United impress record crowd in FA Cup rout
Scores of fans watch home side knock out Ipswich
A RECORD 200 spectators watched Denham United knock out Ipswich Town Ladies in their Women’s FA Cup game back at The Den on Sunday.
Strict ground grading has meant the first team have had to play home games at Hillingdon Borough’s Middlesex Stadium since being promoted three years ago, but building new changing rooms has allowed them to move back home.
Having played a couple of league games back there, the Denham girls bagged four spectacular goals to mark the return of cup football to The Den, to win the third qualifying round tie 4-1.
Alissa Down and Rebecca French grabbed two each, but every player played their part in a fine team performance, right back to keeper Lizzie Rose, who pulled off some great saves including a fingertip stop from a free kick which was heading for the top corner.
In the fourth and final qualifying round, they will once more face AFC Wimbledon, a team previously unbeaten who, three days before the cup game, Denham also beat 4-1 in a season’s best league performance. Nat Murray, Aimee Durn, Jeta Bytyqi and Jenny Banfield grabbed the goals.
Another previously unbeaten team dispatched by Denham was QPR, who were put to the sword 5-2 by the U16s, although the game was in the balance until the last 15 minutes. Twice Yasmin Garcia put Denham in front, but twice QPR came back, and it was only three goals in a crazy five minute spell near the end which separated the teams.
Sophie Hudson and Claire Weiner both scored their first goals for the club, while Jessica Stickley arrowed a spectacular cross-shot into the top corner. Stickley and Garcia were named joint players of the match.
Alisha Bajwa, Niamh Reynolds, Lillie Martin and Nicole Leys shared the goals, while Eloise Waring was player of the match as the U15s beat Kinja 7-0, while Melissa Asavoaie scored the only goal of the game for the U14s at Welwyn Garden City, where Sophie Reardon was star player.
Two goals from Maddie Johnson Taylor, followed by further strikes by Chloe Beckwith, Safia Choudhry, Ellie Donegan and Jess Weatherson, saw the U12s beat Garston 6-1, while the U11 Pumas and Wildcats beat Ruislip Rangers and Meadow Sports respectively, with Jess Poulton, Phoebe Smith, Maddie Perry, Paige Holie, Ellie Trigg, Lola Almendros and Beckie Currivan all amongst the goals.