shoot themselves in the foot as carry out an amputation with a bazooka. Three minutes from time, Stokes badly mis-hit a goal kick that not one teammate reacted to and Farragher's resultant 20-yard shot went underneath Elliott to complete the catalogue of errors for the visitors. Back to within a goal with time running out, Dursley threw bodies forward and earned a free-kick midway inside the Cam half. The ball was lofted into the box and eventually found its way to Farragher, who turned magnificently and beat Elliott to complete her hat-trick and rescue an unlikely point.

4TH DECEMBER 2005

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 3 - 4 STOKE LANE ATHLETIC

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, B Tanner (R Millard 25, L Matthews 87), R Vines, K Everett, A Culley, L Bennett, L Jackson, M Purse.

Stoke Lane withheld a second half onslaught from Cam to inflict the Bulldogs' first home defeat of the league season, writes Keith Watson. An usually lethargic home side went in 3-1 down at the break but rallied superbly in the second 45 minutes and were unlucky not to snatch a point. Although Michelle Purse slipped an early chance wide for Cam, it was the visitors who had the better of the opening 15 minutes. Indeed, it was against the run of play when Lucy Bennett won possession in the middle of the park to play in Purse, who gave the Bulldogs the lead just after the quarter hour. Bennett went close with a flick-up and volley shortly afterwards but then the initiative passed back to Stoke Lane when home defender Bev Tanner departed through injury. The visitors piled on the pressure and equalised just after the half hour when Leanne O'Sullivan turned in Abi Hillier's cross from the left. Ten minutes later Stoke Lane went ahead when Kylie Allen beat two players on the edge of the box before sliding a delicate ball through for Hillier to beat Lina Elliott from eight yards. On the stroke of half-time Hillier returned the favour with a cutback from the byline that gave Allen a tap-in to make it 3-1.

Elliott made a good save to stop Hillier making it 4-1 early in the second half but thereafter Cam showed real fight. Katie Everett and Purse were both denied by the goalkeeper within a minute before Bennett dragged a shot wide. However, the hosts pulled the game back to 3-2 in the 63rd minute when Purse broke clear of the defence to slot home her second. With the play swinging from end to end, Hillier twice missed chances to get her side's fourth, while Everett shot over for the Bulldogs and Purse was denied when the goalkeeper cut out Reanne Vines' cross. However, Stoke Lane struck the crucial goal eight minutes from time when Allen took advantage of defensive hesitancy to score with a powerful low shot. Back came the home side though and just a minute later Everett held off several challenges to set up Purse for her hat-trick. Cam threw everything into one final push and might have earned an injury
time penalty when the goalkeeper spilled a ball into the box and substitute Lisa Matthews went down over her grounded body. It was not to be though and the visitors hung on.

18TH DECEMBER 2005

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 1 - 1 GLOUCESTER CITY 2ND XI

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, A Culley, S Griffin (R Millard 45), R Vines, K Everett (L Matthews 75), L Bennett, L Jackson, M Purse (L Solomon 90).

Michelle Purse hit her 20th goal of the season to rescue a point for Cam from a tight game at home to Gloucester City Reserves. The Bulldogs had a half chance as early as the first minute when Lucy Bennett's ball into the box found Sharon Griffin but she pushed her shot wide. City danger woman Donna Turner then tried her luck from a fourth minute free-kick but Lina Elliott held it comfortably. Midway through the first half the home side almost took the lead when Lucy Bennett broke through only to be denied by Gloucester goalkeeper Jo Thompson, who then vitally flicked the loose ball away from Lauren Jackson following up. Jackson then shot tamely at the goalkeeper from a Purse set-up before Thompson held a Purse shot after Griffin played her in from the right. The last effort of note in the first half came when Elliott held Turner's great overhead effort at a corner.

The in-form Thompson made a brilliant block from Purse three minutes into the second half before Bennett and Purse both beat the goalkeeper only to see their looping efforts go wide. Cam's best chance came 20 minutes from time when a left wing cross found substitute Beck Millard at the far post but Thompson eventually emerged with the ball after a seemingly endless game of ping pong between the two players. City then hit the home side with a sucker punch in the 74th minute. They struck the post with a great shot and had time and space to blast in the rebound.

