Shootout win for Women’s Under-21s after action-packed game against Brighton

Our Women’s Under-21s kicked off the second phase of the Professional Game Academy League with a penalty shootout victory at Brighton on Wednesday afternoon.

It was an action-packed second half against the Seagulls as the game finished 2-2 in normal time and, while both sides will earn a point, we won the shootout 4-2 to earn an extra point in the opening game of our campaign in Division Two, with Ruby Gaitley, who completed her first 90 minutes of the season after coming back from injury, converting the winning spot-kick.

Brighton took the lead in the first half and doubled their advantage minutes after the break, but Nick Hardy’s side halved the deficit just before the hour mark as substitute Eloise Hall found the back of the net before defender Beatrice Cunnison grabbed the equaliser four minutes later.

The visitors broke the deadlock on 21 minutes as Evie Milner raced behind our backline and advanced into the box and, despite the best efforts of the on-rushing Erin Radbourne, her effort sneaked in at the near post.

Brighton doubled their advantage just eight minutes after the break as Libby Hester’s cross was taken down inside the box and, while Grace Breen did well to get the initial block in, the ball fell to May Balmer and she fired her effort into the roof the net.

It didn’t take long for Hardy’s side to respond as, four minutes later, Maia Lazaro won the ball back on the right-hand side and advanced towards the edge of the box, slipping the ball into the feet of Hall and she slotted home from close range to halve the deficit.

Then, just after the hour mark, we found the equaliser as a short corner routine on the right saw Zara Bailey delivered a cross to the back post and, although Silvana Marshall-Miranda got a strong hand on the ball, Cunnison was in the right place to tap home from point-blank range.

After either side failed to find a winner in the closing stages, the spoils were shared and a penalty shootout ensued for an extra point. Hall was denied by Marshall-Miranda in the first spot-kick and allowed Brighton to take an advantage in the shootout, but a double penalty save from Radbourne put us back on level terms and Gaitley converted the winning spot-kick to get us off to a positive start in the Professional Game Academy League Division Two.

"It’s a pleasing way to start the second phase of the competition"

Reflecting on the game, Hardy said: “It’s a pleasing way to start the second phase of the competition. I was keen not to raise that point ahead of the game, however, that was kind of the parting message following the penalty shootout and we know this is going to be a competitive league, but it’s a division where we feel we can really compete at the top end of it. The belief in the group is really good and the players are adding and developing things to their game all the time, so we’ll continue to get better and will take this positive outcome into a really competitive environment, hopefully kick on even further."

Penalty shootout

Spurs – Hall – saved

Brighton – scored

Spurs – McMaster – scored

Brighton – scored

Spurs – Fuller-Fagan – scored

Brighton – saved

Spurs – Pierre – scored

Brighton – saved

Spurs – Gaitley – scored