By Jeff Burnige
Millwall Lionesses went down to a 3-0 defeat at Ebbsfleet United’s Kuflink Stadium in the L&SERWFL Premier Division last weekend.
Co-managers Alex Russell and Adam Rowland have become accustomed to patching up a side beset with injuries, and on this occasion they were without all three senior centre-backs in Sophie Chapman, Poppy Payne and Jordan Butler. Millie Connell, Liv McGregor and Ella Bailey were all still on the injured list. Maisie Joyce started in a four in midfield.
It was Joyce who had the first chance with a trademark header which the goalkeeper saved, and there was a lot of attacking intent and half-chances in a promising first half. However, with the interval approaching ex-Gillingham player Amy Russ opened the scoring for the Fleet.
Soon after the break, Maisie Garwood received a second yellow card, and from then until the end it was hard for the tiring Lionesses.
The back four were a sixteen-year-old, two seventeen-year-olds and a nineteen-year-old, but they defended extremely well.
The pressure from Ebbsfleet was incessant, and Logan O’Shea and Charley Clifford completed the scoring.
Youngsters Clemmie Young and Ellen Napper came off the bench and performed well, while Ciara Watling did an unfamiliar job excellently as the holding midfielder.
The Lionesses have no game on Easter Sunday but then face struggling AFC Crawley and Enfield Town in quick succession. They will hope to finish with some good results, particularly with Fulham at home next month.