Margate (0) 2

Herne Bay (1) 2
Sophie Gifford 29
Megan Pearce 90

Margate won 4-3 on penalties

Isthmian Women’s Cup (sponsored by RePoss)Quarter-Final
Tuesday 3rd December 2019
At Hartsdown Park

For the second time in three days Herne Bay faced the lottery of a penalty shoot-out but there was no repeat of the elongated drama of Sunday in Eastbourne. Herne Bay Women weathered the early Margate storm and slowly began to take a grip on the game. They were rewarded when Sophie Gifford ran on to a defence splitting pass to slot home just before the half hour mark.

After the turnaround, Margate dominated with Bay attempting too often to barge their way through the middle rather than create down the wings. Gate took advantage and equalised with the half a mere eight minutes old, then took the lead with just two minutes of the ninety left. Gate thought they had won it right there but had not reckoned with the Premier Division side’s reluctance to lose. Bay pressed forward and after a scramble in the six yard box Megan Pearce stabbed home her first goal of the season to send the tie through to a penalty shoot-out. Jasmin Connolly made some fine saves but Bay lost it on the first sudden death penalty.

“We were a bit leggy after the marathon effort on Sunday”, said manager Howard Pearce, “we still have the league and the league cup so we will concentrate on those”.

Herne Bay FC Women: Jasmin Connolly, Lucy Page, Molly Shipton, Saraya Phillips, Megan Pearce, Lillian Tucker (Katie Reeves 75), Kate Foster, Jemma Barton, Abigail Duff (Abbie Potter 63), Chloe Woolaway, Sophie Gifford (Alice Phillips 81)

Player of the Match: Sophie Gifford

Match Preview

Match details

Match date

Kickoff

Team Sponsors