Report: Argyle Women 2-1 Billericay Town
Argyle progressed to the quarter-finals of the FA Women’s National League Cup with a 2-1 victory over Billericay Town.
The Greens were made to work for their win, falling behind after eight minutes as Bonnie Horwood curled in a free-kick. However, Charlotte Whitmore equalised before half-time, and as the Pilgrims took charge in the second period, Georgia Wilson stroked home what proved to be the game’s winning goal.
Argyle started brightly, with Ella Stephens often involved. In the early stages, she broke through and hit a shot which was comfortably saved, and went down in the area, claiming a penalty. It was not given – probably correctly – but it was a sign that Stephens was causing Billericay problems.
The Essex side had recently beaten Argyle in the league, a narrow encounter which ended 2-1 to Town. They took the lead in this game when they won a free-kick near the edge of the penalty area. Horwood stepped up, and curled beautifully into the corner of the net.
The game got rather scrappy, with Billericay slightly on top of an affair in which neither created many chances for a long time. Just before the half-hour mark, though, Stephens got into the area again, and was seemingly brought down by Romany Wellington. This time, the waving away of the appeals was a little harder to take.
In the final ten minutes of the second period, Argyle were increasingly looking likely to get back into the game. Firstly, a free-kick led to a corner, where a group of Argyle players trying to attack the ball could not make contact. Then, Whitmore struck from distance, and it took a brilliant save by goalkeeper Katie O’Hanlon to keep Billericay in front.
However, Argyle – and Whitmore – got it right moments later. A glorious pass from the back by Katie Dickson picked out Whitmore’s run, and the number 7 made no mistake as she clipped home.
Very quickly after the restart, Maddie Biggs struck a low shot that looked destined for the bottom corner, but Lily Felgate saved really well, low to her left.
From there, Argyle took over again, and took the lead on 63 minutes when Stephens beat a player, strode forward, and offloaded to Wilson as just the right time. Wilson kept her cool, and rolled the ball home.
Argyle looked to see the game out, and did so effectively. Whitmore nearly put it beyond doubt when she forced her way into the penalty area, and curled a shot round the keeper, but struck the post. It would have put the game beyond doubt, and there was a heart-in-mouth moment when Biggs struck narrowly wide in injury time.
However, the Greens held on, and now go into the quarter-final draw, which will take place at 8pm on Monday evening.
Argyle: 1 Lily Felgate, 2 Katie Dickson (5 Giota Papaioannou, 81), 3 Roxy Thomas, 6 Taya Pomfret, 7 Charlotte Whitmore, 9 Ellie Sara (20 Fern Orchard, 81), 10 Georgia Wilson, 16 Ella Stephens, 17 Lulu Jarvis (8 Imy Crawford, 64), 24 Ava Kuyken, 26 Caitlin Smith (capt). Substitutes: 56 Comfort Erhabor (gk), 4 Amii Kearley, 15 Georgie Knott, 18 Katie Grigg.
Goals: Whitmore 41, Wilson 64.
Booked: Whitmore 89
Billericay: 30 Katie O’Hanlon, 2 Flo Jackson, 4 Ylenia Priest, 5 Bonnie Horwood, 6 Romany Wellington, 7 Valentine Pursey, 9 Maddie Biggs, 11 Breon Grant (21 Jessica Francis-Weir, 62), 12 Beau Parker (capt) (20 Kara Fordjour, 75) 16 Charlotte O’Shea, 23 Abbi Smith (15 Shauna Munnely, 62). Substitutes: 1 Millie D’Ath (gk), 8 Nia Evans, 26 Gracie Hickman.
Goals: Horwood 8
Referee: David Kennedy
Attendance: 308
