Women Leave Bowers In A Pit(sea) Of Despair
Written by Lee Witney, published Monday 29 September 2025.
Another history day for our women’s side was marked with a dominant win as we ran out 5-1 winners against Bowers & Pitsea Reserves in our first home league game. Keen to build on a debut win last Sunday, Maldon set about attacking Bowers from the off. A ball from Brooke Wright gave Stef Paci a crossing opportunity, but Paige Fordham gathered.
Maldon had taken an early hold on the game and were creating chances at will. Only an unbelievable reflex save from Fordham to deny Amy Yeldham from point blank range kept the scores level. Chloe Rylett did well to win the ball back in the middle of the park. Her pass out to Wright allowed her and Paci to play a neat one-two with Wright’s cross falling to Yeldham in the box. It looked for all the world, Yeldham’s shot would end up in the net, but for a stunning tip over by Fordham.
The chances continued to come for the Jammers. Danni Hindley’s ball out to the right found Rianna Everett who played in Wright. Her cross found Hindley in the box whose first attempt was blocked by a forest of Bowers players. The rebound fell to Hindley again but this time Fordham saved well.
The pressure eventually told with just over 20 minutes gone. Bowers could only half clear a corner which allowed Emily Quinlan to put the ball back into danger. The ball was just taken off Yeldham’s toes by a Bowers defender with the ball running just out of reach of Fordham.
Who should be there to tap home at the back post, but Amy Day (probably getting more marathon training in) to give the hosts a deserved lead. A corner from Paci ten minutes before the break added more pressure on the Bowers goal. Fordham palmed away the initial delivery, allowing Paci to try again with Yeldham heading just wide. Bowers showed some signs of life just before the break with their first shot on goal and a corner, but both were well dealt with by Jess Balbi who was making her league debut in the Maldon goal.
Half time arrived with the Jammers in front, but given the near total domination of the ball and chances, they might’ve been disappointed not to be further ahead. Ellie Jones entered the fray as the second half got underway and she was straight into the action as she fired straight at Fordham.
Paci With A Pen!
With ten minutes played, Maldon had a chance to give themselves daylight. Another ball in from Wright was smashed goalwards by Quinlan only for it to hit the underside of the bar and bounce away. Jones got to the rebound, but her effort hit a Bowers player’s hand and the referee pointed to the spot.
Paci stepped up and blasted straight down the middle to put the home two goals up. Wright was causing all sorts of problems for the Bowers backline. She should’ve made it three just before the hour, but blazed over from close range.
Bowers gave themselves a lifeline a couple of minutes later when Indigo Lee fired home after Maldon couldn’t clear a cross from Poppy White. For the first time in the game, Maldon had defensive work to do, but they weathered a mini storm with great composure. The chances began to flow again for Maldon. Jones was unlucky to see a great chipped effort land just the wrong of the post. A quick Bowers break saw Francesca Byron shoot over the bar and Balbi was called upon to make a sharp diving save as they continued to look for an equaliser.
Jones restored Maldon’s two goal buffer with ten minutes as she bundled the ball home from close range following a brilliant delivery from Hindley. That sparked a flurry of goals as Maldon completely swept Bowers away. An incisive ball from AJ found Taylah Bland who hit a first shot under the arms of Fordham to make it 4-1 two minutes later. The goal owed a lot to the work of Evie Payne who nipped in to win the loose ball and drive forward before playing AJ in.
Double for Jones!
A fifth of the afternoon courtesy of Jones capped off a brilliant first home league outing. Another incredible long range pass from AJ- this time over the top- found Jones. Her shot took everyone by surprise as she laced home her second of the afternoon. A late shot from AJ that was comfortably saved by Fordham brought an end to another brilliant performance from Jody Buckley’s side as they made it 2 wins from their first 2 league games.
