Ladies successfully start the defence of the league cup

United started the defence of their League cup against Basingstoke Town, a team they were facing for the sixth time in eighteen competitive fixtures, and as with the recent league match it needed a late United goal to separate the teams.

Woodley started the stronger with the lively Laura Woodley initially finding Jess Grimmett who shot wide from twenty yards after five minutes before Woodley opened the scoring two minutes later when she beat Basingstoke’s Erin Davis at her near post following good approach play and a pass from Sarah Davern.

Town responded well and enjoyed good possession as the visitors played deep in their own half and deservedly equalised on twenty minutes. A free kick on the half way line was played to Town’s left flank where the resulting cross was met at the far post by Katie Randell

The remained of the half was a stalemate befitting two sides who were familiar with one another and the best chances United created were on twenty three minutes when Jo Walsh-Perks fired a free kick straight at Davis and Woodley over ran a pass from Ranai Bird with just Davis to beat.

The visitors started the second half with greater tempo with Bird firing wide before Woodley was fouled in the penalty area and Walsh-Perks restored the lead from the penalty spot on forty seven minutes.

However, the lead was short lived when after surviving a penalty claim against Sab Kulan , United conceded when Sam Mosley broke free of the defence and calmly passed the ball past Lisa Phillips, in the visitor’s goal.

Again the match stagnated into a nervous affair as it looked likely one further goal would be the decisive one and with Kirsty Parfitt being positive in her runs on the left flank and Bird’s movement it always looked more likely it would be United, as was proved the case on eight eighty minutes when Bird converted Grimmett’s cross.

United safely saw out the four minutes stoppage time and visit Oxford City in the second round.