Report | Cardiff City 2 Argyle Women 1
A dramatic end to an away game at Cardiff City saw a point snatched away from Argyle Women, who equalised in injury time, only to concede a winner moments later.
Cardiff led through a first-half goal by Ruby Scahill, and retained their advantage until the closing stages, when Ellie Sara levelled for the Greens just after the 90 minutes had elapsed.
It seemed the late equaliser had earned a point for the Pilgrims' efforts, but Tia Asker's shot, in the 95th minute of the game, found its way into the net, resulting in heartbreak for Ryan Perks' team.
“We’re incredibly frustrated with that result,” said Perks following his side's late defeat. “We’ve worked hard to come back into the game, did so through a great finish from Ellie and you think you’re going to come away with a point. Cardiff have then got a chance through a lapse of concentration from us and with a bit of luck have found the back of the net through a bobble that’s took the ball over Lily. It’s a sucker punch.
“Today, we weren’t on it. We get drawn into a scrap every time we play Cardiff and they’re better at that side of the game than us. We’re a young side that lack that physical presence but that will come with age and experience. We set standards last week against Ipswich and played well with and without the ball, we just need to react well from this result now and bounce back with a positive performance against Hashtag at home.”
Both sides struggled to challenge their respective keepers until the 27th minute, where Dragons forward Ingrid Aaland’s strike from range flew into the palms of Argyle goalkeeper Lily Felgate. The Greens attempted to respond minutes later through Fern Orchard who carved out an opportunity to test Laura O’Sullivan, but it was a comfortable stop for the Cardiff keeper.
Cardiff broke the deadlock in the 36th minute through a loose ball in the area that Scahill fired into the back of the net. Argyle midfielder Imy Crawford created one final chance of the half for The Greens, delivering a precise cross into the path of Sara who tried to get a shot away, but was unable to control the ball before it was cleared by a red shirt.
The Dragons dominated the early stages of the second half and took the game to the Greens who still searched for an equaliser. Argyle began to respond gradually from the 66th minute through Charlotte Whitmore and Sara who continued to search for gaps in behind the Dragons' rearguard.
Argyle’s chance came three minutes into added time through a challenge in midfield by Whitmore that was quickly picked up by Crawford. The number eight found the run in behind of Sara who rounded the onrushing O’Sullivan and placed the ball firmly into the back of the net. It was a goal that sent the Greens into elation.
As the match approached its end, the home side threw everything they had at Perks’ side and, in the 95th minute, won a free kick just outside Argyle's 18-yard box. Captain Chloe Lloyd fired the set piece directly towards the wall of red and green shirts at the edge of the area, with the ball eventually finding the foot of Asker.
Asker struck the ball low and hard through the sea of players, directly towards the bottom-right corner. Felgate was quick to react and dove into the path of the shot but was caught out by a last-second bobble that sent the ball over her outstretched arm, giving the Dragons their lead back.
Although in disbelief that Asker's shot went in, the Argyle players rallied and threw everything they had at Cardiff as time ran out, but the Greens were unable to level the scoreline once again as the referee blew for full-time shortly afterwards.
Argyle are back in action on Sunday, 17 March against Hashtag United, at Torpoint's The Mill (2pm).
Argyle: 42 Lily Felgate, 2 Katie Dickson, 5 Panagiota Papaioannou ©, 6 Lucy Hack, 7 Charlotte Whitmore, 8 Imy Crawford, 9 Ellie Sara, 15 Georgie Knott (14 Tamsin Medd-Gill), 18 Taya Pomfret, 19 Erin O’Shea (13 Grace Smith), 20 Fern Orchard.
Photo credit: Lucy Arscott
