Sutton coldfield 1-1 Leafield Athletic (6-5) Pens
Tilly Chase
13/11/22 – 2pm – Coles Lane
Vitality Womens FA CUP
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When the draw was done I instantly said it was going to be a tough and close tie between a team playing really well in tier 4 in Leafield Athletic and a team leading tier 5 looking to join Leafield next season in Sutton Coldfield Town. A visit to Coles Lane on a sunny afternoon for a November, Two teams both led by great managers in Aid Clements and Ryan Hamilton it was sure to be a classic.
The game got underway and Sutton Coldfield were the team with the ball in their possession for most of the first half as Leafield couldn’t quite get a foothold and maybe tried to press the game too much without building up. Jordan Atkin had the first proper chance of the game when the ball broke to her but her effort wasn’t enough to test Colette Bell in the Leafield goal.
Chloe Finn was a key part in the middle of everything Sutton was doing until she had to come off injured early on. But before she came off she made sure that Colette Bell was at her best who pulled off yet another fantastic save for Leafiled. I mean we don’t mention officials on here but somehow, someway Sutton was awarded a penalty on the 40th minute that Ruth Graham stepped up to score to give Sutton a 1-0 lead that they took into half time.
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The second half got underway and like the first half the game was very much stop and start with injuries and time outs in the play. But Leafield were starting to build into the game a bit more. Jess Lowe as always a key part of the play but Leafield were starting to try and pass the ball around more. The first real effort of the game for them didn’t come till the 57th minute when Chloe Shirley hit an effort from outside the box that narrowly went over.
Like Jess Lowe for Leafield Jordan Atkin for Sutton was a key player pushing the royals forward but Leafield were also defending well against the attacks. But while Leafield were now spending more time in the Sutton half they had to be warey of the counter and Tilly Chase does what Tilly does best and put in an inch perfect tackle on Brittany Civil who looked to be in behind.
On the 77th minute a Chloe Shirley corner was met by the head of Tilly Chase who directed the ball home with her head to bring Leafield level at 1-1. Chloe Shirley on dead balls is always dangerous and this showed not long after when one of her corners struck the outside of the post, straight from the corner.
Near the end of the game I believe Charlotte Cresswell popped her shoulder out from what it sounded like, she was unable to continue but played very well in the game so hopefully she has a quick recovery. But the final chance of the game came and it looked as if Leafield would win it right at the death but at the far post Kathryn Pagan couldn’t direct it goalwards. The full time whistle went with the score being 1-1, Sutton won the first half and Leafield won the second so it was time for a second extra time in a row for Leafield.
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Extra Time
Extra time saw some tired legs but Leafield were on top in the first period with Laura Broadbent and Kathryn Pagan both breaking forward and putting some really inviting balls across the box but just with no one to be able to direct the ball into the back of the net. It felt as if the goal would be coming but we reached half time still level.
The second period both teams were spent and it looked as if we were heading towards a penalty shootout when Charlotte McElroy showed her class and awareness as the deadly Jess Lowe broke into the area as we entered injury time in injury time and pulled off a save down low that kept her team in the cup.
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Penalties
The lottery of the spot kicks would be how to separate the teams when they couldn’t be parted in 120 minutes of the match. First up would be Ruth Graham who had already scored a penalty in the game so could she give Sutton the first advantage in the shootout as well.
Ruth Graham stepped up and put it high into top right leaving Colette Bell now chance 1-0
Sam Baker calmy smashed the ball into the top left hand corner to bring the score back level at 1-1.
Brittany Civil stepped up and sent Colette Bell the wrong way with a good penalty as she made it 2-1.
Leonie Joyce tried to go down the middle but Charlotte McElroy managed to shift her weight as she dived to save the penalty to keep it at 2-1.
Jordan Atkin stepped up and put the ball low and into the corner to give Sutton some clear space as the score was now 3-1.
Annabel Davies hit her penalty but pulled it wide of the goal meaning if Sutton scored their next penalty they was through with the game still at 3-1.
Charlotte Worth stepped up and skied her penalty over the bar to give Leafield a chance to get back into it but the pressure was still on the next penalty still 3-1
Tilly Chase stepped forward and sent Charlotte McElroy the wrong way with a great penalty under pressure to bring the score back to 3-2.
Charlotte McElroy could of sealed it with her penalty but a fantastic low save by Colette Bell meant it would be all down on the final penalty before sudden death 3-2.
Neive Fallon stepped up to take the important penalty and cooly sent McElroy the wrong way as she put it high and right to make it 3-3 and game back on as we went into sudden death.
Felicity Winters stepped up and sent Colette Bell the wrong way to put them ahead in the shootout 4-3.
Bethany Cull calmy dealt with the pressure penalty as she hit it low and hard to McElroy’s left 4-4.
Ella Doocey stepped up and just as it seemed Colette Bell had pulled off the saved it trickled in off the inside of the post 5-4.
Chloe Shirley was next and no doubt what so ever as she slammed the ball home to the left hand side making it 5-5.
Sutton scored there next penalty to make it 6-5 and unfortunately Holly Briggs had her penalty well saved by Charlotte McElroy that saw Sutton win 6-5.
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Summary
As always if you get the bottom always like to sum up the day, the game and the feeling. I’ll start off with saying congratulations to Ryan Hamilton and his Sutton Coldfield team they worked hard for 120 minutes and got their reward in the end and have found themselves with an away tie against Norwich in the cup. So good luck and bring it back for the Midlands. Hopefully the injuries and knocks they picked up in the game heal soon and they all back on the pitch.
Leafield completed their second match into extra time in a row after going 120 minutes toe to toe with Stourbridge the Sunday before. Then another 120 minutes against a tough Sutton Coldfield team. You can never doubt the efforts and desire the players put into each and every game. On another day it could be a different result. To go out on penalties is a rough way to go out of the cup. But Leafield will no doubt be concentrating on the league. It is always a pleasure to be in and around Leafield, one always leave and look forward to the next game which will be 11th Leafield game of this season.
