Bishops Stortford Ladies are new entrants to the Women’s FA Cup this season which sees an increased prize fund for all rounds this year, still a pale drop in the ocean but progress nevertheless £450 for the winning side and of course the ultimate prize is a final at Wembley Stadium. Compete in Beds & Herts Women’s Division One having been promoted rapidly through the 3 divisions since the current set-up was formed 5 years ago. Finished 4th in the league last season. Have a strong youth set-up with teams from U12 through to U18 competing several of their starting line-up tonight having been with the club all the way through the youth sides.

  An exciting opportunity for the ladies side to play at the men’s ProKit (UK) Stadium, Bishops Stortford Community FC compete in the Conference South. The season has barely started in the Beds & Herts Women’s League and Bishops Stortford Ladies didn’t play in the opening round of fixtures tonight’s Women’s FA Cup tie being their 1st competitive game of the season. 

  Bungay Town Ladies are the visitors today this their 3rd year in the Women’s FA Cup after a 2 season absence are looking for advance in the competition for the 1st time. Competing in Norfolk Women’s Division One an established side in the league played their 1st league game of the season last weekend. With strong support form the men’s club that run a number of youth teams for both boys and girls. 

  From a personal point of view running Women’s Football East, I’m always intrigued to see how the various leagues across the region match up and the Women’s FA Cup provides a great opportunity to see sides comes together in competition. The FA Cup whether it’s the men’s or women’s game captures the imagination players and fans alike.

  Bishops Stortford Community FC’s ProKit (UK) Stadium is just off the M11 behind the Birchanger Motorway Services a regular stop off for myself on the way home from London after a women’s football game to write up a match report. The stadium is at the end of an industrial estate on the way into Bishops Stortford itself. A large carpark the stadium boasts great facilities a large bar and clubhouse, refreshment booths for hot food and drink a good sized main stand overlooking the dugouts. a smaller seated stand far side. A quality playing surface nice and flat, plenty of grass cover both sides looking forwards to playing on it. Well summer has come to an end had to happen sometime had a long run the heavy rain on Friday bringing in an autumn feel to the evening cool with a misty drizzle blowing across the pitch as the two sides walked out of the tunnel. 

  Bishops Stortford Ladies starting XI – Sophie Parslow, Sophie Cook, Louise Crocker, Natasha Atkinson, Chloe Haken (C), Megan Kenny, Jess Croney, Yasmin Smith, Samantha Tant, Brogan McHale & Kathryn Stanley.
  subs – Jess Mace, Andreia Messias, Lauren Maynard, Natasha Coppin & Ashley Johnston

  Bungay Town Ladies starting XI – Ruth Smart, Kelly Collins (C), Lois Nethersell-Webb, Charlotte Power, Annie Piper, Ella Hindley, Inna Marx, Rebecca Carver, Lauren Purling, Emily Leach & Lacey Andrews.
  subs – Emily Coe, Sian Carter, Megan Vincent, Nicola Hazel & Jordan Duke.

  Two sides who are used to playing roll on roll of substitutes in their respective county leagues the rules change in the Women’s FA Cup, 5 substitutes can be named on the bench of which only 3 can be used. Bishops Stortford to get this 2nd Round Qualifying tie underway taking kick-off 1st half wearing blue and white vertical striped shirts, blue shorts and socks with Bungay lined up opposite wearing sky blue shirts, black shorts and socks. 

*Team captains Kelly Collins & Chloe Haken with tonight’s officials

    An early ball from midfielder Megan Kenny for Bishops Stortford out to Yasmin Smith attacking down the left wing looks to knock the ball on down the line, Bungay captain, Kelly Collins at right back gets across her to make the tackle put the ball out for a throw. Winning the ball back in their own half Bungay play the ball long up to striker Lacey Andrews on half way spins away to the right same result as Lauren Crocker puts the tackle in conceding the throw, taken quickly Bungay’s Lauren Purling takes the ball down the the wing before whipping a high cross into the Bishops Stortford six yard box, goalkeeper Sophie Parslow palms the ball down cleanly the sets up a quick counter kicking the ball long out of her area helped in in the middle striker Brogan McHale latches onto the ball driving forwards shoots early from outside the box, Bungay goalkeeper, Ruth Smart gathers the shot.

  A spell of possession on the right inside the Bungay half for Bishops Stortford brings them the 1st corner of the match. The ball is lifted high in towards the near post, helped on falls to captain Sophie Haken waiting far post looks to hit the ball back across the goal face, her shot blocked the rebound runs to Crocker top of the area she shoots same result, Bungay block. Samantha Tant receives the ball on the right wing drives towards the top of the area before spinning wide again to avoid a tackle down the line wins a corner. A strong punch from Smart this time coming through bodies at the near post to clear for Bungay.

