Women's football news
Written by: Charlie
Bristol City 3-1 Lewes
Continental League Cup
On a chilly Wednesday evening, a much-changed Lewes side lost out to Bristol City who top the Conti Cup Group. Manager Craig Gill had rested seven of the players from Sunday’s 4-1 League win over Coventry United and given debuts to some Development Squad players.
In the first half the Rooks didn’t have much possession but dug in well. Bristol swung in numerous crosses which Shanell Salgado mopped up easily enough. With a lot of pressure coming in off the wings, there were fantastic tackles and blocks by each and every Rook. If it wasn’t Cleverly it was Dalton, if it wasn’t Dalton it was O’Rourke, if it wasn’t O’Rourke it was Miller or Noble. Each Rook stepped up and put their bodies on the line for the cause.
There were few chances for the Lewes in the first half with an early shout for a penalty waved away. Georgia Timms was played through and bundled to the ground but the referee waved away the calls to point to the penalty spot. Later, a dangerous ball whipped in from a freekick on the right was cleared without a Rooks head getting to it.
Eventually the pressure from Bristol told and they took the lead on the 35th minute through Aggie Beever-Jones. Miller was closed down by Davies and the ball passed to Abi Harrison who fed in Beever-Jones. She found the bottom corner with her shot and Bristol City went in front. It was 2-0 not that long after when a cross from Melisa Johnson from the right took the slightest of touches from Harrison’s toe and took the ball just out the grasp of Salgado in the 39th minute and that was how it stayed until half time.
Immediately after the second half restart, disaster struck when Johnson was played in behind the Lewes defence and slotted in a near post finish for 3-0. Heads never dropped from any of the Rooks and their hard resolve was soon rewarded when Lucy Ashworth-Clifford – on at half time for Lottie Sharp – bursts into the middle of the park before spreading a lovely pass to Heidi Logan on the left. She controlled the ball, cut in onto her right and slammed her shot into the bottom left corner just out the despairing fingertips of Sophie Whitehouse in the Bristol goal. 3-1.
From there the Rooks fought for every ball, stopping Bristol from asserting any dominance on the game and made many more chances for themselves. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to get back into the game and Bristol ran out winners 3-1 in the end.
Lewes will be back to full strength for the FA Women’s Championship fixture, away at Sheffield United on Sunday.
A special mention to Izzy Collins, Lottie Sharp, Ava Hutson & Kitty Chalkley who, as part of our Development Squad, joined the first team players for the Conti Cup fixture!
Come On You Rooks!
Line Up:
Salgado, Cleverly (c), Dalton, O’Rourke, Collins, Miller, Logan, Sharp, Noble, Ayisi, Timms
Subs: Ashworth-Clifford (46’), Umotong (70’), Chalkley (77’)
Sunbs not Used: Hartley, Hutson