Wroxham FC Women
Matches
Sun 06 Oct 2019
Harlow Town
4
3
Wroxham FC
Wroxham FC Women
G Birchall (41'), (93'), E Leach (80')
Late Extra Time Goal Ends Women's FA Cup Journey

Late Extra Time Goal Ends Women's FA Cup Journey

Richard Giles8 Oct 2019 - 05:48
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Wroxham Women’s sojourn in the Women’s FA Cup came to an end after a goal in the dying stages of extra time saw them defeated 4-3 at Harlow Town.

After a cagey start by both sides, a threaded through ball for Birchall saw the home keeper react to save at the feet of the away striker. At the other end, Wroxham conceded a free-kick, which Bell punched clear.

Harlow were pushing forward, forcing the visitors to defend deep and the breakthrough came after just 5 minutes. Wroxham not closing down Shephard allowed the home striker far too much space to fire a shot past Bell to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

A quick attack by the hosts saw Larkins, having to cover behind the centre-backs, clear the ball for a Harlow corner, which was sent to the far post but the hosts had nobody in a position to force the ball home. Attacks by Wroxham were limited and Leach out wide sent in a cross which the home keeper claimed.

The hosts were reacting quicker to the loose ball and a long ball and cross from the right flank saw Shields heading clear only for Harlow’s Gamble to return a shot which Bell did well to save down low at her near post.

Most of the play was happening in the Wroxham half, however, a quick break by the visitors put Birchall away but a good covering tackle averted the danger on the home goal. Straight from winning possession from the Wroxham throw-in Harlow push forward and only a timely intervention from Larkins prevented Harlow a clear shot at goal.

On 37 minutes, Wroxham had their best chance of the game so far. Birchall had a strong run towards the home goal and after being forced wide, centred the ball to Leach whose shot was blocked by the keeper before Cooper fired the rebound just over the bar. However, 4 minutes later, the visitors equalised. Birchall latched on to a long ball from Pleavin and fired a shot into the far corner. The final attack of the half saw Bell save a long shot as the sides went in level 1-1 at the break.

Within 2 minutes of the restart, the hosts regained the lead. The ball not cleared by the home defence was returned with interest into the corner of the goal after taking a deflection. It was almost 3-1 just minutes later, but Bell produced a double save to keep Wroxham still in the game, before in their next attack, Harlow hit the post.

Birchall was causing problems for the home defence and receiving the ball wide from Larkins cut inside past the defence only to see her shot just wide of the target. Larkins was then in action at the other end, clearing the danger after Bell had got a hand to the ball when a Harlow striker attempted to go around her.

Although the hosts were creating the better chances, Wroxham were having a lot more possession than in the first half. On the hour mark, Holloway won possession in the centre of midfield and fed Birchall whose shot was just wide, before the visitors equalised for a second time. Leach capitalised on a mix-up in the Harlow defence to round the keeper and score into an empty net.

Deep into added time, Cooper was on hand to clear a header off the line to ensure the game went into extra-time.

The visitors took the lead for the first time 3 minutes into extra-time. Birchall down the right flank played the ball central to Kindred and is fouled when about to receive the return ball on the edge of the penalty area. From the free-kick, Birchall fired the ball past the keeper into the bottom corner of the goal.

However, in the 5th minutes off added time in the first half of extra-time the scores were level with the hosts bundling the ball over the line, despite valiant Wroxham attempts to clear. The game was heading for penalties, when a shot in the 118th minute looped over Bell to give the hosts a 4-3 victory.

Wroxham Women: A Bell, A Larkins, V Pleavin, K Pasque, G Parker, C Shields, K Holloway, A Rowland, E Leach, G Birchall, N Cooper. Subs used: O Mungham-Gray, K Kindred, L Symonds. Unused: B Bygrave.

Match details

Match date

Sun 06 Oct 2019

Kickoff

14:00
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Women's Team Sponsor - Kingsley Healthcare Nursing Homes