Unlucky 13 for Millwall Lionesses as winless side lose cup tie against Lewes

BY STEVE JUDGE

Rebecca Carter and Samantha Quayle were on target as Lewes recorded their second win in Group Two South of the Continental Cup by downing Millwall Lionesses 2-0.

The second-half strikes condemned Millwall to what they may consider an unlucky 13th game without a win this season based on their first-half showing.

But Lewes took control after the break with Carter opening the scoring in the 68th minute before Quayle doubled the lead ten minutes later.

There was plenty of energy on show from the kick-off but both sides struggled to find a cutting edge.

Shannon Maloney’s ninth-minute 20-yard volley which rattled the crossbar was Lewes only meaningful effort of the first-half.

At the other end Lia Cataldo volleyed over from six yards, then Evie Clarke also failed to hit the target with a close-range header from Annie Rossiter’s 37th-minute corner.

Rossiter put the ball in the net a couple of minutes later but was flagged offside the second she received Clarke’s excellent through pass.

Lewes upped the tempo after the break and opened the scoring after hitting the bar again.

This time sub Vicky Carleton was denied by the woodwork but fellow replacement Carter was in the perfect position to thump the rebound past keeper Chloe Sansom.

The visitors secured their victory when Quayle cut in from the left to drive a low right-footed shot past Sansom and sees them look set to conclude their Conti Cup campaign in third spot.

 

Lewes goalscorer Rebecca Carter said:“I am always itching to get on but I was not frustrated because it gave some of my team-mates some minutes.

“I had a couple of touches before I scored the goal. I was just saying to my coach that I have had a couple of this season when it has rebounded off the crossbar and the ball has gone over my head, so this one I timed my run a little bit better to meet the ball and control it and then obviously put it in the back of the net.

“That was good for me and I was definitely onside!

“It was a crucial goal but I did not think it was going to be enough. Then it was down to Sammy to score the second goal not long after, but it helped to pick the team up.”

 

Millwall defender Leanne Cowan said:“I don’t think we have started a game as well as this. One thing we said we needed to improve was on-the-ball passing and movement.

“We brought that into the first half and created chances. At times we pinned them into their half and it was really good to see.

“This group of players never lack belief or passion and the work-rate it is always there. Every result we just pick ourselves up and try to better ourselves. We were trying to get a win on the board and unfortunately it hasn’t gone our way.”

“We’ve had some chances and unlucky calls but we all believe in each other and we know we can do it – it is just a matter of putting the ball in the net.

“Sometimes you need a bit of luck and may we didn’t have it here but they did.”

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IMAGE BY KEITH GILLARD