Williams strikes again as Spurs Women reach last eight of Conti Cup

Rachel Williams struck her second winner this week to send Spurs Women through to the quarter-finals of the FA Women's Continental League Cup thanks to a 3-2 victory against Coventry United on Wednesday night.

Match winner against Villa in the FA Barclays Women's Super League on Sunday, Williams came off the bench on the hour and was there when it mattered again, this time heading home from Josie Green's cross for 3-2 with only two minutes remaining.

Only needing a point to go through to the last eight after two wins in two in Group C - including the huge 11-0 victory against Watford - we were made to fight all the way by the Championship side at Butts Park Arena.

It didn't look that way at half-time after we'd dominated the first half and led 2-0 thanks to goals from Esther Morgan and Angela Addison. However, Coventry, who came into the game with successive wins after a tough campaign so far, pulled a goal back through Destiney Toussaint three minutes into the second half and equalised through Rio Hardy's piledriver on 77. It could have gone either way at that point, but Williams delivered again. The quarter-finals - yet to be drawn - will take place in January.

Rehanne Skinner made nine changes to the team that started at Villa. Skipper Shelina Zadorsky and Kerys Harrop remained in the line-up, goalkeeper Becky Spencer and Jiali Tang returned from injury and there was a first start for Isabella Lane, the Academy graduate who recently scored on her debut off the bench in this competition against Watford. 'Izzy' impressed, and made an early impact.

It was pretty much one-way traffic in the first half. Addison went close with a header from Tang's cross and it was soon 1-0 as Lane darted down the right and picked out her opposite wing-back Morgan just inside the box, she produced a superb finish, a clean, first-time strike that flew past Olivia Clark.

A host of chances and near misses followed - Tang just wide from Harrop's pass, Chioma Ubogagu from 25 yards, Rosella Ayane curled wide from the edge of the box, Addison fired wide after a one-two with Ubogagu - until Addison added the second goal on 29 minutes. Morgan this time turned provider, a pinpoint cross headed down and home by Addison from 10 yards.

Tang's cross bounced back off the crossbar on 33 minutes and 10 minutes later, Spencer made her first save after Hardy's break and curler from the left angle.

Rehanne made changes at half-time with Scarlett Williams introduced for her debut alongside Maeva Clemaron, the pair replacing Zadorski and Harrop. Williams came into the back three, where she was joined by Morgan, with Addison switching to the left.

The home side struck back at the start of the second half. Spencer came out of her area to meet a ball over the top, Destiney Toussaint nicked the ball off her and planted into the empty net from 25 yards.

Olivia Fergusson followed up with a 25-yard tester for Spencer but we looked to have regained control over the next 25 minutes as Josie Green rattled the crossbar, Lane drilled wide and Clark denied Ayane one-on-one after she was released from halfway by Addison.

Coventry continued to push though and were rewarded on 77 minutes when Hardy followed up Toussaint's press and simply smashed the ball into the top corner from 25 yards.

Under pressure for a few minutes, we regained our composure and pressed for a winner. Clemaron's controlled effort from 25 yards beat Clark but rebounded out off the underside of the crossbar on 87 minutes. A minute later, the winner. Green's corner initially found Asmita Ale, her shot was blocked, Williams poked the loose ball back out to Green who this time delivered the type of cross all forwards thrive on - and Williams was there to make it count.

'We’re all positive in what we want to do'

The evening certainly ticked a few boxes for Head Coach Rehanne, who told us: "We had to battle and deal with a lot of different problems and, essentially, fair play to them for getting themselves back into the game again after we went 2-0 up. Look, we got a little sloppy at times but, for us, a couple of young players got a lot of minutes, Izzy Lane played a full 90, that’s fantastic, getting Scarlett Williams on for the first time has given her valuable experience moving forward. We’re all positive in what we want to do, and that’s helped us get a win tonight. Everyone has got through the game really well and we’re in a good position with everyone getting minutes ahead of the weekend."

Match data

Goals: Spurs - Morgan 9, Addison 29, Williams 88; Coventry United - Troussaint 48, Hardy 77.

Yellow cards: Coventry United - Georgiou 31.

Venue: Butts Park Arena, Coventry.

Weather: Mild, 10 degrees at kick-off.