Ladies

   Diamonds Ladies 2 Allscott LFC 0
Diamonds were made to work hard for the points by Shropshire side Allscott who`s well disciplined defence was a tough nut to crack, starting well the City side had the visitors under pressure from the off. Emma Dagley headed Karen Cloughs corner just over, Shannon Edwards first time shot went just wide of the left hand post and 16 year old Caitlin Harper making her senior debut after joining the club at U10 hit a great volley just wide of the righthand upright. As the first half was ending Clough cut in from the right and hit a rasping shot that cannoned to safety off the bar. Allscott came out well in the second half pinning Diamonds back for the opening 10 mins but with their defence now more exposed Diamonds began to find the gaps. Clough was again unlucky with another effort hitting the post befor a sharp turn inside the box and great finish into the far corner with her left foot, minutes later it was 2 - 0 with another good finish from Clough. Jo Sheerin in goal kept her defence on their toes to keep a clean sheet but all the plaudits go to Caitlin Harper for an impressive debut down the left.  
  Diamonds Ladies 0 Solihull 1
Playing into a strong wind Diamonds put in a realy disciplined but admittedly negative performance in the first half determined to be still in the game when they had the advatage in the second half. Limmiting the league leaders to long range efforts and forcing them wide did the trick as they changed ends a solitary goal behind.
With Borough only conceeding 7 goals in 16 games it was never going to be easy even with the wind and although the City side huffed and puffed it was a dissapointing second half as they lacked the guile and inventivness to open up the visitors defence and there play was too static & predictable, but an interesting encounter.
    Diamonds Ladies 3 Leamington Lions LFC 2
Diamonds got the new year off to a great start with a hard fought victory over 2nd placed Lions, inflicting only their 2nd defeat of the season. In a game of two halves it was Diamonds having the better of the first half, leading 2 - 0 at the break from Karen Cloughs blistering shot that the keeper just couldnt keep out and Emma Dagleys powerfull header from a Clough corner. If not for the visiting keeper pulling off several good saves the City side would have been out of site. The second half had Lions on the front foot pegging the home side back firstly with a header and then capitalising on a mix up at the back allowing the striker too poke the ball home. Diamonds then showed great character to get a grip on the game and the Clough Dagley combination from another corner gave them the lead again with 15 mins to go.
    Kidderminster 0 Diamonds Ladies 7 (abdn 74 mins)  
The first half started brightly for Diamonds, playing some good football with Shannon Edwards prominent on the left they laid siege to the Kiddy goal. It was ironic that it was a keeper error that gifted Diamonds the lead, after several good saves she dropped the ball at the feet of Alison Livermore who rolled it into the empty net. Further goals came from karen Clough, K Hill and a well hit strike from Jess Adams to record her first senior goal. At half time the weather deteriorated with rain and sleet, Hill went on to bag a hatrick and Clough a brace befor the ref with both teams in agreement called a halt. POM went to veteran Nora Caddick who continues to roll back the years and the wrinkles!
  Cannock Ladies 3 Diamonds Ladies 5
Diamonds travelled to second place Cannock expecting a much tighter game, with both teams missing players it was the City sides greater strength in depth of squad that was the difference. Taking a 2 - 0 lead into half time courtesy of Emma Dagleys header from a corner and karen Cloughs delicate chip over the keeper from Steph Cloes long goal kick. It could have been a rout but for several the good saves from Cannocks keeper and a Zoe Barrett free kick came back off the bar. A minute into the secon half however it was game over as Clough fired into the corner and shortly after claimed her hatrick. With 18 mins to go Diamonds went to sleep at the back conceeding from a corner befor Alison Livermore hit the goal of the game volleying into the top corner from another corner to take her past her goals tally for last season already. With the game all but over Diamonds became realy sloppy, conceeded two more goals in the last five minutes. I would hate to see this pitch after some bad weather, dreadfull, still to both teams credit they did try and play football on it but it was no surprise that 5 out of the 8 goals came from deadball situations.
