Shanklin Ladies were desperately unlucky to lose to Bursledon Ladies on penalties in the final of the Hampshire Invitational Cup at Totton & Eling on Sunday after drawing 2-2 over 90 minutes.
This was a great advert for women’s football with Shanklin twice coming from behind to draw level.
However, Bursledon were by far the better side in the 1st half. Shanklin goalkeeper Kirren Shaw was called into action as early as the 5th minute and then again in the 15th minute to stop close-range efforts.
The Hampshire side took the lead in the 26th minute when player-of-the-match Kirby Anderson sent a long-range looping strike over Shaw from outside the penalty area (0-1).
It took until 10 minutes from the half time whistle for Shanklin to have their 1st shot on target from centre forward Thea Broadhead.
Half time: Shanklin Ladies 0-1 Bursledon Ladies
Shanklin showed greater attacking intent in the 2nd half with veteran former Southampton, Portsmouth and Fulham player Gemma Woodford dominating the game.
In the 51st minute, Gemma headed in a corner from Jasmine Bavington (1-1).
10 minutes later, Woodford shot just past the right post, had a 30-yard strike stopped by Bursledon keeper Nicola Symons, then found herself through on goal but was again thwarted by Symons.
At the other end of the pitch, Shaw was again called into action for Shanklin to stop a shot from Samantha Gamble.
Disaster struck the Island side in the 77th minute when a Bursledon player was brought down in the Shanklin penalty area for Izzy Pouncy to score the resulting spot kick (1-2).
In the closing stages of the game, Shanklin equalised and were desperately unlucky not to have won the final in injury time.
2 minutes from the end of full time play, Sienna Brennen picked up the ball on the edge of the Bursledon penalty area before coolly slotting it past the advancing keeper (2-2).
In the 90th minute, Gemma Woodford hit the crossbar. In the 1st minute of injury time, Gemma was brought down inches away from the Bursledon penalty area. However, after the game, the Shanklin captain was insistent that the foul had happened inside the 18-yard box.
The final chance for Shanklin fell to Samantha Mumford, who had a curling shot saved by Nicola Symons in the 2nd minute of injury time.
Full time: Shanklin Ladies 2-2 Bursledon Ladies
And so to penalties …
Shanklin’s 2nd penalty went over the crossbar and the 3rd hit the upright. Bursledon’s 3rd penalty was stopped by Kirren Shaw.
Penalties: Shanklin Ladies 2-4 Bursledon Ladies
Shanklin Ladies: Shaw, Barron, Bavington, Woodford (c), Webb, Connor, Kilcullen, Stagg, Broadhead, Tatchell, Morris Subs: Brennen, Richardson, Woodford, Mumford, Wagstaff
After the game, Shanklin Ladies joint managers Kate Ednay and Shannon Kilcullen said:
“We’re gutted to lose. Had the game gone to extra time, we believe we would have won. Our 2nd half performance was so much better than what we did in the 1st half.”
