That’s three league wins from three. You couldn’t have asked for more from Fulham Women who have made the perfect start to an important season.
A gutsy hard-fought home win against Portsmouth, the pre-season favourites. Another good league win away at Real Bedford followed by a win away in the cup at Actonians. And this weekend Fulham Women won their second home game of the season comfortably - and in some style.
While we can’t compare xG, momentum, possession, total passes etc in Tier 3 of the women’s game, what we can say is that Plymouth Argyle didn’t have a shot at goal throughout in Fulham’s 5-0 victory on Sunday. The Pilgrims spent the second half trying to protect a five-goal deficit from getting any worse.
Last year Plymouth finished second in the Tier 3 table and narrowly missed out on a place in the Women’s Super League after losing in the play-off. The defeat cost them an opportunity for meaningful progression and marked the start of some material funding cuts that saw all player contracts axed, and the ensuing departure of the vast majority of their senior squad and manager Marie Hourihan. It was a much younger and less cohesive team that made the long trip from Devon to Motspur Park last weekend.
We can’t draw too many conclusions after just three games, but it is looking increasingly like Fulham Women are finding their feet in this league. The difference in standard between the teams towards the top of the table and those at the bottom is becoming clear, making matches against top teams all the more important.
Fulham’s opening day win against Portsmouth - the only fully professional team in the division - looks like the key result of the season so far. Fulham sit second in the table, one of three teams to maintain their 100% record at the weekend. Oxford are still top on goal difference with Bournemouth sitting below Fulham in third.
But there’s a long way to go. Fulham have a series of away matches to come in September including a difficult local derby against AFC Wimbledon (currently sixth in the league). They then face Exeter at home (fifth) at the start of October before an away trip to Bournemouth in what could be a crucial game.
Sunday’s game also marked Fulham’s fiftieth (50th!) undefeated league match. Fifty matches straight unbeaten. Remarkable, even more so when you consider the amount of change that has happened in the team as it has developed over the past three years. The squad, manager Steve Jaye and his coaching team deserve great credit. If it’s not tempting fate… long may the run continue.
The high standard fans have come to expect from Fulham was on display at the weekend. Fulham raced to a 3-0 lead within 20 minutes. The first was the pick of the goals. A great header inside the post from new signing Rianna Dean following an Olivia Dale cross. Goals from Charlie Estcourt and Anna Grey followed with the Plymouth goalkeeper looking vulnerable and unable to hold onto shots.
Charlie Estcourt then made it four from close range following great play down the left wing. She deserved Player of the Match. Always busy, industrious and providing a crucial link between midfield and attack. She takes the ball on the half-turn like Josh King - no higher praise.
The fifth goal followed just before half time. A great long ball down the right wing from Harley Bennett and Sophie Gillies followed in for her third goal of the season.
The crowd was left at half time wondering far this was going to go. But Plymouth decided to stick not twist and adopted the lowest of low blocks with five at the back fighting hard to keep the score line down. They barely seemed to touch the ball in the first ten minutes of the second half. The crowd at Motspur Park was too polite to shout olé at every pass from Fulham as they went from left to right and back again, but it had become that kind of game. Both sides made multiple substitutions and for once Ellie Olds came on without scoring and we were forced to settle for five.
It is clear that the new signings over the summer have all improved the standard of play. The team is quicker and there are signs that the group is starting to click. Unlike Plymouth, Fulham are thankfully benefitting from good backing from the club. Our move to player contracts over the summer looks to have been the key step. We can reward and retain our best players and attract quality new signings from this level and above. The future is looking bright.
The men’s team might have the Spanish manager and the budding Real Madrid Galácticos, but it is the women’s team who are playing the olé football at the moment.