The Bulldogs were at sixes and sevens for the next five minutes and might well have conceded again. However, they lifted themselves for one final effort and got the goal that their play deserved six minutes from time. Lucy Bennett picked up the pieces on the edge of the box after Reanne Vines had made a hash of a shooting opportunity and her delicate ball through a forest of legs allowed Purse to finally beat Thompson and earn her side a point.

15TH JANUARY 2006

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 2 - 1 OLDLAND ABBOTONIANS

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, A Culley, L Carter, R Vines, R Millard (L Jackson 45), K Everett, L Bennett, M Purse. Unused subs: S Griffin, L Solomon, J Robbins (gk).

Cam blew the title race wide open with an extremely hard earned win over league leaders Oldland Abbotonians. The result, allied to Downend Flyers' 1-0 win at Bristol and West, leaves Oldland top with 22 points and four games to play, with Downend and Stoke Lane Athletic three points behind with two games in hand. The Bulldogs have just one game in hand and are a point further back but are waiting for the result of an appeal against a three-point deduction for calling off a match at Newent Town due to a lack of fit players. Cam cast aside those concerns though and set about the tough Oldland side from the off.

Lucy Bennett saw an early goalbound free-kick headed out for a corner by imposing centre-back Louise Walter, while Michelle Purse dragged a good chance wide after Michelle Stokes flighted a ball over the Oldland defence and right into her path. The home side did take a 21st minute lead though. Reanne Vines' ball across the edge of the penalty area was struck first time by Bennett and the ball clipped the shins of Walter and spun round goalkeeper Purnell into the net. The visitors equalised ten minutes later when a free-kick into the heart of a static Cam defence found Jess Cole and she was allowed to turn and shoot easily into the net.

However, the hosts regained the lead seven minutes before the break when Katie Everett played a lovely ball over the top of the defence for Purse to latch onto and drill a tremendous shot past Purnell. Oldland always looked dangerous but could not carve out any clear chances before the break, although they had much the better of the second half. Walter sent a free-kick over the bar and soon after headed wide from a left-wing corner. The big defender then sent another free-kick over the wall but only into Lina Elliott's waiting arms. However, the visitors' best chance to equalise came on 72 minutes when Becky Millard slid in ahead of Elliott only to drag her shot agonisingly across goal. Purse might have wrapped it up for Cam three minutes later but her improvised volley from a Bennett corner went off target. Oldland battered the Bulldogs for the final quarter of an hour but Annie Culley, Kirsty Swan, Jenna Wood, Lynn Carter and Stokes defended brilliantly as a unit and Elliott remained relatively untroubled.

29TH JANUARY 2006

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 0 - 3 DOWNEND FLYERS

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, A Culley, L Carter (L Solomon 70), R Vines, L Jackson, K Everett, L Bennett, M Purse. Unused subs: S Griffin, R Millard.

Any hopes Cam may have had of challenging for the league title were ended by a poor home defeat to rivals Downend. The Bulldogs were much the worse at adapting to the difficult pitch and never recovered from conceding a very early goal. Just two minutes had elapsed when the home side's back line was caught square and a Downend forward raced clear to score. Cam might have equalised soon after but Michelle Stokes' storming run up the left was ended by a poor touch inside the penalty box. A last ditch tackle denied the Flyers a second in the 25th minute but just three minutes later it became 2-0 when a free-kick was not cleared and a low shot went through a crowd and past the unsighted Lina Elliott in goal. The hosts offered little until late in the half when Michelle Purse turned and shot at Downend goalkeeper Zoe Hodgson and Lucy Bennett blasted a shot wide when a cross looked the better option.

The Bulldogs started the second half more positively and created their best chance on the hour. Purse raced clear of a ponderous defence but hit her shot at Hodgson's legs and when the loose ball was eventually worked to Bennett her fine shot was beaten away by the goalkeeper. Cam were spent as an attacking force thereafter and Elliott had to make four important saves in the space of 12 minutes, including a brilliant one-on-one stop from  Laura Cornford. Downend did eventually secure their win five minutes from time when a Stokes goal kick was returned straight through the middle of the defence and finished well. A lengthy period of injury time saw Cornford miss a sitter at one end, while Purse failed to make the most of Lisa Solomon's neat pass and Hodgson saved from Reanne Vines at the other.

