County Cup upsets and comebacks

Southampton FC Women’s Georgie Freeland and Alex Collighan of Portsmouth. (Photo: www.jamesprickett.co.uk)

Barnsley and Leicester City WFC Reserves celebrated surprise wins in County Cup ties on Sunday, while a number of FAWNL top flight sides had narrow escapes.

Leicester City WFC Reserves pulled off a penalties victory at Loughborough Foxes, the teams having been deadlocked at 3-3. The Foxes levelled in added time but Alex O’Neill eventually won it for City with the eighteenth penalty.

Barnsley knocked Sheffield FC out of the Sheffield & Hallam Cup quarter-finals after Danielle Whitham and Darcie Greene scored in a three-minute first-half spell.

Barnsley with their U-9s as mascots. (Photo: BFCLadies)

Portsmouth just got the better of Southampton FC Women by two goals to one in front of a fantastic turnout of 546. The Southern League title-chasers threatened a surprise result with the opening goal by Chloe Newton but Shannon Albuery and Alex Collighan turned the match in Pompey’s favour.

South West League outfit Ilminster Town agonisingly lost out 8-7 in a shoot-out with FAWNL side Brislington, having retrieved a two-goal deficit in the last eight of the Somerset Cup. Larkhall Athletic progressed past Keynsham Town Development but only by a single goal over the South West League table-toppers.

Fylde had to fightback from 2-1 down at home to North West League Blackburn CSC to go through to the Lancashire Cup final. Burnley bowed out with a 3-0 defeat to regular winners Blackburn Rovers.

Burnley tackle Blackburn Rovers. (Photo: John Shirras / BRLFC)

Crawley Wasps have caused some upsets already this season but Chichester City came away 2-1 victors in their Sussex Cup clash. Jess Lewry converted a late penalty, 6 minutes after Wasps had equalised. Brighton & Hove Albion Development host Lewes Development in the second semi-final this Thursday.

Herne Bay restricted hosts Gillingham – whose Daniella Farmer returned from over a year out with injury – to a three-goal margin of victory in the Kent Cup, despite there being four levels between the Gills and the South East Counties Division 1 East leaders. Ashford Ladies defeated Gillingham Development 2-1 in the other semi-final tie.

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