Having gone toe-to-toe with FAWNL Division 1 South West promotion contenders Moneyfields over two hours of thrilling football in the league’s Plate competition, it was ultimately just one missed penalty kick in the resulting shoot-out that divided Maidenhead and one of the division’s well-backed big-hitters on Sunday afternoon.
Dave Kitson’s side showed three changes to the side which recorded an important FAWNL league victory at Portishead the previous weekend. With goalkeeper Mia Smith having decided to accept an approach from a rival team, defenders Katie Vince and Molly McKeever were rested for this match with Kitson and his assistant manager Sean Hillier using their squad for this last-sixteen tie at York Road, Kody Cornish, Tarran Williams and Alex Dover coming back into the side.
The visitors had scored twenty goals in their four most recent league and cup matches alone and started this game strongly. Megan Fox hit a powerful effort which struck the underside of crossbar and bounced clear, but it was United who took the lead after thirteen minutes. A foul on Izzy Stockton in United’s half gave Katie Akerman the opportunity to send the ball long into the Moneyfields area where a moment of uncertainty from the visiting defence allowed Megan Harper to nip in first and place the ball past the onrushing Hannah Haughton.
The lead lasted ten minutes. Kody Cornish in the United goal was adjudged to have held onto the ball for too long and was punished by the award of a corner against the Magpies. The set piece was pumped into the area and flicked on for Sophie Phelps to turn the ball home inside the six-yard box. Cornish later made amends with a brilliant reaction to tip over a close range shot from Moneys top-scorer Shannon Albuery to keep the scores level at the break.
The Hampshire side started the second period on top and as the half went on they dominated much of the play, but the Magpies arguably had the best of the chances. A delicious ball across the box by Chloe Webb found Izzy Stockton inches away from connecting for a tap in and Harper couldn't find the target from a tight angle running in at the far post. Before the hour Maidenhead reclaimed the lead as Stockton found the bottom corner of the net from outside the area, her fourth goal in successive games. Maidenhead had become only the second FAWNL Division 1 South West team to score twice against Moneyfields this season but the top-scorers in the division were again level quickly. Captain Ali Hall showed her quality and previous experience at Championship level with a high-class lobbed finish.
Before the end of normal time Harper threatened Haughton’s goal but her cross-shot drifted past the far post before Aaliyah Charles had to clear another threatening Moneyfields corner off her own goal-line. Maidenhead otherwise held firm, got their blocks in and frustrated the visitors and United were ultimately only the second FAWNL Division 1 South West team to end level with Moneyfields over ninety minutes this season. The visitors had a goal disallowed for offside before Albuery's turn and shot wide of the target in the extra thirty minutes. Again, Maidenhead had perhaps the best opening when substitute Chloe Chapman was slipped in on goal by Stockton, only to be denied by Dream Surin when she was about to pull the trigger. The challenge had to be absolutely perfect and it was.
Into the shoot-out, clinical Moneyfields scored each of their kicks. United saw their first by Katie Akerman brilliantly saved by Haughton, but a retake was ordered with the ‘keeper having moved off her line and Akerman kept her composure to net at the second attempt. Charley Evans scored United’s second and at 3-2 Moneyfields in the shoot-out Myah Baksh – who had otherwise an absolutely impeccable first ever game for Maidenhead as a substitute – put her kick over the top. Izzy Stockton scored United’s fourth kick, but Fox’s decisive penalty won it 5-3 for Moneyfields who understandably celebrated like a team who knew full well that they’d been given a very tough afternoon.
Share this post: