Belles next in the FA Cup for Spurs Ladies

If Spurs Ladies ever need reminding how far they’ve come, this week should do it.

In years gone past, having started the competition in the early rounds, they would have dreamed of playing Doncaster Belles in the fourth round of the Women’s FA Cup.

The Belles in the FA Cup? It’s one of the iconic matches against one of the most famous teams in the women’s game.

However, the Spurs class of 2018 go into Sunday’s tie at Cheshunt FC (2pm) as equals.

Promotion into the Women’s Super League means Spurs do no enter the competition until the fourth round stage with the rest of the WSL 1 and 2’s big guns. Holders Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all begin their road to Wembley this weekend.

Belles are in the same WSL 2 as Spurs and flying, top of the league and unbeaten in eight games.

“This is always a competition we’ve relished playing in,” said manager Karen Hills, who won the FA Cup in her playing days at Charlton.

“We’ve had some fantastic ties in recent seasons when we were in the Premier League and all we wanted to do was to test ourselves against a team from the WSL. We managed to do that a couple of times. Now we’re in the WSL and at that level and we find ourselves up against the Belles in the FA Cup. It’s a fantastic tie.”

After three seasons of success, trophy wins and promotion to the WSL, the players are now experiencing the other side of football’s coin - a run of six straight defeats, four in the WSL and having to dig deep.

“It has been tough but I’ll say something, every time we step onto the pitch at this level we are learning something,” added Karen.

“The players are digging deep and showing real character. They deserve more from this recent run of matches, but things just haven’t gone our way.

“It was the same scenario when we lost 4-3 at Sheffield FC on Sunday. We deserved at least a point from that game but we were always chasing it. I can’t fault the attitude, the work ethic and team spirit. I know we’ll turn it around.”

Below: Karen Hills with assistant Juan Amoros at Sheffield FC

Action Summary

A real end-to-end contest saw 10-player Tottenham Hotspur Ladies fall just short in a seven-goal thriller against nine-player Sheffield FC, as the hosts took the spoils in a feisty 4-3 FAWSL 2 contest at Dronfield.

However, Karen Hills’ side could feel aggrieved as Wendy Martin’s ‘goal’ was contentiously ruled-out with 12 minutes to play. That would have levelled it up at 4-4.

Sarah Wiltshire and Melissa Johnson had early chances before Johnson put Sheffield 1-0 up on 14 minutes, following in after Toni-Anne Wayne saved from Hannah Cain.

Three minutes later, Spurs were level. Martin was clipped inside the box, Wiltshire’s spot-kick was saved, but Coral-Jade Haines reacted first to place home.

Cain crossed for Johnson to tap in to restore the lead on 20 minutes.‏

Spurs responded again. Haines’ free-kick crashed off the crossbar on 23 minutes, Martin and Lucia Leon had efforts blocked but then the teams were reduced to 10 players as Cain and Sophie Mclean saw red after an altercation.

Two minutes into added time, Rhema Lord-Mears hit the upright and from the resulting play, Johnson slotted home her hat-trick for 3-1.

Less than a minute after the restart, substitute Bianca Baptiste latched onto Haines’ splitting pass over the top and fired past Gibbons. However, Anderson soon restored the two-goal advantage.

The hosts were reduced to nine players following Dear’s dismissal for a second-bookable offence just past the hour.

Below: Sarah Wiltshire drives forward against Sheffield FC

The Lilywhites took advantage when Baptiste’s cross from the right was taken first-time by Wiltshire inside the box for a splendid lob on 68 minutes.

Leon’s low shot was saved by Gibbons eight minutes later and on 78 minutes, the comeback appeared complete. Haines slipped Wiltshire down the left, she found Martin to convert only to be ruled offside.

Deep in stoppage-time, Josie Green’s cross found Baptiste, whose volley towards the bottom corner was stopped by Gibbons.

Report from Khalid Karimullah at Sheffield FC, Home of Football Stadium

Line-ups

Sheffield FC - 1. Danielle Gibbons, 2. Sarah Jackson, 4. Sherry McCue, 5. Danielle Cox, 6. Jenna Dear, 9. Melissa Johnson (18. Chloe Dixon 73), 12. Rhema Lord-Mears (11. Sophie Jones 73), 14. Hannah Cain, 17. Katie Anderson, 20. Emma Johnson (22. Beth Donoghue 85), 21. Nicole Kemp. Substitutes (unused): 3. Holly Housley.

Spurs - 1. Toni-Anne Wayne, 2. Lucia Leon, 6. Renee Hector, 19. Ryah Vyse (4. Josie Green 45), 5. Sophie Mclean, 16. Maya Vio, 12. Hannah Mackenzie (8. Bianca Baptiste 45), 23. Coral-Jade Haines, 14. Katie O’Leary (17. Lauren Pickett 59), 7. Sarah Wiltshire, 10. Wendy Martin. Substitutes (unused): 11. Jenna Schillaci.

Next Up

Spurs Ladies take on fellow WSL 2 side and table-toppers Doncaster Belles in the fourth round of the Women’s FA Cup at Cheshunt FC on Sunday (2pm).