Oxford United Women progressed to the Second Round of the FAWNL League Cup after defeating Bridgwater United 2-0 after extra-time this afternoon.
Naomi Cole and Leah Burridge scored in extra time to send United through after a tough game.
Paris Sercombe made her first start of the season between the sticks, whilst Sarah King came back into the starting eleven to replace Carly Johns.
Bridgwater looked a much better side than the one that came to Court Place Farm on the opening day of the Southern Premier Division, playing the ball on the ground and stifling any Oxford threat for the first quarter of the game.
United were patient, with centre-half pairing Jaime Gotch and Riva Casley seeing a lot of the ball, but Sercombe was the busier of the two keepers for the first twenty.
It took half an hour for the U’s to create their best chances of the half. Captain Lauren Haynes pounced on a loose ball and threaded through Daisy McLachlan, but her left-footed shot was dragged just wide as Bridgwater’s defender did enough to put United's number 7 off.
McLachlan and Lacy Liggett were United’s brightest sparks, full of fight and desire in what became a pretty scrappy game of football.
With twenty minutes left to play, Bridgwater had a golden chance to take the lead. Former U’s player Daisy Ackerman crossed the ball into the box from a free kick. Set pieces are always a danger when the 6-foot-2 Amy Goddard is in town. The centre-back met the delivery but was denied by a miraculous hand from Sercombe to prevent what seemed like a certain goal.
Jess Gray replaced Shelly Provan at left back in the 72nd minute before Haynes nearly scored her first goal of the season, juggling the ball over her defender but sending her volleyed effort just wide.
United began to have more and more chances, the best of which should’ve won the game in the 86th minute. Howard’s scuffed clearance fell to Burridge who just took too long on the ball with the goal virtually empty in front of her, and fired the effort wide.
Oana Negrea replaced McLachlan on 87 minutes, but the game ended goalless after 90 and went into extra time.
There were very few chances in extra time as both teams tried to find a way through each other’s resolute defending. Then, in the 102nd minute Goddard gave away a free kick on the left of the Bridgwater box. Cole, who is so dangerous from dead-ball situations, sent the ball all the way through the crowd and past the keeper to give United the lead. A scrappy way to go ahead but they all count.
Sammy Wynne replaced Liggett in the 111th minute before Burridge made sure of the result by putting the U’s 2-0 up in the 116th. Oxford’s top scorer lifted the ball over a stranded Howard to keep the unbeaten record this season and extend the cup run.
Woodhead replaced Sarah King towards the end of the game and United were able to see out the victory. They now look ahead to Gillingham Women away in the League next Sunday, the 6th of November.
ATTENDANCE: 208
LINEUP: SERCOMBE, STEVENS, GOTCH, CASLEY, PROVAN (GRAY, 72’), HAYNES, COLE, BURRIDGE, KING (WOODHEAD, 118’), MCLACHLAN (NEGREA, 87’), LIGGETT (WYNNE, 111’)
Report by Billy Lawrence, pictures Darrell Fisher