The Round-Up
Sunday 3rd September
FA Women’s Cup
This Sunday saw the start of this season’s FA Women’s Cup with 31 sides in the East entering the competition in 1st Round Qualifying. Regionalised at this stage of the competition to limit travelling for clubs still a few lengthy journeys made at the weekend across 18 ties plenty of goals scored too winning clubs earning £350 along with advancing to the next round with the draw having already been made, will bring you that at the end of The Round-Up.
It was the FA Women’s Cup where the match report for Women’s Football East came from this weekend a trip on Sunday to The Rigdeons Stadium in Newmarket to watch Cambridgeshire Women’s Premiership side, Newmarket Town Ladies take on higher league opponents, Histon Ladies playing this season in the ERWFL Division One North. A bright start from Newmarket advancing an early cross seeing Abbie Marshall’s strike from the top of the box smash against the crossbar. Histon finding room in behind created opportunities of their own winger Abigail Davies coming closest with a strike against the post. Just 2 minutes left in the 1st half and it was the visitors who took the lead a free-kick wide right sent in far post Charlotte Westrope on hand to head the ball into the back of the net. Into 1st half stoppage time Newmarket got themselves back on level terms the ball helped onto Abbi Griffin moving into the area from the right rifling a shot into the top corner. All square at the break.
Histon came out strong 2nd half putting Newmarket on the back foot however it was the home side who went onto take a 2-1 lead winning a corner on the right the ball swung in headed home by captain Beth Woodfield. 2-1 became 3-1 after Histon goalkeeper Keeley Robinson was adjudged to have carried the ball out of her area taking a kick the 2nd time she had done so in the game the 1st time Jordanne Sillitoe had sent her shot wide. This time Jess Linger on the ball drilled it low into the bottom corner to score. Histon weren’t out of it Davies with a run on the right sent her cross shot from outside the box into the goal to make it 3-2. Newmarket responded well with a free-kick wide left Linger went for goal her strike cannoning off the near post rebounded back into Lauren Deller the substitute putting the shot in from 8 yards to make it 4-2, was to have a late goal also chalked off for off-side didn’t matter as Newmarket Town Ladies reached the 2nd Round of the FA Women’s Cup for the 1st time.
FA Women’s Cup debutants, King’s Lynn Town Ladies will be Newmarket’s opponents in 2nd Round Qualifying after they won on the road against Leicestershire side Oadby & Wigston Dynamo Ladies. Becky Russell opened the scoring with new signing Tiffany Forshaw also getting her 1st competitive goal to see King’s Lynn with a 2-1 lead at half-time. 2nd half the win was secured after Russell was on hand inside the six yard box to tap the ball home after captain Shelley Woods saw her long range free-kick tipped onto the post. 3-1 the winning score.
An all Norfolk tie between Sprowston Ladies young guns and Wymondham Town Ladies who have caused a shock or two in the FA Women’s Cup in recent season’s. Avoided any giant killing at the weekend the ERWFL Division One North side winning 4-0 with goals from new signings Nadine Basson and Alice Ladbrooke along with a brace for Laura Wiseman. Wymondham will be at home in 2nd Round Qualifying against Cambridgeshire Women’s Premiership side St Ives Town Ladies who were making their FA Women’s Cup debut away to Northamptonshire side Roade Ladies coming out victorious by a single goal to make progress.
Bungay Town Ladies were in the FA Women’s Cup once again and on the road in 1st Round Qualifying as they were last season away to Bishops Stortford then winning 3-1 faced a tougher test this time around taking on ERWFL Premier Division side Colchester Town Ladies. two leagues higher Bungay took an early lead Emily Leach putting the ball home from a free-kick on 10 minutes, Colchester responded straight away to draw level the score level at 1-1 at half-time. New signing Selina Rowland put Bungay back in front in the 2nd half then Becky Hills also new to the team this season made it 3-1. Colchester getting it back to 3-2, Hills with her 2nd of the game late on ensuring the win for Bungay. Nancy Butler and Georgia Box scoring for Colchester. Another long away trip for Bungay in 2nd Round Qualifying.
Harlow Town Ladies will be their opponents as they over came fellow ERWFL Division One South side Little Thurrock Dynamos Ladies at the Harlow Arena on Sunday. Scoring 2 goals in both halves Harlow advanced through to the next round. Nicole Leaner opening the scoring on 20 minutes, Fran Gamble heading home soon after to double the lead. Goals from Abbie Dell and Chloe Bassett sealing the 4-0 victory in Harlow’s 1st competitive game of the season.
