Exit from FA Cup Development side will seek knockout success

HUDDERSFIELD Town Ladies bowed out of the SSE Women’s FA Cup at the third round stage as they were defeated 2-1 by Lewes FC.

It was the first competitive fixture Town had played since their last FA Cup tie where they beat West Bromwich Albion 7-0, but the Southern Division outfit had the edge at Storthes Hall’s Stafflex Arena.

Town were denied on the ninth minute when Katie Nutter’s goal was disallowed.

Nutter was able to latch onto a Kate Mallin free-kick, however the referee stopped Town celebrating as he gave a foul on a Lewes player.

Town were close to opening the scoring on a number of occasions, however it was Mallin’s free kick which went closest as it rebounded back off the post.

Town went in at half-time disappointed that they weren’t ahead, but it was the away side that came out the more positive at the start of the second half.

The South coast based club took the lead on the 59th minute, the away side were awarded a penalty when Vicky Carleton was tripped in the box by a Town player.

Lewes’s Avilla Bergin took the spot kick, but it was saved onto the post by Town keeper Laura Carter.

However, the ball rebounded off of the post and into the path of Lewes player Rebecca Carter who tapped home.

Town equalized two minutes later when Mallin charged into the opposition box, she passed the ball to Brittany Sanderson who slotted home with ease.

Both teams had chances with Town going close on a number of occasions, but just not being able to find the pass or shot on goal.

The winner came from Katie McIntyre on the 81st minute as her effort from outside the area wasn’t charged down, the shot floated over the Town keeper to put the home side out of the cup.

Town’s goalkeeper Carter was disappointed that the team has gone our of the FA Cup, but says that the team must move on quickly and now concentrate on the next fixture which is against Leicester City tomorrow.

“I thought the game was evenly matched, especially in the first half,” said Carter. “Both sides had chances to win it, but obviously only one team can and unfortunately it wasn’t us.

“However, I do believe that, to say that was our first competitive fixture since our last FA Cup tie, I don’t think we played that badly.

“On another day if we’d had some luck on our side like for the penalty we would have won.

“Unfortunately the penalty hit me in a certain way which meant when it came back off of the post one of their players was in the right position to score, if it had hit me differently she would have never had scored.

“We should have picked up their player for the second goal, we were slow to charge the effort down which is disappointing.

“That is something we’ll have to learn from, there’s nothing much I could have done for that goal, it just floated over my head.

“We’ll be looking to bounce back next week against Leicester and we’ll be out to get all three points because the girls will want to make up for that loss.”

Town’s assistant head coach Sarah Dobby was also disappointed that Town have had an early exit from the competition.

Dobby said: “I thought we were unlucky it could have gone either way at the end, I thought we were the better team overall, but unfortunately it’s gone their way.

“We just couldn’t find that cutting edge to really make things count, you can see that when we turn it on like we did for our goal, we can really rip teams up.

“However, we didn’t do that often enough throughout the game.”

The first team are in league action tomorrow at home to second placed Leicester City Women (2pm). HUDDERSFIELD Town Development team’s will be looking to make progress in knockout competition tomorrow.

Their Sheffield & Hallamshire FA Women’s Challenge Cup third round match at Penistone Church was postponed due to a frozen pitch last week and they try again tomorrow (1pm).

The Academy team had their match against Handsworth Ladies postponed due to a frozen pitch, and tomorrow they are at home to Dronfield Town Ladies (1.30pm).

Town’s Under 16 side started the new year with a 4-0 win over Rotherham United.

Town were quick to get off the mark going in front after six minutes when Molly Ellis crossed for Jess Barrow (pictured) to score.

Zoe Laughton supplied the second goal with Molly Ellis tapping.

Rotherham had no answers to the pace on the wings and Molly Ellis slipped the ball across to Harriet Waller to make it 3-0 Town.

The second half continued with Town in complete control but chances went begging before Barrow scored Town’s fourth.

The Under 16 side are away to Bawtry Juniors today (11am).

Town’s Under 14 side retained joint top spot in Division One with a hard earned 5-2 win away at Sheffield United Whites.

Isobella Kington gave Town the lead when Gaby Pearson lobbed a ball into the penalty area which Kington volleyed home.

Tamara Wilcock provided the second goal as she crossed to Kington who made it 2-0.

Nine minutes into the second half and United’s pressure on Town’s goal told as they pulled a goal back.

The introduction of Alex McKie gave Town more pace down the left and her strong run and cross was met in the area by Laura Hulme, but the United keeper saved.

Keira Millward in Town’s goal pulled off a great save to deny United, but just a minute later United levelled following a breakaway.

It took Town just five minutes to regain the lead as Kington rounded the keeper to complete a hat trick.

United ran straight to the other end but a goalmouth scramble only ended with them poking the ball wide of Town’s goal.

With two minutes remaining Hulme broke into the United box to finish well and McKie hit the fifth.

Leah Pearman was named player of the match for her excellent defensive work, and the Under 14 side are in action today when they travel to joint leaders AFC Pogmoor (11am).

The Under 12s started 2018 with a point from a 1-1 draw against Barnsley at Storthes Hall.

Town dominated the game for the first half and went a goal up after nine minutes when Molly Firth and Maddie Hall worked the ball to Ella Rejiba to score.

The back four remained solid throughout led firmly by player of the match Erin Fawcett at the heart of the Terriers defence.

The second half started the same way it ended but Town just couldn’t get the final touch on numerous occasions in the Barnsley box with Jess Radley, Scarlett Short and Martha Taylor-Williams linking up well for most of the attacking play.

Daisy Turner and Taylor-Williams saw long range efforts stopped by the opposition keeper but Barnsley got their equaliser 15 minutes from the end.

Today the Under 12s enter the league cup at home to Bessacarr Juniors (10.30am).

The Under 10s are in action today in the league cup at home to Millmoor Juniors (10.30am).