Oxford United Women lost 3-0 to Charlton Athletic Women this afternoon in a pre-season friendly.
Zoe Barratt had a good effort slide just wide of the post in the 9th minute, whilst Charlton had plenty of threat in the early stages and took the lead when the Addicks broke through down the right and finished into the bottom right corner.
Charlton are an established Championship side, and looked the part, doubling the lead just before the half hour mark.
United bought on Sarah King and Hannah Mackenzie to replace two Trialists at the break, with Leah Burridge coming on for Lily Stevens shortly after.
Shelly Provan and Mackenzie made two excellent last ditch interventions as United were forced to work hard for scraps against a physically and technically fast Addicks side who have been in Italy on a pre-season tour.
New signing Izzy Cook came on in the 66th minute, and Lacy Liggett and Katie Sherwood also replaced Cecily Wellesley-Smith and Daisy McLachlan five minutes later.
The U’s Trialist keeper made two excellent saves late on, tipping one effort onto the crossbar before stopping Freya Godfrey, who scored against Oxford on the final day for Ipswich last season, from scoring on her Charlton debut.
The visitors did get a third in the 82nd minute, a curled effort into the bottom corner. The U’s made their final change after the goal with Libby Gilmore replacing Jaime Gotch.
A loss, but plenty more minutes in the tank against a very solid side.
Lineup: Trialist, Provan, Gotch (Gilmore 83’) Wellesley-Smith (Sherwood 72’), Trialist (Mackenzie 45’), Stevens (Burridge 61’) , Legg (Trialist 75’), Trialist (Cook 66’), McLachlan (Liggett 72’), Barratt (Trialist 66’), Trialist (King 45’)