FC United Women bowed out of the National League Plate competition with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat against old rivals Stockport County at Broadhurst Park … eleven days after suffering a league reversal by the same score eleven days previously at Stockport Sports Village.
The pattern was set in only the second minute as former FCer Shaunna Jein put Emily Bradshaw through on the left side of the area to score with a low shot into the far corner. And chances soon followed for the visitors to increase their lead. Bradshaw got in another shot from similar range shortly afterwards but this time was denied by FC keeper Chloe Ainsworth who smothered the shot at the foot of the near post. Ainsworth was again in action as Hanifa Douglas tried her luck from long range, diving left and managing a scrambling save after appearing to have been deceived by an awkward bounce.
Chances for the Reds were few and far between. County keeper Linford was stretched for the first time to turn an Abby Hunt long range effort for a corner on the left.
It was only going to be a matter of time before former FC United striker Jess Battle made her presence felt. After getting a run with the ball down the left, Battle appeared to have got the better of Emily Marsh to get clear on goal before FC’s no. 3 made a great recovery to block the shot. Shortly afterwards, Battle found space to go clear on goal again after forcing her way past Eve Kennerley but both the run and shot were blocked by Ainsworth who needed attention from the physio after injuring herself in the process.
Although still trailing, FC United still looked to be very much in the game. That changed two minutes before the break out of the blue as Bradshaw notched a second for herself and her team by curling a left wing corner directly into the top far corner of the net.
It was a hammer blow for FC and the visitors sought to press home their advantage as the second half got under way. Maria Figueiredo had the ball in the net only for her effort to be ruled out for a push.
Around the hour mark, Battle found space to run through between the home defenders. Douglas played the perfect ball to put her clean through on goal and the outcome, from the striker who hit 117 goals in 68 games during her time with FC United, was inevitable - 3-0.
There seemed to be no let up as Douglas moved out to the right with the ball at her feet to whip in a shot that was just wide across goal.
The Reds hit something of a purple patch. Kennerley, although surrounded by opponents, managed to dig out a pass finding Anya Donelan on the left of the area to get in a shot that flashed across goal. FC United’s captain Kirsty Chambers let fly from distance and a looping shot had Linford scrambling to cover but hit the crossbar. The Stockport keeper was on her toes though when Kaylea Cunliffe, who’d replaced Olivia Smith at half time, went for goal from a free kick some 30 yards out but Linford dealt with it comfortably, getting herself fully behind the shot.
County wrested back the momentum when Olivia Dixon, within minutes of coming on as a substitute, was played in by Bradshaw but denied by Ainsworth blocking a shot with her legs.
Dixon rapidly became a handful for the FC United defence, just failing to connect fully with a ball whipped into the box by Emma Lysons on the right and then battling to momentarily get past Emily Marsh only for the FC defender to cling on and get in a timely shot blocking challenge.
Figueiredo got through and attempted a chip on the run, which Ainsworth did well to snatch out of the air. Then Dixon looked to have snatched a fourth for County, taking the ball round Ainsworth in a one-on-one situation only to have it ruled out by an offside flag.
As the game moved into injury time, Figueiredo again just failed to get on the scoresheet, heading over from a right wing corner. FC United briefly had sight of a consolation goal when Lauren Davies found Chambers with a ball down the inside left channel but the Reds’ captain found herself crowded out on the edge of the area.
Report by Phil Bradbury
FC Player of the Game: Emily Marsh
Referee: David Boston Assistants: Ruby Cole & Ian McGuiness
Match photography by Mark Lee
Stats - courtesy of Paul Hinson (FC United first)
Shots on target: 2-10
Shots off target: 5-8
Free kicks: 11-7
Corners: 5-9
Offsides: 2-3
Yellow Cards: 0-0
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 284-288
Possession: 50%-50%
