Women footballers record first Games win since 2003

Jersey put their first points on the divisional table and Island captain Jodie Botterill notched a brace of goals to take her total to three in two matches.

Botterill slotted his first under the body of the goalkeeper and her second she passed the ball into the goal and on both occasions she was in the clear.

Lara Couvert beat a defender to net Jersey’s third, from ten yards, and with all the squad players now having had time on the pitch they were all having a deserved rest day today.

Manager Tony Hoyland said: ‘We continued on from the 35 excellent minutes we had against Gotland; it was an impressive display for 70 to 80 minutes this time and that was extremely pleasing.

‘We really took the game to them and we should have had three or four more goals, but unfortunately we missed the target with just the goalkeeper to beat on a few occasions.

‘We have good pace in attack and pushing the ball through the opposition’s defenders we have the speed to get through, but we must show a bit more composure in front of goal.

‘Greenland scored six goals in their opening game and we prevented them from any attacks in the first half. They did get near us with one shot; it hit Kerry Sauvage in the face and the referee gave a penalty.

‘It was a harsh decision to say the least and they scored from the resultant penalty to make it 1-1 at half time.

‘We had a good chat at the break and we went on to dominate the second half.

‘I told the girls at the end I could not pick one out as everyone had a job to do and they did what was asked and winning has certainly put the smiles back on their faces again – especially those who were at the last tournament in Rhodes.

‘We now have a rest day and a match against Saaremaa on Wednesday; we know nothing about them at all apart from they were beaten by Greenland so we will just continue to work hard on our games and see what happens from there.’

Jersey: Helen Lagadu; Kerry Sauvage, Michelle Bichard, Leanne Bell; Pauline Smart; Lara Couvert, Becky Darts, Lisa McLaughlin, Laura Robertson; Jodie Botterill, Louise Van der Vliet. Subs used: Lori Moran, Anette Christensen and Kirsten du Heaume.

The other match in Jersey’s group yesterday finished Aland 20, Saaremaa 0.

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