Soccer Elite FA Women vs Cray Wanderers Women
Adobe FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round – Sunday 1st September – Match Report
Soccer Elite FA Women 0
Cray Wanderers Women 3
Jackson 18, 34, 45
Photos – Ben Keyes
Cray Wanderers Women created another piece of history in a remarkable year for the club with victory in their first FA Cup tie with a 3-0 win at Soccer Elite FA Women. The Wands advanced courtesy of a superb hat-trick from Katie Jackson who carried on her excellent pre-season form and also a solid defensive performance to earn a clean sheet.
The Wands will now be at home to East London side Comets in the 2nd Qualifying Round on Sunday 22nd September, 2 pm Ko at Flamingo Park.
The match was played in warm early September sunshine and for Dean Jarman’s side, the first competitive game of the season with the start of the SCEWFL Premier next Sunday vs Tonbridge Angels.
Soccer Elite were a very young and industrious side and play in the London & South East League after promotion last season. The match started with a bit of sparring with Cray perhaps just shading the opening exchanges and won three corners to the home side’s one. For Cray, Katie Jackson down the left look to take on keeper Lacey Campbell but the keeper was able to do enough to snuff out the danger.
However, in the 18th minute Cray took the lead when following a loose pass out of defence, the excellent Hyrstyna Kulisko latched onto the ball and played a pass to Jackson down the left of the area who tucked away a tidy finish from 14 yards.
Cray were playing well especially defensively and were keeping Sam Sharp well protected whilst looking to always play on the front foot. Chloe Ashdown down the left put over a cross for Jackson which was diverted behind for a corner.
In the 34th minute Cray scored a second when after the home side struggled to clear their lines in the area, Kulishko held the ball up and set up Jackson down the right of the area who smashed home a shot at the near post for another class piece of finishing.
After this, Jackson shot wide and Millie Main from a free kick out on the left fired a shot on target and into the arms of Campbell.
Perhaps the most decisive moments of the match came in the two minutes before half time when for Soccer Elite, Daisy Regnier inside the area saw her shot well saved by Sharp and following up Storm Arnold shot wide.
This save proved crucial as in the 45th minute, it was three nil when Lauren Henry played a fine ball through to Jackson down the left who showed great composure to lift a shot over Campbell to complete the classiest hat-trick you will see anywhere.
HT: 0-3
With the heat and stamina needed in the first game of the season, the game was more sedate after the break with the home side needing to find goals to get back into it and Cray showed great game management skills to see out the game.
Most of the opportunities after the break fell to Cray and Main shot wide from 25 yards and then after build up from Olivia Gregory and Kulishko, Main hit a shot into the arms of Campbell.
Then Jackson hit a shot from outside the box which was saved and then Ashdown was found by a cross from Jackson and saw her effort blocked.
Cray were defending superbly with Megan Webster, Lauren Henry, Vittoria D’Urso and Ellie Cole soaking up any pressure and crosses and Cole went up the other end and saw a shot held. Then, Kulishko played a fine ball into the path of Hannah Barham who turned her shot just past the left post.
This was followed by a Jackson corner down the left falling to Main who volleyed wide and then Louise Chenery set up Jackson who shot over and then down the left drove a shot across goal.
Towards the end, Soccer Elite looked to grab a consolation and Regnier shot into the side netting down the right. Then, from a free kick out on the left, Ellie Mae Hogan shot over.
Cray looked to add a fourth late on and Jackson set up Danielle Smith down the left who shot wide of the right post and Jackson saw a shot from 20 yards held.
So, a year after Cray Wanderers Women began their first league game at Gravesham another page in the short history of the club has been written with their first FA Cup win and now can continue onto the 2nd Qualifying Round in three weeks time. It was a terrific all round performance and with pre-season now firmly out of the way can go into a match against last season’s title rivals Tonbridge Angels with confidence.
Soccer Elite FA Women: Lacey Campbell, Ellie-Mae Hogan, Charlotte Sone, Teagan Wainwright, Sophie Hedges, Poppy Mackenzie, Maddy Chapman, Mikalya Falp, Daisy Regnier, Storm Arnold, Freya Bucksey: Subs: Yasmin Young, Skye Salerno, Ellie Stone, Ella Bayer, Jaymie-Louise Emberson
Cray Wanderers: Sam Sharp, Megan Webster, Ellie Cole, Lauren Henry, Vittoria D’Urso, Millie Main, Olivia Gregory (Grace Dodds, 84), Hannah Atkins (Hannah Barham, 56), Hrystyna Kulishko (Louise Chenery, 77), Chloe Ashdown (Danielle Smith, 65), Katie Jackson: Subs: Claire Goldsmith, Kiera Syms, Jessica Cox
