Women’s Under-21s impress in season opener despite defeat at Arsenal

Our Women’s Under-21s delivered a spirited away performance despite losing out 4-2 to Arsenal in their Professional Game Academy League opener on Wednesday afternoon.

Ruby Seaby put the hosts ahead at Hemel Hempstead’s Vauxhall Road, but a hard-fought first-half display which brought a superb strike from Cruz Fuller-Fagan and a composed finish from Rania Oukriss saw us head into the break with a 2-1 advantage. However, two goals in five minutes in the second half reinstated Arsenal's lead before Jessie Gale secured the win for the home side in our first game of the 2024/25 season.

It was a positive start for us in the opening stages, Fuller-Fagan raced behind the hosts’ backline but could only direct her effort into the side-netting while, at the other end, Erin Radbourne produced a good save with her feet to deny Gale.

Maia Lazaro was an early substitute, replacing Jess Winstone-Adair, and she forced Arsenal goalkeeper Hope McSheffery into a low save down to her right but, despite our strong start, it was the Gunners who opened the scoring on 21 minutes as Seaby calmly slotted past Radbourne.

We responded well and grabbed an equaliser just after the half-hour mark with Fuller-Fagan curling a left-footed effort into the far corner after Jehanaie Pierre saw her initial shot blocked. Then, two minutes before the break, Rania Oukriss fired us ahead as a low pass from Kendra Brown found the midfielder on the left area of the box and her strike found the back of the net at the near-post.

The hosts brought the scores level nine minutes into the second half as Seaby bundled home a cross from close range and, four minutes later, they reinstated their lead, with Kyra Teer-Hutchins firing low into the bottom corner.

Radbourne produced an outstanding save on 66 minutes, tipping Junaid Omotara's curling effort over the bar, however, from the resulting corner, Gale reacted the quickest to send her half-volley into the back of the net. We searched for a way back into the game, Pierre’s cross being cleared off the line while she saw a free-kick from the far right-hand side sail over the bar, but we couldn’t carve out any clear-cut opportunities in the final stages as Arsenal claimed the three points on the opening day.

"It's a good opportunity to assess where we are now"

Reflecting on the game, Nick Hardy said: "It's always a tough game to start the season, in terms of the opposition, where they are in their programme and what comes with playing against Arsenal with all the emotions and everything. There were some really positive stuff to take from the game, it was a pleasing first 45 minutes and, based on the final scoreline, you can assume it was slightly different in the second half, they were a lot more aggressive and we conceded in quick succession. The players have already reflected well after the game on what was good and what could have been better, but we are here to improve and trying to always learn, on and off the pitch. As I mentioned, this fixture is one of the toughest test wherever it comes in the calendar, so it's a good opportunity to assess where we are now and continue to move forward ahead of next week."