Sherborne Town Ladies v Weymouth Women 1st

Recap

Sherborne Town 3
Jacks 25′ 30′ Paynter P 88′

Weymouth 1
Screen 55′

Dorset Women’s Cup Quarter Final (21/01/24)

Weymouth put up a strong fight but ultimately fell just short as their premier division hosts edged through to the semi finals of the county cup.

The Terras were missing Lucy Roberts through illness, and Annie Redding was only fit enough for a place on the bench having also been struck down with illness.

With the wind behind them in the first half, Sherborne looked to make a fast start, and Kate Chard was called into action inside the first minute to block a shot behind for a corner.

Sherborne saw plenty of early possession but Weymouth remained organised and limited to Sherborne to few real opportunities in the opening 20 minutes.

The Terras had their first chance of the match on 23 minutes when the energetic Ellia Webb forced a defensive error and intercepted a back-pass, but her touch took her wide and she could only shoot in the side netting.

It was a let off for the home side, and they took full advantage by taking the lead a minute later. A cross was only half cleared to the edge of the box and was picked up by Elisha Jacks who picked her spot well – finding the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Jacks then doubled her and Sherborne’s tally on the half hour mark with a long range effort which just dipped under the crossbar beyond the reach of Chard.

Sherborne continued to apply pressure and the Terras were thankful to Chard for making a couple of saves, and also to a last ditch challenge just before half time.

The Terras had the strong wind behind them after the break and they began the second half on the front foot – hassling the home side and forcing mistakes.

Ellia Webb was Weymouth’s driving force. After seeing an early cross intercepted before it could reach Clark, she curled an effort narrowly wide of the mark on 54 minutes after Standen’s free kick was only half cleared.

But on 55 minutes, Webb’s industry was rewarded. She forced another defensive mistake and the ball broke for Clark who teed up Emily Screen who hit a powerful strike into the top corner from the edge of the box to get the Terras back into the game.

Sherborne nearly restored their 2 goal cushion immediately but they were thwarted by a diving save from Chard.

Weymouth went close to equalising on 71 minutes when Standen’s cross fell for Screen who fired over the bar. Weymouth were really in the ascendancy by now though, and 4 minutes later they went close again, this time Thornicroft curling one narrowly wide of the mark on the turn on the edge of the box.

Sherborne then counter-attacked and Weymouth were indebted to Emma Potter for making a crucial block on the goal line.

Going into the final 10 minutes, Weymouth began to commit more bodies forwards in search of an equaliser. Standen had a shot from the edge of the D which whistled just wide of the post, before on 82 minutes, Weymouth thought they’d equalised. Webb found the bottom corner with a lovely curling strike from the corner of the box, but then after a lenghty consultation with the linesman, the referee disallowed the goal.

Undetered, the Terras continued to attack. Next it was the turn of Hannah Fowler to try her luck, and her effort had the home goalkeeper scrambling across her goal but no doubt breathing a sigh of releif when the ball bounced just the other side of the post.

With just minutes to go and Weymouth throwing more bodies forwards, the game became stretched and Sherborne began to have chances on the break. Potter was on hand to make what was almost certainly a goal saving block on 86 minutes, but on 88 minutes Weymouth were caught on the counter-attack again and a desperate challenge from Lauren Ellis left the referee with no option but to award Sherborne a spot kick. Sacha Paynter duly converted to seal Sherborne’s passage into the semi finals.

Despite the obvious disappointment at losing, the Terras could hold their heads high. They put in a fantastic battling performance and pushed a side chasing promotion to step 4 all the way. Ultimately Sherborne’s extra quality in front of goal proved decisive.

The Terras will look to take that performance back into league action next week when they face near neighbours Ridgeway.

In the Dorset league, Weymouth’s development team showed good character and fighting spirit to recover from coneding 2 early goals to eventually draw 3-3 with Bournemouth Manor. Zara Hunt bagged a brace and Laura Seymour was also on the scoresheet for Weymouth. They host Longfleet Lionesses next week.

Terras starting XI: Chard, Potter, Standen, Ellis, Screen, Thornicroft, Wilson, Billing, Webb, Fowler, Davis. Subs – Clark, Redding, Perry.

First team player of the match – Ellia Webb

Development team player of the match – Laura Seymour