The Island Games IW ladies’ football team with manager Trevor Thorne, back row far left and kit sponsor Dave Jackson, of RVS, back row, far right.
ISLAND GAMES LADIES' FOOTBALLTHE ever-improving IW ladies’ football team are hoping their form in the Island Games continues well enough to put them on the medal podium.
Over the last four games, the side has steadily improved, from seventh in the Isle of Man Games to fifth in Rhodes two years ago.
But fitness will be the biggest enemy as the tight schedule means they will be playing three group games in three days, with the possibility of playing six games over seven days if they reach the knock out stages.
The team is comprised almost entirely of players from the Shanklin Ladies FC side which won the Hampshire Women’s Intermediate Cup final two months ago.
There are some exceptions, goalkeeper Nicky Beck selected from Portsmouth Ladies, Tash Miller selected from Bath, Lauren Crews selected from Brighton and Hove Albion, while Maggie Murphy is a former Oxford University player.
There are also three reserve players on top of the 20-girl squad who could be called into action — Tally Deacon, Toni White and 16 year old Georgia Dye, who will already be competing in Aland with the badminton squad.
However the team will miss the services of Gemma Woodford and Ciara Allen, who are both awaiting operation on cruciate knee ligament injuries.
The team is travelling with manager Trevor Thorne, assistant manager, Carl Russell, and coaches and first aid Richie Cullen and Richie Mumford, and has been working hard to improve their fitness, with extra coaching from Fred Woodford and Les Means, from Newport FC.
To pay for the trip, the team has have raised the majority of the money themselves through fundraising, car washing, bag packing and Bernie Cullen coming out of retirement with a Five Alive performance, which raised just under £3,000.
Several organisations have also stepped into help, including RVS, EPOS Systems, West Wight, Sandown and St Boniface Masonic Lodges, Kevin Foss, of Cheap Skips, George Jenkins, of George Jenkins Transport, Roger Williams Associates, Vectis Insurance, IW Sunday and Saturday League, Hillbans Vectis and Hillbans Pest Control.
In order to qualify for the knock-out stages, the IW must overcome challenges from the Western Isles, the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Hitra.
"We have a lot of games in a short space of time which will be tough but we are no different to the other games. I would say our toughest game will be the first one, against the Isle of Man, who came fourth in Rhodes. However we know nothing of Hitra, so that could be difficult too.
"I think we stand a good chance of making it to the knock-out stage but it is easier said than done. Anyone could go through, football is like that."
The Island Games squad is: Nicky Beck, Kelly Thorn, Sarah Wright, Sammie Hayles, Louise Wren, Maggie Murphy, Emma Webb, Kim Masterton, Susan Cullen, Danielle Merryfield, Natalie Romain, Sofie Jackson, Tash Miller, Jess St John, Lauren Crews, Leanne Gibbins, Katey Ednay, Nicky Briggs and Tiffany Moul. Reserves: Georgia Dye, Tally Deacon, Toni White.