Local rivals Billericay Town Ladies and Brentwood Town Ladies will meet in 2nd Round Qualifying after both ERWFL Premier Division sides won big against lower league opponents on Sunday. Billericay Town Ladies at home to Essex Women’s Premier Division side Chelmsford City Ladies. 3 players netting a brace in the game, Paris Smith, Nicole Farmer and Lauren Knight. With captain Lindsey Morgan and Hayley Piggott also scoring in an 8-0 win.
Brentwood Town Ladies were also at home in 1st Round Qualifying taking on Essex Women’s Premier Division newcomers Corringham Cosmos making their FA Women’s Cup debut. Brentwood too strong on the day new signing Rosi Webb scoring a hat-trick, goals too for Holly Griffin, Leah Cowan and Georgia Holdaway the final score 6-0.
A 7 goal thriller in the all ERWFL Premier Division clash between AFC Sudbury Ladies and Writtle Ladies. Courtney Clarke with a hat-trick for the Essex side. AFC Sudbury winning the game 4-3 with goals from Mia Etheridge, Sophie Jeffery, Megan Partridge and Stacey Teager. AFC Sudbury Ladies will be away to Essex Women’s Premier Division side Frontiers Ladies in the next round.
Goals from Georgie Elsom and Annie Posnett saw Riverside Ladies beat Corby Town Ladies 2-1 in 1st Round Qualifying and set up a away trip to Norfolk to play ERWFL Premier Division side Acle United Ladies after they defeated Northamptonshire side Thrapston Town Ladies on home soil at the weekend. Megan Todd netting a hat-trick in the game with Lauren Bullard also scoring in a 4-1 victory.
Bishops Stortford Ladies met fellow ERWFL Division One South side Hertford Town Ladies away from home for the 2nd successive Sunday winning 3-0 in the lead then a closer result this time in the cup, Bishops Stortford advancing to 2nd Round Qualifying for the 1st time winning by a single goal scored by Marie-Pier Allard midway through the 1st half. Bishops Stortford will be away to ERWFL Premier Division side AFC Dunstable Ladies in the next round after they overcame Beds & Herts Women’s Division One side Houghton Athletic Ladies 5-0 at Creasey Park on Sunday evening.
A big win for Royston Town Ladies at home on Sunday in 1st Round Qualifying taking on Watford Ladies Development in the FA Women’s Cup. A brace for Gemma Croucher along with goals for Amy Cooper, Erin Davies, Becky Shephard and Sammy Tinsley securing a 7-0 win will be on the road in 2nd Round Qualifying taking on fellow ERWFL Premier Division opponents Colney Heath Ladies after they secured a 4-1 victory away to Beds & Herts Women’s Division One side, Garston Ladies in 1st Round Qualifying, their goalscorers, Lucy Hancock, Samantha May, Holly Sheridan and Charis Wakefield.
March Town United Ladies were knocked out of the FA Women’s Cup by visitors Peterborough United Ladies on Sunday the EMWFL Division One South winning 5-0 after eventually breaking down a stubborn March resistance late in the 1st half Keir Perkins and Jess Driscoll from the penalty spot to make it 2-0 before going on to score 3 more 2nd half both Perkins and Driscoll scoring again with Amy Challis also on target. Will be away to Peterborough Northern Star Ladies in the next round.
Bedford Ladies needed extra-time to see off opponents Milton Keynes City Ladies and book their place in 2nd Round Qualifying on Sunday. Away from home the sides were all square at 2-2 come the 90 minutes Bedford going on to add 2 more goals in the extra period to progress with both Natasha Fensome and Maya Sidhu getting 2 goals a piece. Bedford will be away to Hemel Hempstead Town Ladies in the next round.
Finally Cambridge City Ladies were at home in 1st Round Qualifying taking on Northamptonshire side Moulton Ladies in the FA Women’s Cup had started their season with a 7-0 home victory in the league continued that goal scoring form this Sunday as they ran out 8-2 winners to set up another home tie in 2nd Round Qualifying against Kettering Town Ladies. Both Bella Simmons and Carla Penny scoring 2 goals each. Captain Emily Reed also scoring along with goals for Stacey Fullicks, Megan Tonks and Hayley Turner.
Ties for 2nd Round Qualifying will be played Sunday 17th September those featuring clubs in the East listed below,
Newmarket Town Ladies v King’s Lynn Town Ladies
Acle United Ladies v Riverside Ladies
Harlow Town Ladies v Bungay Town Ladies
Hemel Hempstead Town Ladies v Bedford Ladies
Wymondham Town Ladies v St Ives Town Ladies
Brentwood Town Ladies v Billericay Town Ladies
Frontiers Ladies v AFC Sudbury Ladies
Colney Heath Ladies v Royston Town Ladies
Cambridge City Ladies v Kettering Town Ladies
Peterborough Northern Star Ladies v Peterborough United Ladies
AFC Dunstable Ladies v Bishops Stortford Ladies