Page 12 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.32 2021-22

Basingstoke’s shootout joy

Basingstoke Town 2 Gosport Borough 2
(Basingstoke won on penalties)
Basingstoke Town claimed the Hampshire County
Women and Girls League Junior Cup by way of a penalty
shootout after an exciting 2 -2 draw with Gosport
Borough.
In a battle of the Division Three and Division Four
champions, it was the higher ranked team who won
through but not without a major struggle, having trailed
by two goals at the break to a vibrant Borough,
Gosport opened the scoring through a fine finish
from Phe Osborn on 11 minutes. Fran Derbyshire nearly
added a second on her 100th appearance for Gosport
with a shot from distance which struck the underside of
the bar before bouncing clear, however the second was
not long delayed as Jodie Goodhall converted a penalty
awarded for handball on 20 minutes.
Basingstoke had done their fair share of attacking Charlotte Hull slides in to tacjkle Emily Styler
in a lively encounter but were not able to finish their (www.jamesprickett.co.uk).
moves and therefore went into the break trailing by two
goals to nil.
The Division Three champions pushed hard after the break and gained their reward on
58 minutes with a finely taken goal from 15 yards by Dot Usher. Kate Randell was denied an
equaliser by a fine save but was successful on 71 minutes with a close range finish to level things
up.
Basingstoke dominated the last twenty minutes with a succession of long range efforts
and dangerous set pieces but could not complete a comeback victory in normal time as the tie
went to penalties.
With the shootout poised at two successful conversions apiece, it was Basingstoke's
keeper Erin Davis-Donne who made the difference with a couple of fine saves to ensure her
team lifted the Junior Cup.
A large and enthusiastic crowd made this final a real spectacle, obviously helped by the
venue being Basingstoke's home ground but with a strong contingent from Gosport adding to
the sense of occasion and encouraged both sets of players to give their all.
Basingstoke Town: Erin Davis-Donne, Emma Broughton, Hannah Cook, April Charlton,
Lauren Armitage, Michelle Beverley, Carla
Mullan, Beth Lowe, Dot Usher, Charlotte
Hull, Kate Randall. Subs: Lindsey Wilson,
Katie Hindmarsh, Alice Weaving, Robyn
Kelly, Chelsea Pennock.
Gosport Borough: Lisa Taylor, Robyn
Standley-Gray, Claire Butler, Fran
Derbyshire, Sammy McIlroy, Aleisha
Gratton, Emily Styler, Charlotte Lindsey, Phe
Osborn, Rachel Wilson, Jodie Goodhall. Subs:
Belen Gonzalez, Lisa Mills, Liz Morgan, Kim
Hier.
(Report by Patrick Higgins)
Issue no. 32 - 28 April 2022 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk