Playing Fulham at their impressive Motspur Park facilities

Having scored an Impressive 2:1 away win at the ladies' first pre-season game - away at Norwich City, a strong Tier Four club, life became a little more difficult on Sunday as the new-look O's travelled to Motspur Park to take on Fulham. The Cottagers are also now a Tier Four team having just won promotion at the end of last season, they clearly are accustomed to winning.
As the first half settled into a pattern, it was not obvious who were the Tier Four and who were Tier Seven, both sides launched dangerous looking attacks and both were required to do some last-ditch defending to keep the scores even at 0:0. It needed some sharp incisive play to break the deadlock and it was the home side who provided it to take the lead after 15 minutes. The rest of the first half carried on competitively but it was Fulham whose attacks looked that bit more likely to make another break-through. However, it was an uncontested penalty which brought about the second goal and put the home side in a commanding position.
The first half continued for almost an hour so we guess there had been a pre-match agreement to play something like four x thirty minute sessions. As the match wore on, Orient's attacks carried less threat and Fulham looked to have the match under control. A number of substitutions were made in order to try new things and share out the "minutes". Although they looked unlikely to score, the E10 ladies also looked solid enough in defence and so the score remained 2:0 up to the final whistle.
In terms of individuals, we are aware that the club has officially released just nine names as being "signed up" but we recognised several other players but in order to not jump the gun on who will be in the squad (and who may not), we'll refer to everyone outside the nine as "triallist".
All in all, there were no shining star performances, everyone looked fit, athletic and with good ability. lofcwomen.com match correspondent Larry Peterson reported that, compared to last season, this Orient side is measurably better in all the important ways: fitness, agility, speed, awareness and ball control. That's good to hear, especially from Larry who has barely missed a game in two years. We are in touch with fans of other Greater London WFL sides (assuming that's where we'll be playing) and it appears to us that Hammersmith, South London, newly promoted Croydon and maybe Tooting Bec have also recruited well so we'll need to be better just to stand still at Tier Seven.

Here's an insight into the mental preparation as used by head coach Jason Stephens, it sounds pretty darn good to us!
The video short appears on the clubs instagram channel but here it is on Youtube for those of us who like to keep our online presence as simple as possible.
lofcwomen.com Youtube

The ninth officially signed up player for the new season arrived in the form of Georgia Griffin. Formerly of Tier three team Hashtag United (no surprise there!) Georgia was a regular fixture in 'Tag's' famous forward line so we reckon she and Sammy Rowland will know each other's game very well.
Jason Stephens recruited Georgia at Hashtag ahead of the 23/24 season. She came with experience from spells at Charlton Athletic and Gillingham, having served her youth career at Southend United. Jason has now brought her to Leyton Orient where we hope she can enjoy her football and be a part of bringing us the success we all want to see. Welcome Georgia!

Due to popular demand, here are the key entries from our Live-Text page which we broadcast live (as the name suggests) During Sunday's game at Fulham. Larry Peterson attended the game, as he does 99% of the women's matches, and sent in his observations as the game progressed. These were published a minute or two later for our followers to follow the game as it happened.

