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FC United Women beat Uppermill to reach Challenge Cup final

On neutral territory at Our Lady’s Sports Centre, Blackley, FC United Women’s bid for more silverware continued apace with a 6-1 semi final victory over Division 2 champions, Uppermill Ladies last Sunday.

A close first half ended 2-1 with a Feiruz Abdullahi quick fire birthday brace inside 10 minutes only for Uppermill Captain, Gemma Adderley-Huey, to halve the deficit. The first goal of the second half was to prove all-important and Amy Battel duly obliged for the reds as United took control of the game. Shellby Wolstencroft scored a stunning double and Captain Kirsty Chambers rounded off the goals with a solo effort ten minutes from time.

Uppermill got the game underway in bright, breezy conditions on a rock hard pitch despite overnight rain and it was United who created the early opportunities winning a corner on two minutes that Chambers floated beyond the far post where Wolstencroft, under pressure from the defence, headed just over Emma Burns’ bar. From the ensuing goal kick, Chelsea Patient won an aerial duel heading the ball forward to Shauna Ward who placed a perfect pass into the path of Abdullahi. The striker, cutting in from the left, beat the offside trap and slotted the ball across Burns and in at the far post to open the scoring on three minutes.

Uppermill responded well and earned a free kick midway into United territory on the right that was swept in by their captain with player/manager, Caroline Pinches only half connecting with the cross leading to a comfortable catch for Mary Priestner in the FC goal. Priestner launched United straight on the counter attack and Chambers won a throw down by the left corner flag that she took quickly along the bye line where Abdullahi showed stunning awareness to lob the keeper from a near impossible angle to double the lead and her own tally on her birthday.

In arguably the move of the half just two minutes later, Abdullahi almost had her hatrick as Chambers picked up the ball in her own half and burst down the left out pacing three Blue shirts and crossing perfectly for the striker to side foot past the keeper first time only to be denied by the upright.

Uppermill, stoic in their defence, looked to press United higher up the pitch and lacking the pace up front to get behind the Reds’ defence you felt that their best chances would come from set pieces inside United territory. So it proved on 23 minutes when they pressed a poor back pass that was only half cleared leading to United conceding a free kick on the Uppermill left 30 yards from goal. Up stepped captain, Adderley-Huey who powerfully projected her shot directly towards Priestner’s goal as it dipped over the United keeper and into the top corner to halve the deficit.

Chances were limited for both sides in the remainder of the first half as Charlie Evans worked a short corner with Chambers whose effort struck the bar whilst at the other end another Adderley-Huey free kick was eventually cleared by Patient and the reds held their slender advantage going into the break.

The warning signs from the Uppermill skipper were there once again at the start of the second half as the Blues won a free kick on the edge of the area that Adderley- Huey floated over the wall and only narrowly over the bar. United responded well and not long before the hour, Chambers directed a second successive corner towards the near post where Amy Battel rose highest to head home unchallenged from six yards to restore a two goal cushion.

Uppermill weren’t finished and maintained their pressing tactics which resulted in Pinches firing wide after a persistent build up whilst at the other end Chambers fed a pass through to Aimee Cooke who narrowly lost out to Burns who raced from her line to clear the danger at the last moment as United looked to put the game out of sight.

On 66 minutes they once again breached a resilient Uppermill defence with a stroke of genius and class from Wolstencroft. The Number nine received a sharp pass from Jess Tonge with her back to goal just outside the area, turned, made space despite close attention from two defenders and arrowed her shot unerringly into the top corner giving the excellent Burns no chance whatsoever. The striker made it 5-1 minutes later as she skilfully guided a volley across Burns from six yards following a pinpoint cross from Chambers.

It was the captain herself who after three assists, fittingly completed the scoring with ten minutes to go driving from deep cutting in from the right and despite the close attentions of Holly Johnson at the heart of Uppermill’s defence, fired low and true from 18 yards. United largely controlled and closed out the game and despite the scoreline Uppermill, United’s first competitive opponents back in 2012, deserve a lot of credit and we congratulate them on their Division 2 title and wish them all the best for next season.

With Division 1’s Beechfield United narrowly losing out to Division 2’s Little Lever Sports Club on the adjacent pitch, United will meet Little Lever for the first time in their history in the Challenge Cup Final to be held at Salford City’s Moor Lane on Sunday 10th May with a 2pm kick off. It’s then back to Our Lady’s the following week for the Division 1 League Cup semi-final against league rivals Chorltonians LFC. Keep this fantastic season going and get behind the team as they tilt for a possible treble.

Report by Rob Fullen

Player of the game: Shellby Wolstencroft – a hard working, skilful performance in midfield supporting Feiruz in the first half and up top alone second half scoring two impressive goals.

Teams 26 April 2015: Attendance: 46

FC United of Manchester Women: 6 (2)
1. Mary Priestner (Goal Keeper)
4. Aimee Cooke (Right Back)
3. Nicole Worthington (centre half)
5. Chelsea Patient (centre half)
12. Jess Tonge (left back)
16. Charlie Evans (right midfield)
18. Leah Hartshorne (centre midfield)
6. Shauna Ward (centre midfield)
9. Shellby Wolstencroft (centre midfield) (Goals 66, 73mins)
11. Kirsty Chambers (Captain, left midfield) (Goal 80 mins)
14. Feiruz Abdullahi (centre forward) (Goals 3, 10 mins)
Subs:
1. Chloe Williams (for No1 83mins)
2. Amy Battel (for No16 46mins) (Goal 57 mins)
8. Adora Yau (for No14 38mins)
17. Jess McCarrick (for No5 46mins)
Roll on Roll off changes:
Off No4 on No16 83mins

Uppermill Ladies: 1 (1)
1. Emma Burns
4. Rio Simic
5. Holly Johnson
10. Gemma Adderley-Huey (Captain) (Goal 23 mins)
16. Sam Shepherd
9. Caroline Pinches (Player Manager)
12. Joanne Curran
6. Amy Howard
17. Sophie O’Brien
7. Ashleigh Jackson
19. Rebecca Fox
Subs:
2. Rachel Cummins (for No17 15mins)
14. Rebecca Radcliffe (for No 12 67mins)
8. Rebecca Anderson (not used)

Referee: William Slinger
Venue: Our Lady’s Sports Centre, Blackley.



First Posted ~ 08:57 Wed 29 Apr 2015
News ID ~ 6180
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021