Women's football news
Lewes Hit Five To Reach
Quarter Finals
Clinical finishing sees Rookettes past Pompey in League Cup
Lewes FC Women 5 Portsmouth
FC Ladies 1
FA WPL Cup, Sunday 14th January 2018
Attendance: 196
Lewes showed a ruthless streak to despatch Portsmouth and
march into the quarter-finals of the FA WPL Cup, writes Ash Head.
Goals from Katie McIntyre, Sarah Kempson, Vicky Carleton and
Georgia Bridges capped a dominant display at The Dripping Pan. Both sides
endured long away trips in the FA Cup last week, but it was Lewes, buoyed by
their tough 2-1 away win at Huddersfield, who made the brighter start.
With McIntyre, Kempson and Leeta Rutherford running
midfield, the visitors found themselves under increasing pressure in the early
stages, Dani Lane and Rebecca Carter causing the Pompey back line all sorts of
trouble. Portsmouth Captain Nadine Bazan, supported by Ellie Kirby and Eilidh
Curry, kept the hosts at arms length, ‘keeper Robyn Levett dealing comfortably
with a series of early long range efforts.
In the 19th minute Lewes broke through. Lane’s
cross was cleared to Kempson on the left. She cut inside and shot low across
the 6-yard box. Currie, rushing back, stuck out a leg, her deflection leaving Levett
stranded as the ball rolled home. 1-0.
Portsmouth boss Jay Sadler reacted, bringing on Daisy
McLachlan for Carla Perkins, but it was Lewes who seemed to find another gear,
Avilla Bergin and Carleton joining the play. Carlton it was ten minutes later
who found Kempson with a throw-in, wide left. She back-heeled the ball to Wells
whose smart cross was flicked on acrobatically by the leaping Carter, for
McIntyre to finish from 4 yards. 2-0.
Within a minute Lewes made it three. This time Kempson, well
found by Bergin on the right, left the crowd in no doubt as to the scorer,
smashing a low drive from 25 yards that beat Levett inside her near post. 3-0.
Portsmouth rallied in the final minutes of the half. Jacquie
Ann Goldsmid, making her Dripping Pan debut in goal, was forced to make a
brilliant double save from on the stroke of half-time as Tash Stephens and
McLachlan tried to force the ball home from close range. HT 3-0.
Bex Thompson Agbro started the second half in place of
another Dripping Pan debutant, Kylie McCarthy, who appeared to slot effortlessly
into defence.
Goldsmid was called into action early on, tipping over
spectacularly from Sammy Quayle’s sharp, twisting header from 8 yards. Portsmouth’s
bright start was rewarded with a sublime goal on 57 minutes. Katie James, far
more involved after the break, linked with McLachlan to play in a cross that
opened up the Lewes defence. Rachel Panting still had plenty of work to do,
side-stepping Tash Wells before hammering her left-foot finish past Goldsmid.
3-1.
Sixty seconds later the Pompey revival was over. From the
restart, Rutherford, purring in midfield all afternoon, sent a lofted pass in
for Carleton to chase. She looked for Carter to her right but Currie intercepted,
sending the ball back to Carleton who’s sweet left-foot volley flew into the
top left corner from 16 yards. 4-1.
Portsmouth were undoubtedly playing better than they had in the
first half , but Lewes were in their stride. Donoghue replaced Lane with Claire
Johnson. Carleton had a chance to double her tally when Levett’s poor clearance
found her in space. She opted to lob the keeper and was a whisker away, the
ball landing on the roof of the net.
Georgia Bridges replaced the excellent Carter on 73 minutes.
Bridges, clearly chomping at the bit, was straight into the action, released by
Carleton after good work from McIntyre and Kempson. She ran straight at the
retreating defenders before unleashing a thunderous effort that fizzed inches
over Levett’s crossbar.
With ten minutes to go Carleton, having a storming second
half, crossed for McIntyre, who hooked the ball over Levett only to see Kirby,
on the line, head clear. Bridges fired low from the right, Levett dropping on
the ball at her near post. Three minutes later Bridges had her goal and Lewes
their 5th.
Wells launched a long throw down the left. Bridges flicked
on, ran on to beat four defenders, including the on-rushing Bazan, to smash
home from the edge of the box. Bazan, brave in the challenge, needed treatment
and was replaced by Lauren Peck. FT 5-1.
Lewes manager John Donoghue praised his players for their
blistering start.
‘We showed a lot of energy, a lot of forward momentum. We’d
asked the players to start quickly and they did that. We tried to utilize the
big pitch, to move the ball into wide areas, to move the ball on a lot faster. To
tried to be more aggressive with our defending from the front, in terms of
getting to the ball right away.’
I asked Vicky Carleton about her goal celebration, where she
ran towards the Lewes bench, pointing at someone in particular.
‘I’d felt a bit lost in the first half and wanted to be
more involved. I was a lot more relaxed because Adam
(Wolecki) talked to me at half time, which helped a lot. I enjoyed the second
half a lot more. I was so happy to score and get the win!’
Lewes advance to the quarter finals of
the League Cup, ties to be confirmed this week, and into round 4 of the SSE
Women’s FA Cup (away to Keynsham on 4th February). Their next
competitive match will be the Sussex County FA Challenge Cup semi-final, hosted
by Brighton & Hove Albion Women’s Development Squad, on the Rookery 3G
(behind the Dripping Pan) on the evening of Tuesday 24th January,
kick off 8pm.
Attendance: 196
MvP: Victoria Carleton