Alex Ladies Beaten On Penalties In League Cup

CALFC are beaten 5-4 on penalties by The New Saints Ladies after an entertaining 3-3 draw at the Foxen Manor Ground

Crewe Alexandra Ladies were beaten 5-4 on penalties in the FA Women’s Premier League Cup yesterday afternoon by The New Saints Ladies following an entertaining 3-3 draw at the Foxen Manor Ground.

TNS took the lead after 20 minutes from a corner which was bundled in despite the best efforts of the CALFC defence including Katie Nuttall who cleared a shot off the line. The Alex Ladies skipper was on hand once again seven minutes later with two more tremendous goal line clearances before a quick counter attack saw Beth Grice deliver a pin point cross which was finished by Emma Lambourne, making her first start since suffering a serious injury last season.

Just after the half hour mark and three minutes after CALFC equalised, TNS were back in front from a well taken free-kick which gave goalkeeper Hannah Holloway no chance. The quick fire pace to the first half continued with both sides displaying some good attacking football and it was the Alex Ladies who were level once more after 36 minutes with a sensational free-kick of our own. After a terrible challenge from the TNS centre half who was shown a yellow card by the lenient referee, Laura Garner curled a brilliant effort into the top left hand corner. Half chances for either side couldn’t beat either goalkeeper as the first half ended with the score 2-2.

CALFC started the second half on the front and created a number of chances inside the opening ten minutes with Beth Grice having a shot saved by the substitute TNS keeper before Garner saw a powerful strike come back off the bar as the heavens well and truly opened. At the other end Holloway made a good save after a corner wasn’t dealt with by the defence while another counter attack almost gave the Alex Ladies the lead however a good chance was missed by Lambourne.

With 20 minutes to go manager Sara Hilton made the first CALFC substitutions of the game with Siobhan Watson and Amanda Fallon coming on to replace Laura Goom and goalscorer Lambourne. A succession of Crewe corners following Booth having an effort saved by the keeper were cleared well by the TNS defence as the game looked to be heading into extra-time.

Charlie Hignett came on for Grice inside the final ten minutes and had two excellent opportunities to put CALFC through however the first effort flew inches wide of the left hand post before a second was fired over the bar from inside the area. A final chance for TNS came on the counter as the striker broke the offside trap but dipped her shot over Holloway’s bar as the game ended level.

Both sides were pushing for a winner in a frantic extra-time period with the TNS keeper on hand to deny Hignett on multiple occasions before the home side took the lead after 108 minutes when a long ball over the Alex Ladies back four was lobbed over Holloway with good precision. The fighting spirit and never say die attitude of the CALFC players was clear to see throughout and it was Georgina Stebbings who sent the game to penalties with a powerful header from a Garner corner.

In the penalty shootout following a miss from Garner who hit the bar with the opening spot kick, Nuttall, Watson, Fallon and Stebbings all scored while Holloway made a great save to send it to sudden death. After TNS scored, Beth Ragdale unfortunately fired her penalty over the bar as the Alex Ladies were beaten 5-4. The result means CALFC will now take part in the Plate competition however it’s back to league action next weekend with a trip to Hull City Ladies.