National League Cup round-up…
Hashtag Utd started their defence of the trophy with a 2-0 victory away to Chatham Town. The home side have started the season well in Division One South East but goals from Holly Turner and Georgia Griffin saw the Tags safely through to the Cup once again for this season.
Worcester City’s first ever match in the competition saw them register a surprise when they defeated Southern Premier Division opponents Cheltenham Town 1-0 at the Sixways Stadium, courtesy of a goal from Olivia Mitcham. Queen’s Park Rangers meanwhile triumphed 1-0 over AFC Wimbledon from the level above, Courtney Ward-Chambers scoring the only goal of the game with six minutes of extra time left to play.
Sutton Coldfield Town also claimed a higher division scalp with a 2-1 success at Sporting Khalsa. After a goalless first half, Chloe Finn and Phoebe Hopwood scored the goals to take Sutton through, with Niamh Deasy replying. Leeds Utd meanwhile won 2-0 away to Halifax FC Women, strikes in the last ten minutes from Sarah Danby and Drew Greene taking Leeds through at the expense of their Northern Premier Division opponents. Second half goals from Laura Mitchell, Hannah Warren and Chiara Meola meanwhile took Real Bedford through with a 3-0 victory over Milton Keynes Dons.
Stoke City produced a fine result with a 3-1 victory away to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Millie Ravening netted twice for Stoke and Delphi Cole was also on the scoresheet, with Charlotte Greengrass replying.
The cup opened up on Tuesday night with Billericay Town making an awkward trip to AFC Sudbury but running out 4-1 winners. Maddie Biggs led the scoring with a hat-trick and Iesha Swaby added the other, with Sudbury’s consolation coming from Jessica Allen. Shakala Brookes was another hat-trick scorer as Hull City netted six times without reply past Lincoln City, also on target were Rachael Ackroyd, Hope Knight and Helen Lynskey. Mia Richards, Jade Bell and Amber Pearson were the markswomen for Northampton Town in their 3-2 victory over Cambridge Utd, for whom Isabella Simmons netted both.
York City meanwhile got the better of Norton & Stockton Ancients, 6-5 in a high scoring thriller. Katie Astle hit a hat-trick for York along with Faye Singleton (2) and Ocean Rolandsen, whilst the visitors replied through a Bianca Owens treble, Sophie Curle and Louise Atkinson.
The Barnsley derby match narrowly went the way of Barnsley FC who beat Barnsley Women 1-0 at Oakwell Stadium, courtesy of a goal nineteen minutes from time by Charley Evans. Cheadle Town Stingers’ first ever match in the competition resulted in a 2-1 win away to Chorley, Jessica Gillin and Imogen Porteous-Williams were on target with Nicola Worthington replying, and Moneyfields edged out AFC Bournemouth in a seven-goal thriller.
Ipswich Town emerged as 4-0 winners over Norwich City in front of a crowd of 4,751 at Carrow Road. All of the goals came in the final quarter of the game, Summer Hughes opening the scoring before the Tractor Girls went on to add further strikes through Natasha Thomas, Angela Addison and Sophie Peskett. Nottingham Forest meanwhile defeated Notts County 6-0, Bridget Galloway was on target twice along with Natalie Johnson, Charlie Wellings, Melissa Johnson and Freya Thomas.
Oxford Utd recorded the highest victory of the round, a ten-goal blast against Abingdon Utd. Zoe Barratt led the scoring with a hat-trick, Ellie-Mae Richardson and Phoebie Poole each hit doubles and there was one each from Isabelle Cook, Lucy Trinder and Leah Burridge. Phoebe Baker and Ishbel Zuurmond each netted twice along with Jade Grove, Mollie Taylor, Matilda Franchi and Sophie Gillies as Exeter City beat Portishead Town 8-1, Emily Nicholson replying. Burnley FC Women netted seven times without reply past Fylde Women, courtesy of a Laura Elford hat-trick, Isabella Reidford, Aimee Kelly, Charley Docherty and Rhema Lord-Mears.
Three ties in total went to extra time, including Derby County surviving a scare against Loughborough Lightning before emerging as 2-1 victors. Loughborough led for most of the game through an early strike Zynia Delglyn but an equaliser deep into injury time from Camille Jenkins took the game into the extra period, where Charlotte Steggles settled matters in favour of the Ewes. Lewes meanwhile benefitted from an Olivia Carpenter goal in the final minute of extra time to give them a 2-1 win over Worthing in their Sussex derby tie, after Layla Proctor’s early strike for the Rookettes had been cancelled out by Samantha Quayle.
A goal in each half took Gwalia Utd through with a 2-0 victory at the expense of Bristol Rovers, Cerys Jones putting them in front with a long range strike early on and Issy Newns wrapped up the win when she bundled home the second from close range. Liverpool Feds were pushed all the way by Stockport County before emerging as 3-2 winners, Rosie Kinvig netting twice and Aleesha Collins were on target for the Feds whilst County’s replies came from Kenzie Bentley and Jessica Brady. Plymouth Argyle saw off the challenge of Bridgwater Utd by beating them 4-2, Ellie Sara netting twice for Argyle against her former club along with Panagiota Papaioannou and Georgia Wilson, Beth Everson and Faith Bedford replying.
Millie Bell and Ellen Turnbull each bagged doubles for Middlesbrough in their 4-1 success against Durham Cestria, whose consolation was scored by Erin Brown. Swindon Town and Keynsham Town met for the second time this season, Annabelle Colston and Gipsy Viveash putting Swindon two ahead before Naomi Clipston reduced the arrears from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time. Keynsham struck the woodwork twice in their attempts for an equaliser but Swindon held out and made the game safe late on through a Libby Davies penalty. Huddersfield Town ran out 4-1 winners over Doncaster Rovers Belles, thanks to Rebecca Beresford, Leah Embley and Eleanor Lambert along with an own goal, after Jessica Tugby-Andrew had put the Belles ahead.
Stourbridge came through a difficult tie away to Boldmere St Michaels with a 2-1 victory whilst Mai Moncaster, Lucy Wood and Karesha Iton each netted twice and Lily Greenslade added the other as Rugby Borough scored seven times without reply at Leafield Athletic.
Aaliyah Charles and Hayley Hoare accounted for the goals for London Bees in their 2-1 success against Actonians Ladies, whose response came from Megan Page, whilst London Seaward and Dulwich Hamlet met for the second time in a matter of days, this time the Peppers running out 4-0 winners thanks to an Ede Buchele hat-trick and Phoebe Leitch. Maidenhead Utd meanwhile progressed after beating Ashford Town (Middlesex) 4-2 whilst a Kier Perkins double, along with an own goal, saw Peterborough Utd to a 3-0 win against Lincoln Utd.