   Bishops Stortford doing well early on, have a free kick on half way, Smith over the ball sends it up towards the Bungay box, Inna Marx heads the ball away for Bungay, Smith with another opportunity to swing the ball into the area comes in high, McHale tries to bring it under control, before she can is closed down by the visitors defence. Breaking up the left side Rebecca Carver sends the ball on down the wig for Andrews strong running to get into the area with the ball slips on the slick surface as she goes to shoot.

  The game is starting to even out a little more, Bungay finding room for their midfielders, Marx and Ella Hindley to get on the ball spread the play with Andrews moving all the way across the back line, Marx sending her away on the left, Natasha Atkinson gets back to pressure her run, Purling coming across to the near post to support the corner is conceded. Bungay have two opportunities to play the ball into the area from the corner the 1st cleared for a 2nd corner, this one drops amongst the bodies congregating near post the ball is turned wide of the post, a goal kick is awarded.

 GOAL! The visitors take the lead on the 20th minute. Purling running with the ball down the right wing plays the ball into Andrews inside the box right of goal brings the ball down, quickly closed down to way to turn and release a shot instead plays the ball across the area with Carver free just outside the area, hits a low strike with pace towards goal zipping along the wet surface, Parslow sees it late her dive in vain as the ball rolls in at the near post 0-1.

*Rebecca Carver with the opening goal for Bungay Town Ladies

  Corner for Bishops Stortford soon after the restart the ball is played up towards the face of the box too high for Crocker, Atkinson beyond her can’t control, but manages to help it on for Haken stretching for the ball sends a high ball wide across the face of goal. End to end no sooner has Purling reaching the byline on the right for Bungay put her cross behind goal then then the home side break, Kathryn Stanley getting hold of the ball and passing it out to the left with Smith looking to get in behind, Bungay’s Charlotte Power getting across to play the ball out for the throw. 

  Power in the middle at centre back is on hand twice in quick succession as Stanley coming a little deeper to receive the ball tries to put McHale in through the middle, Power intercepting on both occasions. It’s Power’s centre back partner, Annie Piper who gets across to deal with Stanley then as she picks up the ball from Jess Croney and turning drives into the box on the left. Bungay pushing towards the Bishops Stortford box lose the ball Atkinson clearing it along way up field, Smith after it gets away down the left into the box hits the ball hard across the six yard box, her cross/shot going wide McHale racing in far post unable to turn it home. McHale with a shot from 25 yards out in a central position the ball played through the middle from a goal kick, turns and unleashes the shot the ball screws away from goal. 

*Bungay Town Ladies, Charlotte Power

  Marx over a free kick wide on the right for Bungay plays it up towards the box headed clear, Hindley wins it back passes to Purling on the right sends her cross high into the area far post Andrews hooks it back into the middle, Emily leach back to goal looks to bring the ball down, Sophie Cook closes her down, tackling to send the ball clear of the box. Croney plays the ball up to Stanley putting her clear on the left, charging towards the box checks her run coming inside to shoot, looks to curl the ball into the top corner, not enough height on the ball is taken cleanly by Smart.

  Both sides using the full width of the pitch enjoying to slick surface the ball moving from one end to the other, McHale has been back helping her defence, breaks forwards now a burst of pace seeing her get ahead of the Bungay defence lets fly from outside the box the ball runs wide of goal. Bungay get up the other end see a goal chalked off for offside, Lois Nethersell-Webb playing it on up the left for Carver the ball whipped in across the six yard box is turned in won’t count. 

  Marx is over another Bungay free kick inside the Bishops Stortford half plays the ball in from the right, cleared from the area, Hindley rolls it back to Marx tries again plays the ball towards the far post area, Leach is their headers the ball but can’t direct it on target. Bishops Stortford attack down the right as the 1st half draws to a close , McHale and Tant link up the latter tries to play Stanley through into the box, Power cuts out the pass her clearance going to Cook, sends a diagonal ball into the area with Smith looking to get in behind everyone, Smart is able to claim it before she can reach it.

Half-time Bishops Stortford Ladies 0-1 Bungay Town Ladies

  A narrow advantage to Bungay at the break, has been a fast paced 1st half both sides working the ball up the wings using the whole pitch with neither overly testing the opponents goal. A lot of energy has been put in the 1st 45 minutes. One goal in it still all to play for 2nd half. No chances at the start of the 2nd half Bungay to kick-off.

 Early opportunity for Andrews to have a strike on goal, the ball played into her in a central position from the right, given time to turn hits the strike from 30 yards out runs wide across the area. Parslow reacts sharply inside her box with Bungay pressing on the right Purling lifts the ball up into the area, Andrews after it the keeper drops to smother the ball right side of her. Bungay win a corner on the right, goes long to Andrews drives the ball in towards goal is cleared back out to Marx puts the ball back in to the near post comes to Leach catches her a little flat footed prods the ball wide.

