Lowestoft Town Ladies reward for beating Luton Town Ladies 2-1 in the previous round of the FA Women's Cup, a plum tie against a Women's Super League Club playing three divisions above them. Lowestoft Town Ladies having come through all the preliminary and 2 rounds proper of the FA Women's Cup are having a strong season so far are undefeated with a 100% win record in their league and are going strong in two other cup competitions. The tie against Millwall Lionesses though represents the biggest test yet the squad has faced this season.
Millwall Lionesses like all the other FAWSL 2 clubs, enter the FA Women's Cup at the 3rd round stage. Are only now returning to pre season with their league campaign starting in March, the 3rd round tie with Lowestoft Town Ladies represents their 1st competitive match. Are fine tuning their squad with players leaving and a few new faces coming in. The club also has a new manager for this season with Dan Milnar taking charge of the 1st after being with the club for a number of years.
A tricky tie for Millwall Lionesses to negotitate a tough test for Lowestoft, but one both clubs will relish.
My 1st trip to Beckenham Town FC, is Millwall Lionesses 2nd home as they play most of their home games at The Den. A nice little ground in an urban location, driving that deep into London is an experience for a country boy such as myself but I got there ok. The pitch had a big Keep Off sign upon it the players warming up next door, it did look in pretty good condition the temperature said different but it was bright and sunny as the teams took to the pitch.
Millwall Lionesses starting XI - Sarah Quantrill, Frankie Strugnell, Naomi Cole, Dionne Lennon (C), Leanne Cowan, Lily Agg, Francesa Ali, Megan Goss, Grace Fisk, Lillie Billson & Rinsola Babajide.
subs - Frankie Gibbs, Charelle Albert, Naomi James, Shirvae Edwards & Ciara Sherwood.
Lowestoft Ladies starting XI - Chloe Pearce, Marcie Prettyman, Anna Larkins, Megan Cletheroe, Kate Pasque (C), Broghan Scully, Kelly Gray, Natasha Thomas, Chloe Hoffman, Paige Shorten & Hannah Waters.
subs - Amy Bell, Georgia Paul, Amber Rowland, Zoe Cossey & Paige Baker.
Two of Millwall Lionesses new signings were starting the match, Megan Goss who spent last season at London Bees and 16 year old Rinsola Babajide who was playing at Crystal Palace Ladies.
It's Lowestoft to kick off the tie wearing white shirts, blue shorts and socks with Millwall lined up in navy shirts, white shorts and socks. The visitors waste no time in trying to get forwards and attack win a free kick inside the Millwall half, Paige Shorten to take she looks to test Millwall goalkeeper Sarah Quantrill early on, the ball coming into the box poses no problem Quantrill see's it all the way.
Millwall break with pace and purpose the ball being fed into the feet of Babajibe breaking into space on the left, has Goss up with her in support plays her in, Goss goes for the early strike, Lowestoft goalkeeper Chloe Pearce is down quickly to save at her near post. Both sides are showing good energy Lowestoft looking to get the ball from their opponents and get it forwards. Get a ball beyond the Millwall back line, Shorten is the one giving chase, Quantrill is quick out of her area to slide in and win the ball before the Lowestoft attacker can get it.
Millwall's, Lily Agg gets hold of the ball in the centre, plays the ball out to the left, Babajide gives chase has Lowestoft right back Marcie Prettyman for company as she drives to the by line inside the box manages to get a cross into the centre, Lowestoft block the ball going away for a corner. Naomi Cole is up from the back for the set piece fired into the box it is a fraction to high as she rises to try and send it goalwards.
Millwall are getting joy down the flanks Lillie Billson always a hard player to shake off the ball pushes on wraps her foot around the ball putting it into the box with Agg having made a great run from midfield, gets her head to it, puts the ball over the crossbar. Billson and Agg combine again this time though Agg recovers the ball as Billson scuffs her shot from outside the box, picking it up from the left Agg looks to send it goalwards from the corner of the area, between the posts Pearce is well positioned to make the save.
Agg is a constant threat looking to go forwards, escapes her marker and looks to surge into the box, Lowestoft captain and central defender Kate Pasque stays on her shoulder and makes a great sliding tackle to deny her inside the box, gives away a corner. Pearce jumps well from the crowd jostling around her to punch the ball away.
Babajide has sprung the offside trap a few times looking to break off the shoulder of the last defender. As play builds down the right with Billson and Goss linking up well, Babajide makes a run into the centre of the box the ball is fired into her doesn't get clean contact with the ball screws her shot wide of goal. Agg on the ball again in the Lowestoft box with a back heel and turn to give room to shoot fires it in low but straight at Pearce.
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| Lowestoft's Broghan Scully and Millwall's Lily Agg both covered a lot of ground in midfield |
Broghan Scully is all over the place in the middle of the park looking to break up play and get something going for her team, wins the ball from Billson on the right puts it into Shorten in the middle who lays it off left to Anna Larkins, Shorten turns heading for the area and hoping to get a return ball. Larkins sends it flashing towards her Shorten has little option looks to try an ambitious over head kick meets the ball, gets no control on the shot which goes high and wide.
Agg has another shot from outside the box the ball played into her she controls well, flicks it up to hit on the half volley, once again she picks out Pearce in the Lowestoft goal.
