Argyle Community Trust
ARGYLE Ladies headed for the capital bereft of several key players and, despite giving a spirited performance, ultimately bowed out of the FA Women’s Premier League Cup to a very good Tottenham Hotspur side.
On a warm afternoon in Cheshunt, despite being underdogs, Argyle gave as good as they got in the early exchanges and fashioned the first clear-cut chance when Kayley Lane played in Ezme Wells but the young winger fired her shot straight at the Tottenham keeper.
As the home side began to exert pressure on the Argyle defence, with both their wide players looking very lively, they went close to opening the scoring when Jenny Moore rose unmarked from a corner but headed narrowly over the bar.
Argyle Ladies failed to heed the warning signs and from the next corner in the 17th minute, Jenny Moore was again afforded too much room inside the Argyle penalty area and volleyed home from close-range to give Tottenham the lead.
Three minutes later, Michaela Phillips did well to save a rasping drive from Tottenham’s Mollie Kmita but was helpless to prevent the hosts increasing their lead in the 24th minute when Maya Vio came on to a clearance and fired the ball into the top corner of the Argyle net from all of 25 yards.
Ellana Moseley was unlucky not to reduce the arrears in the 38th minute when she latched onto Ellie Dorey’s cross but her well-struck volley was straight at the Tottenham keeper Toni Wayne and almost immediately, Tottenham broke away down the left with Leanne Rawle outpacing Dani Salt to cross hard and low for Avilla Bergin to make it 3-0.
On the stroke of half time, Katie Middleton almost pulled a goal back, but saw her looping header from a Becky Atkins corner, once again saved by the Tottenham keeper.
At 3-0 down and with nothing to lose, Argyle gave it a good go in the second half, whilst also defending doggedly and were unlucky with a couple of half chances for Becky Atkins and Ellie Dorey but conceded a fourth goal in the 79th minute when the lively Leanne Rawle nipped in behind the Argyle defence to slot the ball past Michaela Phillips.
Argyle kept plugging away and their persistence was rewarded in the final minute when Phoebe Baker played in Kayley Lane who rounded the Tottenham keeper to score a consolation goal their hard work had deserved.
A philosophical Argyle manager, Kevin Taylor, was left to ponder the fact that despite playing well and defending much better than the previous week, his side were well beaten by a very useful Tottenham side and out of the League Cup for another year.
“Whilst it’s never nice to lose, it’s a little easier to digest if you know that the players have given their all and just been beaten by a better side”, said Taylor.
“Due to a number of players missing, we had one or two girls playing out of position today, in particular, Dani Salt and Jodie Chubb, and I can’t praise them enough for their hard work and endeavour, despite facing very good opponents and ultimately losing the game.
“We’ve faced most of the top sides in this League over the past four or five weeks and have another difficult one at home to current champions Portsmouth next Sunday, but we must take the positives from the Tottenham game, work hard in training on the elements of the game where we are falling short and look to improve.”
