Larkfield Ladies vs. Cray Wanderers Women – Kent FA Plate 4th Round – 19/1/25 – Match Report
Larkfield 2
Goad 22, Mannering 56
Cray Wanderers 3
Brown 11, Blanche 52, Pooley 80
Please see here a match report from this afternoon’ cup tie kindly provided by Wands Assistant Manager, Claire Willicombe. Thank you to Claire for the report
On a bobbly pitch ,it was Cray who came up with the goods to push over the line and earn a last 8 place in this afternoon’s Kent Women’s FA plate fixture against Larkfield.
From the off both teams were trying to suss each other out with a bit of pinball passing from both sides but Cray calmed the possession and had the first real chance of the game 5 minutes in, Okasia Brown’s long range effort well saved by Holly Bennett in the Larkfield goal.
Cray kicked on from that positive start and ten minutes in Ellie Rivers went on a darting run on the left hand side to win Cray a corner.
From this, Ellie Cole hit a fine cross into the box, with Okasia Brown rising high and nodding in to get the goals going, 1-0 Cray.
Larkfield wouldn’t be disheartened by this and 3 minutes after going a goal down,winger Charlie Goad had Larkfields first chance fizzing just over the bar.
Larkfield would get another chance at Samantha Sharp’s goal on the 20th minute, a Cray free kick coming to nothing and being cleared long up the pitch for the in form Taylor Mannering to run on to but her shot was comfortably saved by Sharp. However Larkfield continued to press forward and got the equaliser in the 22nd minute Webster giving away a foul on the left edge of the box and the resulting free kick being well placed in the far corner of Crays goal by Charlie Goad, 1-1.
Cray would dominate the possession from here for the next ten minutes and created the majority of the chances with Atkins, Syms, Rivers and Brown taking various chances, some just wide and some saved well by Bennett in goal.
Larkfield certainly didn’t seem daunted by playing higher opposition and continued to be dogged in the midfield winning a lot of the aerial battles and it would be Larkfield who would have the last chance of the half, Mannering shooting just wide of the post.
Half time 1-1
Larkfield started the second half stronger without creating much in terms of shots and with the game becoming more physical. An injury to Ellie Hyner after a challenge in the 50th minute resulted in Crays first substitution, Hyner off,Blanche on.
It only took 2 minutes after coming on for Blanche to give Cray the lead with Webster passing to Blanche playing a 1-2 with Rivers cutting inside and firing a lob shot over Bennett, 2-1 to the wands.
55 minutes in, Brown then produced another good save from Bennett, a thundering shot caught well.
Larkfield continued to fight for the game and produced a leveller on 56 minutes,Mannering getting her goal after a long ball over the top ,her 26th goal of the season to make it 2-2.
Cray made some substitutions with Jessica Pooley brought on in the 56th minute, and Emily Symonds and Chloe Ashdown on the 60th minute.
Cray then again had a strong period of play with more shots saved by Bennett until the winner came in the 80th minute,some good play in the middle by Symonds ,winning the ball and passing to Pooley’s feet, her first touch rounding two defenders before sliding to tap the shot past Bennett,3-2 to the Wands
Cray closed the game out ,bringing Dodds on for Cole for fresh legs in defence and with little to no chances by either side for the last ten minutes the final whistle was met with applause from Larkfields support, who gave a good account of themselves and we wish them luck in their league campaign.
A game that could have gone either way, but a fair result in the end,the cup run continues COYW 🟡⚫️🪄
Cray line up Sharp, Henry, Durso, Webster, Cole (Dodds,80), Syms, Brown⚽️ (Symonds 60), Hyner (Blanche 55⚽️), Rivers (Ashdown 60), Main, Atkins (Pooley 56⚽️)
Thank you again to Claire for her report. The next match for the team will be on Sunday 2nd February vs London Road in the SECWFL Premier, 4.30 pm.
