Whitchurch Alport 0 Bridgnorth Spartans 5
BRIDGNORTH recorded a famous victory on Sunday, capping a tremendous season by winning the Shropshire Women’s League Cup, to add to their league champions title and doing it in style, beating a strong Whitchurch side 5-0.
The game got off to a controversial start with Charlotte Beaman rising above Mel Fisher to grab Bridgnorth’s opener despite complaints from Whitchurch that the ‘keeper had been fouled in the process.
Minutes later Whitchurch had the chance to hit back when they were awarded what looked like a dubious penalty. Emma Lewis stepped up but Rosie Taylor in the Bridgnorth goal pulled off a superb stop to maintain her side’s lead.
Much of the first half was played out in midfield with both sides battling to gain superiority, but Bridgnorth were firmly back in the driving seat with a lucky goal on the stroke of half time.
From nowhere Jo Butler burst into the box, Fisher blocked the initial shot only for the ball to take a deflection and rebound into the net off Becky Allen.
At the start of the second half Lewis looked to be clean through for Whitchurch, only to be stopped in her tracks by a lovely tackle in the box from Helen Gordos.
Allen again took full advantage of a rebound in the Whitchurch box, latching onto the ball and firing past Fisher to get her second and Bridgnorth’s third of the game.
Whitchurch kept on battling, but they must have felt their hearts sink when halfway through the half Allen claimed her hat-trick with probably the best goal of the game as she strode into the box and sent a powerful shot into the back of the net.
Bridgnorth were having more chances to extend their lead but Whitchurch still played some good football at times, and with 15 minutes to go it took another superb Taylor save to deny Sarah Field. Lucy Ratcliffe fashioned another great Whitchurch move just after, but this time Field’s shot was deflected wide.
With two minutes left on the clock Bridgnorth were awarded a corner, and almost all of the team went up for it. Defender Becky Downing usually conjures up moments of magic and as the corner was swung in she was first to it, giving Fisher no chance, and scoring goal number five.