05TH FEBRUARY 2006

LEAGUE CUP (AET)

PORTISHEAD AFC 5 - 4 CAM BULLDOG LADIES

Stretched to breaking point by injuries, Cam lost a titanic cup tie at Portishead in extra time, writes Keith Watson. However, had it not been for some kamikaze defending, the Bulldogs could well have won easily. The visitors were caught cold for the second game running as Michelle Stokes allowed a Portishead forward a free run into the penalty area to put her side into a fourth minute lead.
Cam were level inside 20 minutes though, as Jenna Wood's long ball allowed Michelle Purse to round the goalkeeper and finish well. Purse and Reanne Vines both had chances to put their team into the lead before the home side missed a glorious chance of their own.

However, it was the Bulldogs that went in ahead at the break when the hosts' goalkeeper fluffed a drop kick and Purse took a touch before smashing the ball back over her head and into the net from 35 yards. Portishead levelled six minutes into the second half when Jenna Wood and Kirsty Swan left a through ball to each other and the home forward scored after a brave effort to save by Lina Elliott in goal. The visitors took the lead again just four minutes later though as Purse rounded the goalkeeper and her attempt from the tightest of angles was turned in from a yard by Katie Everett.

A two-goal cushion might well have broken Portishead and Cam came within inches of giving themselves just that but Purse hit the post after a superb breakaway with a little over 20 minutes remaining. However, Lauren Jackson and Purse both had to go off injured and the Bulldogs were forced to hang on. They lasted until the 91st minute when a high ball into the box was not dealt with and a rebound was bundled in after Elliott turned the first shot onto the bar. Cam rejigged their battered troops for extra time and Lucy Bennett, now playing at centre forward, was denied by a brilliant save. It was the home side that went 4-3 up, though, as a right wing cross was
slammed home after 103 minutes. Portishead struck the killer blow four minutes from time though, as Bev Tanner conceded a stonewall penalty that was converted via the post. The Bulldogs went back up the other end and pulled it back to 5-4 when the goalkeeper failed to hold Bennett's shot and Stokes followed in to score but time ran out soon afterwards.

12TH FEBRUARY 2006

OLDLAND ABBOTONIANS 0 - 0 CAM BULLDOG LADIES

Defending as if their lives depended on it, Cam earned a tremendous point away at Oldland Abbotonians, writes Keith Watson. The Bulldogs made the trip with their thin squad stretched to the limit by injuries and unavailability but the 12 players involved produced a magnificent rearguard action under near constant pressure throughout the 90 minutes. However, such was the workrate from the outfield players, Cam goalkeeper Lina Elliott was rarely called into action. The visitors worked very hard in the opening 20 minutes and did not give Oldland a single shooting opportunity.

With young Lauren Jackson ploughing a lone furrow up front, the Bulldogs were doing their best to play on the break and Lynn Carter struck a free-kick wide midway through the half after one such attack was ended illegally. Reanne Vines held the visitors' midfield together with tireless running, while Michelle Stokes consistently tried to support the attack with surges from left back.
In defence, Kirsty Swan left several home players in a crumpled heap, Jenna Wood had a no nonsense game and Lucy Bennett, employed at sweeper, cleared up many a long ball into the Cam defence.

Despite their pressure, the home side did not get a shot off at Elliott until the 45th minute and even then she held it easily. The Bulldogs had to bring on their only substitute, Lisa Solomon, for Carter at the break but the visitors kept things tight under ever increasing pressure. Louise Walter fired two free-kicks over the bar for Oldland, while Lisa McCormack saw a shot deflected wide. The final half hour was almost like an attack versus defence training exercise as Cam repeatedly repelled the hosts. Vines, Katie Everett, Beck Millard and Sharon Griffin ran themselves to a standstill to protect their back five, while Jackson occasionally forced Oldland back into their own half. Bennett, Swan, Stokes, Wood and Solomon all made crucial interventions and Elliott's handling was impeccable, including from a 20-yard Vicky Mundy strike ten minutes from time. Jo Lenton finally beat the rearguard action with five minutes left but the Bulldogs had earned their luck and her shot bounced off the outside of the post and away. The referee somehow conjured up six minutes of injury time but Cam saw it out and claimed an outstanding point in the circumstances.

