Oxford United Women rounded off their pre-season with an excellent 3-2 win against Arsenal Women u21s thanks to a brilliant hat-trick from Beth Lumsden at Court Place Farm this afternoon.
United started brightly and almost took the lead within two minutes. Carly Johns broke down the left and cut the ball back for Jade Grove, but she sliced her shot. United didn’t have to wait long though and the breakthrough arrived in the 17th minute whenLumsden broke from midfield and was slotted through to round the keeper and slot the ball home from a tight angle.
United could and maybe should have doubled their lead moments later. Johns’ shot was palmed by the keeper straight into the path of Sarah King whose strike was cleared off the line.
Five minutes later the sides were back on level terms. Hannah Mackenzie conceded a penalty, which was converted despite the efforts of keeper Paris Sercombe who dived the right way.
Johns had two chances to restore the lead before half-time from Emily Wallace crosses on the right-hand side but put both just over the crossbar. Arsenal then went ahead ten minutes into the second half when a corner caused problems in the box and the ball was scrambled over the line.
Lumsden grabbed her second with 20 minutes left, pouncing on a defensive error and slotting into the bottom corner to level at 2-2 and she completed her hat-trick five minutes later; this time being played through in behind the defence and again finishing well to win the game for the impressive Yellows.
It was a good run out for the U’s ahead of their season opener next Sunday at Court Place Farm at home to Gillingham.
OUWFC TEAM: - Sercombe, Wallace, Mackenzie, Beaver, Alexander, Hines, Stevens, Lumsden, King, Grove, Johns,
Subs (all used): Ackerman, Ashley, Baker, Haynes, Kite, Sims.
Report by Jack Sale, pictures Darrell Fisher