Ladies earn late win against QPR

Three late goals saw the Spurs Ladies make a quick return to winning ways against Queens Park Rangers at Cheshunt on Wednesday night (October 5).

Following Sunday’s 1-1 draw with C&K Basildon, which represented the first time the Ladies have dropped points this season, it was an instinctive finish from Bianca Baptiste after Eartha Pond’s penalty was saved that saw the deadlock broken.

Substitute Pond then atoned for her spot kick slip-up with two outstanding strikes in stoppage time to seal the points in the FA Women's Premier League South.

GOAL - @_ESP_2012 makes it 3-0 for @ThlfcOfficial with yet another worldie! #COYS#SpursLadiespic.twitter.com/KrZS4MsZq6

— Ryan Richards (@richarya) 5 October 2016

Match report

Spurs Ladies 3-0 Queens Park Rangers
FA Women’s Premier League South

Report by Khalid Karimullah at Cheshunt FC, Theobalds Lane.
Photographs with thanks to Wu’s Photography

Spurs Ladies’ persistence paid dividends against Queens Park Rangers at Cheshunt FC’s Theobalds Lane following a spell of three goals in the last 15 minutes which keeps their unbeaten run intact.

Karen Hills’ side came out of the blocks flying. Kelley Blanchflower and Nikita Whinnett combined out on the left flank as the latter found Bianca Baptiste charging towards the near post before forcing a vital clearance from Mariko Engels. Baptiste hit the post with her followed-up corner and Josie Green burst forward finding Whinnett again hogging the sideline, whose teasing cross came within inches of being met by Blanchflower.

Another Whinnett cross was met on the volley by Baptiste inside the area who was denied by Callie Neat’s fingertips. Shannon Moloney made her presence known on the right flank, giving Renee Hector and Sophie Mclean options in the final-third, with her guided deep passes to the channel continually stretching the visitors’ back four.

Neat kept out Blanchflower’s 20-yard strike on the turn and she was left frustrated again after her 25-yard attempt, bound for the top corner, was clawed away. Hector’s driving free-kick cannoned back off the crossbar before Baptiste found Wendy Martin on the counter whose low strike was kept out by Neat.

Baptiste’s side-footed lob from inside left finally beat Neat, but not the off-side flag as the linesman was quick to rule out her stunning finish. Then, with the goal gaping, nobody was able to connect with Green’s teasing free-kick before the break.

A similar pattern continued as the game went on – Baptiste broke away for a one-on-one but was denied by the legs of Neat, Eartha Pond’s introduction saw Alex Keown head her corner just wide, and Baptiste was again left frustrated by Neat who kept out her placed attempt from close range.

Cheryl Williams’ floated cross was headed over by Lucia Leon, Williams’ half-volley was blocked near the line by Engels while Martin’s poked attempt was cleared by Micaela Lopes. Martin played through Whinnett this time who curled over.

With 79 minutes on the clock, Martin gathered Whinnett’s cross looking for the near corner, forcing a handball from Ashleigh Harte. Pond went for power from the spot and was denied by Neat, but the stopper couldn’t keep out Baptiste, who pounced on the rebound for the breakthrough.

Martin headed Pond’s cross against the post before, on the stroke of 90 minutes, Pond rocketed a thunderous precision strike across Neat and into the top corner. She made no mistake with the third either, as a near 30-yard screamer found its way into the opposite corner of the net.

Spurs Ladies: Toni-Anne Wayne, Shannon Moloney (Eartha Pond 51), Alex Keown, Renne Hector, Lucia Leon, Josie Green, Sophie Mclean, Wendy Martin, Kelley Blanchflower (Cheryl Williams 59), Bianca Baptiste, Nikita Whinnett. Substitutes (not used): Megen Lynch, Maya Vio, Jenna Schillaci.