19TH FEBRUARY 2006

NEWENT TOWN 4 - 5 CAM BULLDOG LADIES

TEAM: L Elliott, K Swan, M Stokes, J Wood, A Culley, R Millard, R Vines, S Griffin (L Matthews 50), L Bennett, K Everett,  M Purse. Unused subs: L Carter, L Solomon.

Katie Everett celebrated her 21st birthday in style as she guided Cam to a 5-4 win after her side had trailed 4-1, writes Keith Watson. Everett was instrumental in the comeback, scoring twice before laying on the winning goal for hat-trick scorer Michelle Purse. The Bulldogs made life difficult for themselves as Michelle Stokes' sliced clearance let in a Newent forward and she held off two challenges before beating goalkeeper Lina Elliott with just seven minutes gone.

Cam came close to a 20th minute equaliser but Kirsty Swan's looping header from a Lucy Bennett corner was headed off the line. Thereafter the visitors struggled to cope with the Town's bustling forward Annette Jones. First Jones worked Elliott before Swan denied her a second time with a superb point blank block tackle. However, there was no reprieve for the Bulldogs three minutes before the break when Newent got down the right and Jones controlled a cross to finish. Cam responded quickly though as Purse latched onto Bennett's ball over the top to smash a fantastic shot in via the crossbar.

But as quickly as they got back into the game, the Bulldogs looked out of it just three minutes into the second half. Town went 4-1 up inside 48 minutes with a far post cross being turned in from close range before the defence was ripped straight down the middle for number four. However, the introduction of Lisa Matthews into the visitors' defence a minute later transformed the game. Cam pulled the score back to 4-2 in the 52nd minute when Matthews won the ball at the back and started a move that ended with Purse crossing for Everett to turn the ball in.

Five minutes later it was 4-3 as Annie Culley's intelligent overhead pass was flicked on by Everett and Purse scored from a rebound after the goalkeeper spilled her first effort. The Bulldogs drew level just two minutes after that when Bennett released Purse and her left foot shot walloped the post before being finished off by Everett. However, once level, the visitors momentum faded and Newent came back. Elliott tipped a long range shot over, had a good chance hit straight at her and then made a crucial double save to deny Jones. Victory would be Cam's though and Purse put the icing on Everett's birthday cake by taking a pass from her strike partner and drilling the ball home a minute into injury time. Everett might even have had a hat-trick herself but she got Purse's pull back stuck under her feet as time ran out.

26TH FEBRUARY 2006

CAM BULLDOG LADIES 3 - 1 WARDEN HILL UNITED

A fantastic individual goal from Michelle Stokes made the difference as Cam overcame a stubborn Warden Hill side. With the game locked at 1-1, Stokes beat three players on a storming run from left-back before crashing the ball in with 12 minutes remaining. Michelle Purse then wrapped things up two minutes from time, having earlier brought her side level following Grace Parker's opener for Warden Hill.

The Bulldogs were punished for their usual slow start in the seventh minute when goalkeeper Lina Elliott overcooked a throw-out and the ball was quickly returned to centre forward Parker, who slid the ball in off the post. It should have been 2-0 inside 20 minutes but Parker put the ball across the face of goal after racing away on the left. Parker was then denied by an excellent Elliott save in the middle of a frantic spell around the half hour mark that also saw Lauren Jackson and Purse test Caroline McDonnell in the visitors' goal.Cam drew level four minutes before the break with a tremendous counter-attacking goal. Lucy Bennett cleared a Warden Hill corner to Purse, who held the ball up well just over halfway. Purse then laid the ball off to the onrushing Bennett, who played an inch perfect through ball back for Purse to score from an angle after McDonnell rushed unnecessarily from her line.

The Bulldogs switched Bennett to the centre of defence for the second half and this platform allowed them to dominate the remainder of the game. Chances were at a premium though, with only a goal-line clearance from an Annie Culley header and a brave McDonnell save from Purse at two Bennett corners ringing the Warden Hill alarm bells before the final quarter hour. It required something special to win the match and Cam did not disappoint. Left-back Stokes brilliantly kept in a bouncing ball on the touchline before racing past three players on a break from her own half. Bearing down on McDonnell from an angle, Stokes hit the ball hard and low at the near post and the goalkeeper could only help the ball into her own net. McDonnell made amends to deny Purse soon afterwards but the Cam top scorer hit her 28th competitive goal of the season with two minutes left after the last defender missed Katie Everett¹s through ball.