Match Report - Essex Women’s Walking Football League - 21 March 2026
On Saturday 21st March, Leyton Orient Walking FC Women travelled to a new location -
Great Baddow High School - for the first league tournament of the season. At least the sun
was shining and it was dry so spirits were good.

With only one real striker up front as Handley is out injured, the squad for the day was:
Chris Williams (GK), Sam Baker (Captain), Sally Jones, Sarah Grint, Alison Kay, Ann
Matthews, Clare Kavanagh, Andree Selner (Vice-Captain), Clare Nwofor, and in reserve
Debbie Lewzey (Manager).

The games were fifteen minutes straight through and as the home team for three out of the
five matches, this meant Orient were facing the sun for most of the time when it was at its
brightest.

In Game one, Orient faced Beacon HIll who finished below us last season. It was a game
we knew we could win, but we are also often slow to find our pace in our first game. Today
with the sun shining, the team settled more quickly and several shots were fired from
Kavanagh and Baker which were either saved or wide of target. When Baker was not
shooting she was nicely laying the ball off for others including Nwofor who had three shots
one of which forced a brilliant save from the Beacon Hill keeper. Unfortunately Jones, who
was here, there and everywhere, was also deemed to be moving too fast for the referee’s
liking; and the culmination of “not walking as you would round Tescos” offences led to a
penalty against us. WIlliams in goal made herself as large as possible for the oncoming
strike and this paid off with her comfortably saving the shot. By this time Kavanagh decided enough is enough and took the ball to the other end and scored.
Result: 1-0 Orient (Kavanagh).

The second game was against Harlow Town Pirates Reds. Orient had started well as
planned, with an immediate shot from Grint that was saved and parried away for a corner. A second, third and fourth shot from Grint were also saved but I think our pressing and attack
unnerved Harlow who didn't seem as strong as in the previous season (although we also
held them to a draw in the cup in open play). It wasn't all Orient's way and Harlow hit the
woodwork and had a few shots that were saved. But the tournament's top goal scorer of the day - who plays for Cheshunt in the Herts league but has now signed for Harlow too - was
unable to put any past Orient, due to excellent defending/blocking from Selner and Jones,
with Williams saving any that were on target. Baker nearly stole the result with an excellent
chip over the keeper but her tiny feet were just on the white line of the keeper’s area so it
was ruled out. Result: 0-0

Next up, Orient played Valley Green Diamonds. Orient commanded this game with good
team play, some lovely passing and good lay-offs from Baker, and some great defending.
Eventually one of the shots from Kavanagh found the back of the net. Orient were still
moving too fast and after four non-walking offences, Williams faced her second penalty shot of the day. Using a similar technique to her penalty save in game one paid off, and Orient
kept the lead.
Result: 1-0 Orient (Kavanagh)
Game four didn't go Orient's way. We faced Billericay Town Blues - their strongest of the
three teams they have in the two leagues (Premier/Championship) - who finished second
last season. Whilst there were shots on goal from Baker and Nwofor, none of them troubled their keeper too much. Kavanagh was being pulled too far back to help in defence as BTB
players were fast, and appeared to be tiring in the heat. Unfortunately, following tactical
substitutions to try to shore up the defence, and rest players for the final game, Billericay
pounced on the ball before our changes had settled and scored. Seeing that Orient were
still unsettled they took advantage again and scored their second.
Result: 2-0 Billericay.

The final game of the day was against Hawkwell Athletic who had been promoted from the
Championship with 60 points, having won 18 out of 25 games last season. We knew this
would be a strong team and despite losing our previous game, team spirit was still high.
Both teams played well. Baker laid the ball off for Selner and Nwofor but both shots went
wide. However, it was the excellent passing from Orient through several of the team that led to Kavanagh’s goal. Orient could have secured the win when a penalty was awarded against Hawkwell for four running offences. Unfortunately and unlike Baker her shot was too high.
Play almost stopped, for Orient players at least, when a high over-head ball from Hawkwell
was judged to be ok by the ref and Hawkwell continued with their counter-attack that left
Orient short in defence and able to score in the closing minute of the game.
Result: 1-1 (Kavanagh).

Orient gained eight points from the day’s games in a positive start, which meant we currently sit in our favourite 3rd position in the premiership but there are only three points difference between the top three teams.

Goalscorers: Kavanagh 3