GOAL! Francesa Ali on the ball in the centre of midfield sends it out to the right where Agg has made the run into space, shifts it before putting the ball into the area where Billson has made the run to the six yard line, she hits the ball on the turn aiming for the near post, Pearce can't get down quick enough the ball squirms under her and in to give the WSL2 side the lead 1-0.
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| Lillie Billson on the ball for Millwall |
Lowestoft's Thomas steals in on the Millwall backline knocking the ball up headers it forwards into the area, is pushed to the right of goal, still under challenge gets her shot away, Quantrill is behind the ball to make the save and set up a Millwall counter attack.
GOAL! No sooner is one goal under attack then the ball is up the other end of the pitch and Millwall double their lead. A defensive error sees Pearce present the ball out to Babajide on the left. Taking the ball further down the line Pearce is caught out of position her goal exposed behind her the angle is tight, needs composure from Babajide she is cool as she sends the ball past Pearce to roll just inside the net at the far post 2-0.
Prettyman is fouled late in the half just inside their half Lowestoft's Scully strikes the free kick sending it towards the area Pasque rise's to head the ball down, comes to Shorten 25 yards out on the turn she smashes the ball goal wards, but over.
Half-time Millwall Lionesses 2-0 Lowestoft Town Ladies
Despite the 3 division gap between the teams Lowestoft have given as good as they'd got for long periods in the half, have been on the back foot but have defended well for the most part all of the back line putting in a vital tackle when needed. Millwall have been disciplined to, prepared to attack in numbers but the defenders have been alert given Lowestoft's attacks no room to exploit. If the Suffolk side want to get back into this tie then an early goal would give their confidence the power of good.
Millwall to kick off the 2nd half with Lily Agg minus her blue undershorts now (the referee would be checking later). The half starts fairly evenly the ball travelling between defences, Babajibe gets in on the left looks to fire a ball into the box with Billson coming in, Pasque slides in to intercept the ball.
Ali brings the ball forwards lays it out wide to Babajide on the left her cross fired along the six yard line is too long, the ball is retrieved and put back into the danger area coming to Billson to the left of the D she drills her shot wide of goal.
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| Megan Goss had a good 1st competitive game for Millwall |
Babajide has had good support from Francesa Strugnell behind her all game this time she gives the ball back to Strugnell who plays the ball into the box from a deep position, at her near post Pearce keeps her eye on the ball makes the save holding onto the ball with Goss rushing in to close her down.
Up front for Lowestoft, Hannah Waters has had very little of the ball, done her best to make herself available for any out ball wins her team a corner as she controls a ball played out from the back plays it against her marker running it out of play. Hoffman plays it into the area from the right, peeling off the crowd in front of goal it's Thomas who leaps and tries to turn her header goal wards sends the ball over the bar.
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| Lowestoft's Natasha Thomas with Millwall's Frankie Strugnell |
Shorten with the ball passes it out wide left for Thomas to run down taking on her marker she gets into the box firs the ball across the goal face, the Millwall defence slides in one getting the block. Millwall make the 1st change of the match with Babajide coming off and Ciara Sherwood coming on.
Lowestoft make a change too with Amber Rowland coming on for Broghan Scully.
Thomas pushing up against Millwall captain Dionne Lennon at the back manages to win the ball from the central defender, looks to break head for goal, Lennon recovers quickly though and catching up with Thomas gets the tackle in to deny her a shot on goal.
The ball is played out to Goss peeled away into space on the right, turns and puts the ball into Agg's feet 25 yards from goal, Agg puts her foot through the ball, finds Pearce well placed once more to make the save. Both teams make a 2nd change, Lowestoft bringing off Waters with Zoe Cossey coming on. Millwall bring on Shirvae Edwards for Goss.
The game is fast moving end to end the ball being put forwards by Lowestoft looking for an opening Milllwall winning it back looking to exploit the spaces that are opening up as Lowestoft start to tire. The home side make their 3rd change with Billson coming off and Charelle Albert coming on up front.
Shirvae Edwards has the ball in the right channel looking to come inside runs across the 18 yard line is presented with an opening to shoot looks to curl one towards the top corner doesn't get enough lift on the ball to beat Pearce in the Lowestoft goal.
GOAL! Both Millwall full backs Leanne Cowan on the right and Strugnell on the left have had space to run into 2nd half as Lowestoft tire late on it's Strugnell who gets on the ball plays it forwards to Charelle Albert wide of the goal she has time to line up her shot get's plenty of pace on the strike as she fires it across Pearce and into the back of the net to add the 3rd 3-0.
Millwall win a corner late in the game played in from the right it's Lennon who jumps for the ball in the centre meets it but sends it wide of the far post. Last action of the match Albert chasing the ball down at the by line wins another corner played in deep it's Agg who leaps, doesn't trouble Pearce this time puts it wide. The final whistle blows and it's Millwall who progress to the 4th round of the FA Women's Cup as they beat Lowestoft 3-0.
Millwall will play FA Women's Premier League South side Portsmouth Ladies away in the 4th round. A good, solid performance from the WSL2 side today, created lots of chances a good work out weren't giving Lowestoft much at the back either.
Lowestoft's great cup run comes to an end, they did the Regional leagues proud, worked hard were never fazed by playing a team 3 tiers higher, matched them for commitment and work rate, I'm sure they have enjoyed the occasion and will be hungry for more.
Best of luck to Millwall in the 4th round.
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