   Staffs FA County Cup
  Stoke City 2 Diamonds Ladies 0
 With an important game next weekend Diamonds took the chance to rest several players and paid the price, suffering a shock exit, the two well matched teams, well apart from populations 500,000/65,000, Centre of Excellence/Junior Teams, Linked to a Premier League Club/Linked to the local Chinese Restaurant, ok well it was matched 11 v 11. It looked like Shannon Edwards had levelled for Diamonds as she picked her spot in the top corner but somehow the home sides keeper threw herself across to claw it round the post. The second half had Diamonds looking for a way back into the game, 17 year old Zoe Barrett in her first season in Ladies football fired over the bar, 16 year old Shannon Bernes-Jones also in her first season raced into the box only to be thwarted by a last ditch tackle, Jess Adams also suffered the same fate as she lined up a strike on goal with just the keeper to beat. So not to be for Diamonds but played in great spirit today and had a great laugh, well refereed and mention must go to the linesman, what a star! Now let me think, how to get the best from your players?
  Alscott ladies 1 Diamonds Ladies 1
Probably Diamonds worst performance of the season, I cant think of many times that going forward they put more than two passes together as they constantly gave the ball away! Fortunately the defence of Charlotte Batey, Louise Sharrod, Emma Dagley & Shannon Edwards & keeper Jo Sheerin were on their game and were able to limit the home side to just one goal. To give Alscott credit they raised their game from a few weeks ago and deservidley took the lead, Karen Clough equalised with a delicate chip over the keeper to earn a point that was acceptable after having one of those days I guess. 
     Lichfield Diamonds 4 Stratford Town 1
Relegated from the Combination League at the end of last season Stratford Town provided a stern test for a young Diamonds side who found themselves under the cosh for 25 mins. but the defence of Charlotte Batey, Sarah Sampson, Emma Dagley and Louise Sharrod held firm. However once Karen Clough put them in front from just inside the box the whole complexion changed, the versatile Shannon Edwards soon made it 2 - 0 reacting quickly to fire home from close range. Right on half time Diamonds got the all important third goal courtesy of Alison Livermore who calmly slotted the ball past the advancing keeper. The second half had Diamonds dominating with Towns keeper making several fine saves to keep her side, especialy when they pulled a goal back from a corner, in the game. Any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished however when after some good work from 16 year olds Shannon Bernes-Jones & Jess Adams, Clough drilled the ball from an angle into the bottom corner to make the points safe.
    Womens FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round . . Lichfield Diamonds Ladies 6 Alscott Ladies 1
 Diamonds were asked to show the same form in front of goal as last week and they followed to the letter hitting fellow West Midlands premier League side Premier League Alscott for SIX. Captain Emma Dagley fired home from close range on 10 mins after a knock down by veteran Jules Caddick who continues to show the best form of her career. Next to strike was Sophie Wardle again reacting quickly inside the box and although Diamonds dominated the half, Zoe Barrett ouzing more confidence in centre mid with every game, the visitors refused to role over, it remained 2 - 0 at the break. Starting where they left off the home side were again on top and should have gone further ahead befor Alscott pulled one back on the break. Fortunately the reprieve was short lived as Alison Livermore went clear to calmly round the keeper and tap in on 65 mins. Finaly the resistence was broken, Karen Clough and Kim Hill had soon made it five and it the 89th minute 16 year old left back Holly Jackson latched onto a half cleared ball to fire into the top corner from just outside the box to record her first goal in the senior team. Some excellent football from Diamonds going forward and solid defending from Dagley, Sarah Sampson, Meg Morrish, Shannon Edwards and Charlotte Batey kept the Shropshire team under wraps.