*Lacey Andrews attacking for Bungay Town Ladies

   Bungay applying alot of pressure at the start of the 2nd half are camped in the Bishops Stortford half on the right have a throw the ball with Marx passes to Andrews outside the area to the right of goal, unleashes a shot blasts the ball wide. Purling takes the ball down the right, cutting it back inside, Andrews that side inside the box misses her kick the ball runs on through to Carver left of the D outside the box this time her shot fizzed in low is the wrong side of the post. 

  Carver receiving the ball from Nethersell-Webb carries it down the left before squaring across the top of the area looking to pick out Andrews, the Bishops Stortford defence cut it out the clearance rolls straight into Leach 25 yards out central shifts the ball then shoots the ball going a foot over the crossbar. A chance to relief the pressure for Bishops Stortford as they have a free kick on half-way, Croney to put the ball up towards the area, Piper heads clear, the ball is sent on up to Andrews through the middle goes on her own lets fly from 25 yards out the shot racing wide past the right post.

  Andrews is proving a real handful for the Bishops Stortford defence to deal with moving all over the place to receive the ball, tries to take the ball on down the left, Atkinson gets across tackles well to regain the ball then is fouled by Andrews as she goes to clear it. Hesitation at the back presents a chance for McHale as she robs Marx of the ball attempting a shot pass to Nethersell-Webb getting in behind the defense into the box right flashes her shot wide across the six yard box. 

  Picking up the ball in the middle, Stanley with a clever twist, looks to have gotten away from Power at the back charging towards the box through the middle, Smart comes to close her down, Power recovers well to lunge in and push the ball way from the striker with her right boot playing it behind for corner. From the right 2 corners are put behind by Bungay at the near post the 3rd one going long runs to McHale top of the area, the ball is taken off her toe just as she goes to hit the shot.

  Tant gives Stanley the ball on the left inside the Bungay half, the Bishops Stortford attacker taking on the Bungay defence drives inside in towards the D runs it on to McHale as she is closed down, under challenge McHale squeezes a shot away the ball is blocked the rebound back with McHale, lifts the ball up across the area towards Tant at the far post six yards out headers the ball over the bar. Bishops Stortford make their 1st change Ashley Johnston coming on for Cook.

  GOAL! Bungay hit Bishops Stortford on the counter attack the ball played long towards Andrews moving into the box from the right, Parslow comes rushing out towards the attacker, Andrews goes wide then sends her shot in low across the advancing keeper and into the back of the net 0-2.

 

Lacey Andrews

 

 

  Andrews with another opportunity to attack a forwards pass as Marx and Carver link up the ball up the left Andrews closed down as she reaches the top of the area gets a shot away with the outside of her boot gets the shot on target, Parslow palms it down and gathers in the centre of her goal. Marx tackles to win the ball in the middle stabs it forwards into Leach holds it up well central to goal, turns and squeezes a shot away, Parslow throws herself to her left, the ball runs narrowly wide. 

  Crocker gets forwards from the back for Bishops Stortford plays the ball long into the box left side with Tant making the run hits her on the back, dropping down into the area, Tant goes after it inside, her shot charged down as Nethersell-Webb comes across quickly to block. Natasha Coppin comes on for Bishops Stortford replacing Kenny. The substitute given the ball wide left in attack whips a cross in towards the near post, Stanley can’t bring it down under control before Piper tackles to win possession back for Bungay. Not long after piper indicates she needs to be subbed, Bungay send on Sian Carter. 

Kathryn Stanley

 GOAL! Into the last 10 minutes and Bishops Stortford set up a tense finish to this Women’s FA Cup tie as they pull a goal back. Croney with the ball in the middle passes to Stanley ahead of her has the legs to beat Nethersell-Webb racing towards the edge of the area shots sending the ball up and over the keeper into the back of the net 1-2.


  The goal has lifted Bishops Stortford they press on the left, force Bungay back the visitors pull everyone back to defend their advantage with less than 5 minutes left.

 GOAL! The visitors relieve the pressure get the ball out into the centre then send it long into the left for Andrews to chase, Haken goes with her tries to marshal the ball out for the goal kick, Andrews gets round her getting her toe on the ball back up the line fires the ball in towards the top of the area, Leach is there picks up the ball strong as she drives into the area, 3 defenders ahead of her blasts a shot in deflects to the left rolling favourably for Andrews coming inside, opens up her body to curl the ball in towards goal looping over the keeper and in 1-3.

 Not much time left in the game Bishops Stortford press forwards win a corner on the right, played long to Crocker outside the box can’t keep her long range shot down. Andrews after a hat-trick spins and hits a shot central 20 yards out, Crocker blocks it at the back the ball spinning away for the corner. Played in high at the near post Leach rises her glancing header sends the ball on, Johnston gets her head on it behind plays the ball to her goalkeeper. No more time left the referee blows the final whistle and Bungay Town Ladies celebrate the win.