Battling Reds bow out to Brighouse
FC United suffered a narrow defeat to Brighouse Town in the First Round Proper of the FA Women's Cup after showing great spirit to push the side from a higher level all the way.
The match was marred by a serious injury to FC United's Eve Kennerley, which saw her hospitalised after a delay of over an hour and half as the stricken midfielder, unable to be moved from the field, was tended by club staff and volunteers while awaiting the arrival of paramedics.
The full extent of the injury will no doubt be reported via official club channels as soon as known. In the meantime everyone associated with FC United extends their best wishes to Eve Kennerley for a full and complete recovery.
Brighouse had visited Broadhurst twice in recent years. In a previous FA Women’s Cup meeting in 2019, they reached the next round courtesy of a 5-1 win and, just a few months ago, won a pre-season meeting 6-0. The early exchanges suggested that a similarly resounding scoreline might be on the cards today as Embley hit a snap shot from the left side of the area that forced Chloe Ainsworth to make a standing save. Greene then went close from outside the area and Ainsworth had to save again when Watson came inside from the right to fire left footed straight at the FC keeper.
FC made a rare foray into the visitors’ half with Hartley seeing her shot blocked by Greene resulting in loud appeals for handball, which the referee waved away.
Ainsworth was becoming overworked at the other end with further saves. Needing two grabs to control a fierce effort from Gompertz before taking a looping shot from Greene and then coming off her line to block Woodruff who’d held off a challenge from Donelan to hit a shot on the run.
However the Reds’ keeper was unable to do anything to prevent Brighouse drawing first blood when a well-worked move ended with Sophie John finding the net from the right side of the area via a slight deflection off Abby Hunt.
FC United made a bright start to the second half in an effort to get back on terms. Rigby hit an apparently ambitious shot on the turn from outside the area but saw it fly only just over the bar. Shortly afterwards, Goodwin chased a ball into the right side of the area and managed to slide a low cross into the goalmouth to which Davies was just unable to apply a crucial touch.
There was little respite for Ainsworth though. The keeper made a point blank save from Greene unaware that the Brighouse player had been flagged offside. However an outstretched left foot to deny ex-FC favourite Cara Fields (not long on as a substitute) who’d gone clear on goal.
Events took a distressing turn however when Eve Kennerley and Brighouse’s Danielle Whitham tussled for the ball in midfield. It looked nothing out of the ordinary at first but saw the two players’ legs get in a tangle, which had catastrophic and audibly painful consequences for Kennerley. It was quickly determined that it would be unsafe to move the stricken FC player on the field and a wait of 45 minutes or so ensured, awaiting paramedics to arrive and a further 50 minutes for Kennerley to be treated on the pitch before making it safe to transfer her to the ambulance.
The home crowd showed admirable patience to stick with the game and encourage the Reds in their bid to find an equaliser in the 12 minutes that remained upon restarting. Kate O’Gara went close with an angled drive into the left hand side netting.
However Brighouse weren’t intent on sitting back and brought Ainsworth into action again to tip over a shot on the run from Havard.
There was a further stoppage of around five minutes when Lauren Davies appeared to take a blow to the back of the head in an aerial challenge that required a check for possible concussion.
A match that had started to seem as though it would never end finally saw Brighouse go through by the single goal but not before one last chance for the home side in the sixth minute of added-on time (discounting the lengthy break for Kennerley’s injury) when FC captain Kirsty Chambers made a break into the area but was crowded out. The ball broke for Kaylea Cunliffe who had no option but to shoot first time but her effort sailed over the bar.
by Phil Bradbury
FC Player of the game: Chloe Ainsworth
Referee: Charlotte Treharne
Assistants: Stephen Raynor & Stephen Clegg
Match photography by Mark Lee
Stats - courtesy of Paul Hinson (FC United first)
Shots on target: 2-12
Shots off target: 9-11
Free kicks: 8-7
Corners: 0-12
Offsides: 2-2
Yellow Cards: 0-0
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 264-296
Possession: 47%-53%
Battling Reds bow out to Brighouse
FC United suffered a narrow defeat to Brighouse Town in the First Round Proper of the FA Women's Cup after showing great spirit to push the side from a higher level all the way.