  Lichfield Diamonds LFC 6 Kidderminster LFC 0
Diamonds notched there biggest victory over Kidderminster taking the lead after only 37 secs when Karen Clough burst though the centre of the defence to slot the ball home. To their credit the visitors rallied from the early setback and although not realy threatening Diamonds goal they did put up some stubborn resistance in midfield and defence with the goal keeper in fine form saving well from Clough, Kim Hill and Alison Livermore. It was not till early in the second half that the resistance was broken, Clough getting to the bye line to cross for Hill to hit home with the outside of her foot. Playing to there strengths Diamonds were now rampant against a tireing defence, Jules Caddick and Zoe Barrett were now dominant in midfield enabling Clough to take her tally to 4 and Livermore to go through on the keeper to wrap up the scoring. Diamonds will be hoping for the same form in front of goal this coming Sunday when they meet Alscott Ladies in the 2nd Round of the Womens FA Cup  
    Womens FA Cup 1st Round
  Lichfield DiamondsLFC 2 Walsall ladies 1
 Amazing how many times these old rivals have been drawn together in Cup competitions and again Diamonds came out on top mainly due to some excellent defending from Louise Sharrod, Charlotte Batey, Sarah Sampson and Emma Dagley who limited the visitors to only a couple of chances, one of which they converted to leval after Diamonds had weathered the early storm and gone in front after a good header from Sophie Wardle found Alison Livermore who slotted the ball through to Kim hill to beat the advancing keeper. The second half followed a similar pattern as Walsall had the more possesion with Diamonds looking the more likely to score. Eventualy Diamonds pressure grew, Zoe Barrett went close with a well struck shot from outside the box befor Livermore again was the providor, winning a loose ball on the edge of the box she beat a defender then calmly rolled the ball across to Shannon Edwards to stroke the ball into the corner of the net. Diamonds can now bank the well earned prize money and look forward to another home tie against Shropshire side Allscott Ladies
    Lichfield Diamonds 5 Kingshurst 1
Diamonds got off to a flier in their opening league fixture, it took just 17 seconds for new signing Karen Clough to open the scoring from a tight angle after a good ball from Alison Livermore. The early setback rattled a useful Kingshusrt side as the home side went on to dominate the first half. Kim Hill was next to strike quickly followed by a great finish from the corner of the box by Livermore. With the keeper actualy playing well and aided by two goal line clearences the half ended at 4 - 0 after another goal from Clough. The secoond half was a more even afair and after Diamonds had missed several good chances it was Kingshurst who pulled a goal back with a good volley into the top corner. With both teams tireing in the heat it was the City girls who finished the stronger, Hill going through on goal and although the keeper parried her first shot she could do nothing to stop her putting in the loose ball.
  Solihull 1 Diamonds Ladies 0
Diamonds travelled to League leaders Solihull and it was nice to see some familiar faces, well players change but the ref remains the same. After refereeing there home games for the last several years it was first name terms. With Diamonds young side ( excluding Weez & Jules obviously) playing well against a physicaly strong home side, Zoe Barrett in centre mid continues to improve with every game as does the fiesty Shannon Edwards. In goal Jo Sheerin had little to do, several free kicks to push over the bar aside. Yet another free kick given just outside the box proved to be one too many and as Diamonds only half cleared the ball came back in it fell nicely to be slotted home.The second half had Solihull dominating possesion and Diamonds hitting on the break, with Kaz Clough making the keeper work and Shannon Edwards firing just over.
  Wednesfield Town 2 Lichfield Diamonds LFC 4
Diamonds raced into a 4 - 0 half time lead with some great football, playing to their strengths by keeping the ball on the floor. Having Meg Morrish back in centre mid was a big bonus and with Zoe Barrett partnering in midfield the pair always had an outlet left with Sophie Waddle linking well with Kim Hill and right with Alison Livermore. This kept Diamonds on the front foot and with Karen Cloughs clinical finishing the goals soon came as Clough hit a hatrick in a 12 minute spell. Barrett hit an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box which hit the inside of the post and ran across the face of goal, as the ball was turned back into the goalmouth Emma Dagley reacted quickly to fire home.
Unfortunately for the second half it was a case of after the Lord Mayors show, as an attacking threat Diamonds were non existent, managing just one srike on goal from Livermore, there was no threat down the flanks, in possesion the ball was constantly just booted up the centre to Hill and Clough which then came straight back. It was only through good defending, Dagley outstanding, that Diamonds held out untill the last 5 mins. Some players need to look at their individual performances when in possesion in the second half but a great first half