Perfect Penalties Produce Progress

Herne Bay Ladies (1) 1
Sarah Holmes 36

Parkwood Rangers Ladies (0) 1
o.g. 90+2

1-1 aet

Herne Bay Ladies won 3-1 on penalties

SSE Women's FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifying
Sunday 18th September 2016
at The Altira Park Stadium, Winch's Field

Attendance: 82

by Peter Guise

(photo credit: Peter Guise - Kate Foster scores Bay's second penalty in the shoot out)

"The passion in the girls won through, I always knew we were going to get the win and I believe we were the better side", said Herne Bay Ladies Manager Rachel Tracy, "Parkwood are a very good team, they're known as our bogey team".

Matches between these two sides have never been anything other than close and this SSE Women's FA Cup tie proved no different. Parkwood enjoyed the better of the possession in the opening exchanges but Bay grew stronger as the opening half wore on. Kate Foster drew a regulation save from Kelly Amer after 20 minutes and Amber Guyatt went close soon after.In the 36th minute Bay went ahead when Sarah Holmes volleyed home from Kate Foster's left win corner.

Bay might have gone further ahead in the second half and sealed the match. Kate Foster sent a fizzing free kick over the wall but Amer plucked the ball out of the air, then produced a finger tip parry to deny Alice Phillips. Deep into stoppage time though Parkwood equalised to send the game into extra time during which neither side could gain an absolute advantage.

The resulting penalty shoot out was distinctly one sided and not in keeping with the previous 120 minutes. Parkwood's first spot kick came back off the bar, Rachel Tracy who had brought herself on as a substitute in the first period of extra time made no mistake with Bay's first penalty. Sarah Cooper saved the second visitors' penalty and Kate Foster drilled home Bay's second to put clear water between the sides. Although Cooper got a strong hand to Parkwood's third penalty she could not prevent it going into the net, then Beth Cooper struck a sweet third for Bay inches inside Amer's right hand post. Now Parkwood had to score to stay in the tie, but penalty number 4 sailed over the bar and Herne Bay Ladies marched on in the Women's FA Cup.

"The girls have put everything in, we're building the squad again, they're passionate people, the changing room is buzzing as it used to be and everyone just wants to win", said Tracy.

Herne Bay Ladies: Sarah Cooper, Valentina Casini, Amber Guyatt, Rebecca Longley, Debbie Blackmore, Kate Foster, Sarah Holmes (Rachel Tracy 102), Mollie Procter, Beth Cooper, Bella Smith, Alice Phillips.

Herne Bay Player of the match: Amber Guyatt