Bay Bow Out of FA Women’s Cup

Victoire (1) 3 aet 4
Sherelle Waters 45 (pen), 72, 86
Donna Osmond 103

Herne Bay (2) 3 aet 3
Abigail Duff 28, 39
Kate Foster 49

FA Women’s Cup Preliminary Round
Sunday 1st September 2019
Played at The Kent Vehicles Stadium, Winch’s Field

Att: 66

(Photo credit: Keith Davy – Abigail Duff powers in for her second goal)

Victoire, of the Greater London League, had asked for the tie to be switched as their ground was not available writes Peter Guise. Bay obliged and then let a two goal advantage slip to bow out of the FA Women’s Cup at the first hurdle.

After a tentative start, Bay settled into the game and Abigail Duff produced two strikes in the space of eleven minutes to give them breathing space. But Victoire always looked dangerous on the break and got a lifeline on the stroke of half-time when they were awarded a penalty for hand ball. Sherelle Waters powered the ball home from the spot.

Four minutes after the break it looked as though Herne Bay had put the match to bed when Kate Foster restored the two goal cushion. Victoire, led by the hungry Waters, mounted a wave of attacks, and dragged themselves level with four minutes left of the ninety.

Into extra-time then and with the first period almost up, Donna Osmond struck the winner to end Bay’s chances of progression.

“On reflection, this FA Cup game came too soon, we haven’t had the pre-season we had planned for”, said manager Peter Whittaker, “but we scored three goals and could have scored more. We are in the process of replacing five players, remember, it will take time to gain the understanding and I’m confident that will come. We lost early in the FA Cup last season and it didn’t derail our season”.

Herne Bay: Sophie Gifford, Lucy Page, Molly Shipton (Asmaa Hatim 69), Jemma Barton, Saraya Phillips, Kate Foster, Megan Pearce, Katie Reeves (Effie Dodds 69), Alice Phillips, Chloe Woolaway, Abigail Duff (Abbie Potter 84).

Player of the Match: Sophie Gifford