1. * 25' to go: Steph McCaffrey and Esme Lancaster are in addition to the Sammy Rowland we know about as having signed up.
2. * 10' to go: Nearly everyone is new, we'll do our best to ID those we can. It looks like Sammy Rowland, Lola Duroyaiye and Kallie Balfour are in the squad. We know most of the others but we are obliged to refer to them as 'trialist' until they are signed up.
3. 05' to go: The sprinklers are on. You don't see that at Tier 7 games!
5. * 01' We're under way here at Motspur Park, O's playing in last year's red kit.
6. * 05' Early exchanges are even, both sides have made strong attacks.
7. * 14' Our Trialist No.14 got through one-on-one but was ruled offside.
8. * 15' Fulham go 1:0 up. A well constructed attack and strike.
9. * 16' An O's corner results in a looping shot but it's straight at the keeper.
10. * 16' Just spotted Kallie Balfour, she's on the bench.
11. * 24' We have a corner. Fulham clear.
12. * 28' Fulham get a shot away but Lola is equal to it.
13. * 30' Our Trialist No 11 has a shot but the home keeper catches it.
14. * 30' The game is on hold, maybe a break at half-hour?
15. * 31' Kallie Balfour and Steph McCaffrey join from the bench.
16. * 25' Larry reports: "There's not a massive gulf in class between these 2 teams".
17. * 36' Trialist No.8 tries a lob but it just clears the bar.
18. * 38' Triallist No.18 puts in another of a series of great tackles.
19. * 41' Fulham make a strong attack and win a corner.
20. * 42' Fulham hit the side netting.
21. * 45' Fulham slightly on top at the moment, Lola makes a good save to keep them out.
22. * 46' Steph McCaffrey is thwarted at the last moment, wins a corner.
23. * 48' Penalty to Fulham, 2:0. No argument.
24. * 49' Fulham get a good chance but fluff it.
25. * 50' Kallie Balfour gets a strong shot away but it goes over.
26. * 55' Steph and Trialist No.8 go close - but not quite there.
27. * 56' We hit the post, so close! but we have a corner.
28. * 57' Fulham get the ball in the net but it's rules offside. Then they hit the post. It's all action.
29. * 61' Trialist No.11 goes close again, very close. We have a corner.
30. * 65' Steph had a good chance but spurned it, we almost score from the resulting corner.
31. * 75' Fulham have established themselves as being mostly in control now, Orient look competitive against this Tier 4 side but are second best in the later period of the game..
32. * 76' We get a shot away but, like so many others, it doesn't trouble the keeper.
33. * 78' We're still looking for a goal, one shot went wide, another attempt wins a corner.
34. * 81' The corner results in a goalmouth scramble, we win another corner which comes to nothing.
35. * 84' Fulham pressing hard, they win a corner.
36. * 85' Os get another shot away but there's no power behind it.
37. * 86' Lola makes a good catch in the O's goal.
38. * 88' The game is crying out for a young, fast goal scorer, The loss of Chloe Kabo and the absence of Sion Kamiende is telling.
39. * 93' Lola makes a regulation save, our Trialist No.11 gets into an attacking position but puts her shot wide.
40. * 95' A Fulham shot clears the bar.
41. * FULL TIME. Fulham 2:0 Leyton Orient

Hot on the heels of Sunday's pre-season game at Tier Four Fulham, Orient's women take on Dulwich Hamlet at their Champion Hill ground with a 7:45pm kick off on Wednesday evening 23rd July. Maybe not the biggest name in football nationally but Dulwich Hamlet Women compete in the FA Women’s National League Division One South East. It’s part of the third tier of women’s football in England, sitting just below the FA Women’s Championship and Super League. Let it never be said that we are dodging the big hitters. If memory serves, this is the first time we have played a team from Tier Three.
One of the few teams with a female head coach, Maria Tavare is reported to have constructed something of a "new look" side, it seems most clubs are doing the same this year. This is a professionally run club so fans need to buy a ticket to access their ground, "Pre-season" tickets can be purchased for £5.50 HERE .
The stadium address is: Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London. SE22 8BD.
The nearest rail station is East Dulwich, about 5 minutes walk away, trains go there from London Bridge terminus, a 12 minute journey time.
At the time of posting this, Our intrepid correspondent, Larry Peterson will be at the match and will be reporting in via live-texting so we are looking to provide our usual live text broadcast right here on lofcwomen.com - we will place a link on our home page if you want follow along with us. Check in just before kick-off to get the latest live news from the game: No ads, no cookies, no sign-up needed.

If you have an interest in and views about the women's team then please let us hear your thoughts and suggestions. You can contact us (anonymously if you prefer) via our contact form on our home page or just simply email us at lofcwomen@yahoo.com
We look forward to hearing from you.

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