City Ladies Pull Off Cup Shock

Birmingham County Cup ~ Qtr Final

Wolves 2 Coventry City 3 (aet)

The Coventry City Ladies came from behind to clinch a semi-final place in a pulsating encounter at the Goodrich Sports Ground today, and will be looking for a favourable draw on Monday to set up the possibility of a repeat of last season’s epic final v Birmingham City. There is more work to do first of course, but the battling spirit shown by the Sky Blues will give manager Stuart Wilson every reason to believe they can go all the way.

Kerry Williamson in goal was the only change from the starting line-up that beat Leafield Athletic last week following an injury to Amy Hopkins just hours before kick-off.

The Sky Blues found themselves kicking into a stiff wind and up the slope in the first half and it was no surprise that Wolves were able to pile on the pressure early on. The defence held firm though, until just after the half hour when Beth Bailey seized onto a long ball following some rare hesitancy in City’s defence, and stepped neatly between Stacey Leek and Tash Lynch before finishing with a crisp low drive into the corner from 18 yards. The goal spurred City into action and a swift counter involving Emma Lipman and Julia Marshall ended with Whalley driving just wide of the target. With the wind easing the Sky Blues were getting more into the game, so it seemed rough justice when Becky Hall made the most of a generous lack of an offside flag to race through unchallenged and side foot under Kerry Williamson’s despairing dive to make it 2-0.

It was the visitors who finished the half the stronger though and right on the stroke of half time Emma Lipman played a neat one two with Mel Byrne before delicately lobbing keeper Natalie Hall into the top corner.

The Sky Blues re-started from where they left off; and with the benefit of the slope it was the visitors’ turn to apply the pressure as Wolves fought a largely rearguard action to fend off a whole series of corners. Just after the hour though, Mel Byrne beat keeper Natalie Hall to the ball on the right hand edge of the box, skipped around her and finished low into the far corner from the tightest of angles.

With City level and in the ascendancy, Yvette Dolphin came on to join Mel Byrne up front and Sarah Marshall replaced Nat Wilcox as Stuart Wilson tried to secure the tie in 90minutes. The game swung from end to end in the final quarter as Wolves tried to do the same, but it remained all square when referee Tony Bashford signalled the end of normal time after adding just 3 minutes for injuries.

City took the lead for the first time after 95 mins when Yvette Dolphin raced onto Marshall’s through ball and chipped over the onrushing keeper into the roof of the net. The Sky Blue supporters were cock-a-hoop, but Wolves were still a threat and should have levelled when Becky Hall outpaced her marker down the right flank and cut the ball back, only for Sarah Lambeth to side foot tamely over from 10 yards.

Hall and Richardson continued to menace down the flanks for the home side, but it was City who went closest to scoring again when Yvette Dolphin tricked her way around the keeper, only for Hall to make a stunning recovery and double block to force the ball out for a corner.

Proceedings came to a final halt just a minute later though, and City’s triumph was complete.     

Team: Williamson, Leek, Bryenton, Whitfield, Lynch, Forbes, Whalley, J. Marshall, Byrne, Lipman, Wilcox  

subs: Stevenson (Leek 58), Dolphin (Whitfield 64), S. Marshall (Wilcox 72)  snu Campbell