Ladies’ football: FA Cup heartbreak for Chichester

There was FA Cup heartbreak for Chichester City Ladies - but their second team did enjoy success.
Chichester City Ladies and Eastbourne Ladies and their #footballremembers moment  Picture by Joe IfillChichester City Ladies and Eastbourne Ladies and their #footballremembers moment  Picture by Joe Ifill
Chichester City Ladies and Eastbourne Ladies and their #footballremembers moment Picture by Joe Ifill

Eastbourne Town Ladies 1 Chichester City Ladies 1 (Eastbourne won 5-4 on pens)

Women’s FA Cup

Chichester City’s FA Cup dreams were ended in a penalty shootout at Eastbourne.

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After setting a new record for the furthest they had progressed in the competition last season, the Green Army were looking for another successful year.

Eastbourne had a physical threat in their towering centre-forward but Chichester’s centre-back duo of Alexandre and McGlashan soon got the measure of her.

Remi Crawley was doing a great job in midfield, where her partner Barron was playing accurate passes and making incisive runs.

Chichester were creating chances but they found the home goalkeeper equal to everything and it was 0-0 at the break.

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After the break the home keeper saved several one-on-ones with Kally Ambler, a volley from the edge of the box by Remi Crawley and strikes from inside the area by Lucie Challen and Dowdell.

Payne headed the ball towards goal from a corner, her header hit the bar and was gathered by the keeper who seemingly caught the ball over the line – but the goal was not given.

In extra time, Eastbourne’s goalkeeper was still pulling off amazing save after amazing save.

Chichester were caught on the break as a hopeful ball forward was run on to by an Eastbourne striker and after seeing her first shot saved by Piiroinen, she volleyed in the rebound.

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It took a great header from a corner by Symonds to beat her. Chichester still looked likely to win it but chances for McGlashan, Symonds and Ambler went begging in the dying moments.

The game went to penalties and after both teams scoring their first four, Symonds rifled her strike against the bar and Eastbourne converted their final kick to send them through.

Chichester host Larkhall Athletic this Sunday (2pm).

Chichester City Ladies Res 3 Lewes Ladies 2

CITY overcame a nervous start to win this Sussex derby 3-2 at Oaklands Park.

Early on, Lewes penned Chichester back into their own half and Hannah McNamara was forced into making some saves.

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Lewes’ pressure paid off when miscommunication between a defender and the goalkeeper led to Ellie Hawes playing a back pass to McNamara and the ball rolling away and into an open net for the visitors to go 1-0 up.

This appeared to give Chichester the kick-start they needed and four minutes later Amy Bailey picked up a pass from Natalie Clarke and dribbled past three defenders before finishing sublimely past the Lewes goalkeeper.

The goal appeared to calm the Chichester nerves and Georgia Selby, Hannah Chalk and Levi Thorpe were playing some nice football on the left.

Injury cut short Laura Ingram’s Chichester and she made way for substitute Kerri Grant.

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On 30 minutes, Selby found Jenna Fowlie, who forced a good save from the Lewes goalkeeper.

Soon after, Gemma Halford rifled the ball into the net to put Chi 2-1 up.

The visitors started strongly after the break, piling the pressure on Chichester, and ten minutes into the half, Lewes striker Spice went through one on one with McNamara and slotted the ball in from a tight angle.

McNamara pulled off a stunning top-corner save from Lewes midfielder Tagg and from the corner, McNamara made a fantastic triple save.

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In the 85th minute, a moment of inspiration came from Grant who had just had a good 30-yard free kick saved by the Lewes keeper. The ball fell to Grant from a similar distance and her tremendous strike looped over the goalkeeper to put the home side 3-2 up.

Chichester defended well, thwarting Lewes’ pressure to hold out for their first win of the season.

Chi’s second team host Bedford reserves this Sunday (2pm).

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