Women’s football round-up: Millwall knock out Bromley to seal FA Cup third round spot

BY EDMUND BRACK
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk

Millwall Lionesses booked their place in the FA Cup third round after a 2-0 win over Bromley on Sunday.

The South Londoners took the lead after 28 minutes when striker Emma Whitter latched on to a pass from Poppy Payne inside the area and slotted beyond keeper Megan Taylor.

Millwall doubled their lead late on when Shannan Drewe fired home from close range.

The Lionesses have been drawn away to Moneyfields in the next round. Crystal Palace will host Chatham Town while Charlton Athletic head to Bournemouth. The ties will take place on December 10.

Millwall have won eight out of nine games since Alex Russell and Adam Rowland were placed in charge following the departure of Keith Boanas.

AFC Wimbledon were on the wrong end of a nine-goal thriller in their 5-4 defeat at Chatham Town in the second round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Kevin Foster’s side found themselves 3-1 down at half-time, with Dons forward Ashleigh Goddard scoring the opening goal of the tie in the eighth minute.

Chatham went 4-1 up through Lenny Priest in the 61st minute, before goals from Wimbledon midfielder Hannah Billingham and striker Ashlee Hincks pulled the scoreline back to 4-3.

New signing Daisy McLachlan equalised for the Dons in the 90th minute, but Chatham were awarded a penalty in added time, which Ellie Jeffkins converted to end Wimbledon’s cup run.

Chelsea Women kept their three-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the Super League after a 5-2 win at home to Leicester City on Sunday.

Lauren James put the Blues ahead after two minutes, with an own goal from Courtney Nevin three minutes later doubling their lead.

Sam Kerr scored before the interval to extend the lead for Emma Hayes’ side.

James bagged her second and added a fourth, with Aggie Beaver-Jones rounding off the scoring at Kingsmeadow.

“Maybe it was too good a start,” said Hayes. “They were gifted goals for us. Sometimes you think ‘here we go, it’s 2-0, it’s going to be one of those days’. Nine times out of 10 the opposite thing happens.

“In fact, in almost every football match I’ve ever coached, going 2-0 up so early is such a terrible scoreline in some respects, because then you get sloppy.

“We won 30 per cent of our duels in the first half, which was a season-low for us. All the little things, for me, were poor.

“But I will not focus on them because the team have been tremendous during this entire block. Once again we looked threatening going forward and once again we had a variety of goalscorers.”

Fran Kirby made her return to the side and played 75 minutes for the Blues for the first time since suffering a major knee injury in May.

Hayes said: “She could have played for 90 but she knows I’m going to send her into the international break in a fresh place because this is part of the challenge.

“A lot of Fran’s injuries or illness has come with a quick build to something, so I’ve been really patient and will remain that way until at least Christmas.

“In the second half she started to look her old self, in terms of getting a bit sharper to try to get beyond players.”

Chelsea’s next fixture is at home to Arsenal on December 10.

The FA Women’s Championship does not resume until December 17 and then shuts down again until January 21.

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD