Trams come from behind to claim FA Cup penalty shootout win

BY JASON CASEY

Croydon Women kickstarted their FA Cup campaign with a dramatic penalty shootout win over west Londoners Hammersmith at the Arena on Sunday.

Hammersmith then opened the scoring when a pass behind Sophie Reid was well taken from the Reds striker, who rounded Emelia Blyth and slotted home.

As the west Londoners took the goal kick, alert Perkins intercepted and looked to be fouled from behind as she passed the ball out. 

The ref blew for a penalty, but the assistant referee noticed an altercation before and adjudged a free-kick to the Reds instead. 

Hammersmith then had a spell in control. Firstly, Blyth intercepted another killer ball through the Trams defence, and then another good move on the right saw a cross to an unmarked player on the left. 

Blyth rushed and clashed and luckily, the ball spun goalwards but hit the side netting. 

The inevitable wasn’t far off as another pressing attack in numbers, like sharks rounding up their prey, saw a pinball of shots well defended until an accurately placed shot rippled the net.

The Hammers had galvanised a two-goal lead.

Croydon pulled on back when Aoife Herbert found herself in the box on the right marked tightly. She flipped the ball up, juggled it twice, and then kicked it into the box overhead. It lobed the keeper and rushed the diminutive powerhouse that is Jamily De Arcanjo to header the Trams back into the game.

The Trams then levelled when a lovely long floated free-kick into the box saw Jade Asagba and the Reds keeper collide, challenging for the ball. It bounced behind Asagba, who backheeled it instinctively and the net bulged and the fans went into raptures.

The referee blew for full-time and those dreaded penalties.

Both goalkeepers had performed heroics in the 90 minutes and the excitement among fans soared. A club had to win. 

So the Reds went first and scored. Herbert buried hers 1-1. Reds again, the pink (Nic), Reds 3, Pink 3 (Perkins), Reds 4, Pink 4 (Ovrevik), then Blyth guessed correctly and dived to her left to save. Up stepped Captain Cool, Reid. Directed the shot up into the roof of the net, the crowd erupted, and the Trams’ journey continued.

Hammersmith proved a worthy adversary and with 10 players, it never looked like they had a player down. It is the Trams, however, who will be away at Aylesford United near Maidstone for the second qualifying round on October 1.

Before then, a Premier League match against old rivals Leatherhead back at the Arean on September 17.

POTM Jade Asagba – Solid in defence and audacious equaliser for the Trams.

PICTURE: Pete Bowell