The match was marred by a serious injury to FC United's Eve Kennerley, which saw her hospitalised after a delay of over an hour and half as the stricken midfielder, unable to be moved from the field, was tended by club staff and volunteers while awaiting the arrival of paramedics.
The full extent of the injury will no doubt be reported via official club channels as soon as known. In the meantime everyone associated with FC United extends their best wishes to Eve Kennerley for a full and complete recovery.
Brighouse had visited Broadhurst twice in recent years. In a previous FA Women’s Cup meeting in 2019, they reached the next round courtesy of a 5-1 win and, just a few months ago, won a pre-season meeting 6-0. The early exchanges suggested that a similarly resounding scoreline might be on the cards today as Embley hit a snap shot from the left side of the area that forced Chloe Ainsworth to make a standing save. Greene then went close from outside the area and Ainsworth had to save again when Watson came inside from the right to fire left footed straight at the FC keeper.
FC made a rare foray into the visitors’ half with Hartley seeing her shot blocked by Greene resulting in loud appeals for handball, which the referee waved away.
Ainsworth was becoming overworked at the other end with further saves. Needing two grabs to control a fierce effort from Gompertz before taking a looping shot from Greene and then coming off her line to block Woodruff who’d held off a challenge from Donelan to hit a shot on the run.
However the Reds’ keeper was unable to do anything to prevent Brighouse drawing first blood when a well-worked move ended with Sophie John finding the net from the right side of the area via a slight deflection off Abby Hunt.
FC United made a bright start to the second half in an effort to get back on terms. Rigby hit an apparently ambitious shot on the turn from outside the area but saw it fly only just over the bar. Shortly afterwards, Goodwin chased a ball into the right side of the area and managed to slide a low cross into the goalmouth to which Davies was just unable to apply a crucial touch.
There was little respite for Ainsworth though. The keeper made a point blank save from Greene unaware that the Brighouse player had been flagged offside. However an outstretched left foot to deny ex-FC favourite Cara Fields (not long on as a substitute) who’d gone clear on goal.
Events took a distressing turn however when Eve Kennerley and Brighouse’s Danielle Whitham tussled for the ball in midfield. It looked nothing out of the ordinary at first but saw the two players’ legs get in a tangle, which had catastrophic and audibly painful consequences for Kennerley. It was quickly determined that it would be unsafe to move the stricken FC player on the field and a wait of 45 minutes or so ensured, awaiting paramedics to arrive and a further 50 minutes for Kennerley to be treated on the pitch before making it safe to transfer her to the ambulance.
The home crowd showed admirable patience to stick with the game and encourage the Reds in their bid to find an equaliser in the 12 minutes that remained upon restarting. Kate O’Gara went close with an angled drive into the left hand side netting.
However Brighouse weren’t intent on sitting back and brought Ainsworth into action again to tip over a shot on the run from Havard.
There was a further stoppage of around five minutes when Lauren Davies appeared to take a blow to the back of the head in an aerial challenge that required a check for possible concussion.
A match that had started to seem as though it would never end finally saw Brighouse go through by the single goal but not before one last chance for the home side in the sixth minute of added-on time (discounting the lengthy break for Kennerley’s injury) when FC captain Kirsty Chambers made a break into the area but was crowded out. The ball broke for Kaylea Cunliffe who had no option but to shoot first time but her effort sailed over the bar.
by Phil Bradbury
FC Player of the game: Chloe Ainsworth
Referee: Charlotte Treharne
Assistants: Stephen Raynor & Stephen Clegg
Match photography by Mark Lee
Stats - courtesy of Paul Hinson (FC United first)
Shots on target: 2-12
Shots off target: 9-11
Free kicks: 8-7
Corners: 0-12
Offsides: 2-2
Yellow Cards: 0-0
Red Cards: 0-0
Passes: 264-296
Possession: 47%-53%
