Liverpool Women Win 2-0 Over Lewes FC As U23 Side Prioritized For Broadcast

Let’s get the good stuff out of the way first here. The Liverpool Women’s side continued their good run of form against Lewes FC, winning 2-0 at Prenton Park. Amber Whiteley has her side now unbeaten in six straight matches dating back to early February.

Now let’s move on to the frustration. This was a home game for Liverpool at Prenton Park. There was no communication from the club ahead of game day whether the game would be broadcast or not. I set an alarm and dragged my sorry butt out of bed to see if I would be able to watch. A quick check on youtube, and there was indeed a live stream...from Lewes FC’s official channel.

Still, at least it was being broadcast, right? Upon opening the stream, it was quickly apparent that the game would be largely unwatchable. It was being streamed using a phone or camera on a stand set way back under an overhang. You couldn’t see the play on the near side of the field, and anything on the far side of the field was just microscopic dots. The cameraman often forgot he was filming the game and forgot to rotate the camera to follow the action, and when he did, it gave a sense of vertigo with the jerky motions. The commentator could barely be heard over the sound of the wind whistling through the mic, or other ambient noises picked up, so it was very difficult to even hear what was happening.

But you know what? AT LEAST LEWES FC TRIED. They were the away team, but they managed to get into the ground, get set up, and stream the game. You want to know why Liverpool didn’t broadcast the game? Because LFCTV was busy showing the Men’s U23 game. Of course, we know that there are multiple crews, as LFCTV often shows U23 and U18 games on the same day from different locations, or is on hand for the senior team game while then broadcasting a youth game. And we also know that the game was being professionally taped by the FA to be broadcast tomorrow, so if either the FA or Liverpool cared enough, there would have been a way to at least broadcast the game with professional cameras, with or without commentary.

In the end, it’s just yet another disappointment in a long line of disappointments from a club that use their Women’s team as nothing other than a PR tool. At this point, it seems like more effort to actively ignore the women that to take what should be the lowest level of effort and investment for some easy wins.

With my rant out of the way, here are a few observations from what I could glean from the broadcast.

• Amber Whiteley continued to rotate her side. Rylee Foster started in goal, and Rachael Furness was finally fit enough to start again.
• Ceri Holland continued her great start to her Liverpool career. She forced an own goal off of a corner kick early in the game.
• Both teams had scrambles in the opponents box, but neither were able to convery.
• Liverpool’s second goal was off of a nice free kick routine. Ceri Hollan played it short to Ashley Hodson, who steamed down the left flank before delivering a pinpoint cross onto the head of Meikayla Moore.
• Lewes FC made it a scrappy game. Despite the 2-0 scoreline, it was a fairly even affair on the run of play.

With the win, Liverpool stay in the third spot in the table. They have yet another two week layoff before taking on Leicester City in the FA Women’s Cup fourth round. Liverpool have two league games left, going to Sheffield United before returning home to play London City.