Barnet FC Ladies retain Senior Cup
Queens Park Rangers lined up as follows: Eartha Pond, Jeta Bytyqi, Kat McKenna, Sarah Staples, Lorna Gover, Jade Dempster (capt), Kim Meadows, Elly Maggs, Laura Cooper, Sophie Fogarty and Kasha Petit.
Substitutes: Rona Ishmael for Jeta Bytyqi (63 mins), Kirsten Thomson for Kim Meadows (79), Kirsten Walker for Sarah Staples (120). Sophie Cheadle and Katie O’Leary were not called upon.
Manager: Martino Chevannes Assistant Manager: Tony Smith Coach: Miguel De’Souza Physio: Justin Hill.
Barnet started with: Megan Worthington, Lois Colley, Vanna Lee, Aoife Hurley, Leanne Reidy, Gemma Rudman, Chontelle Lawrence, Jess Trimnell (capt), Stacey Sowden, Laura Miller and Holly Sandow.
Substitutes: Helen King for Laura Miller (56 mins). Renata Inniss, Andrea Georgiou, Beth Overton and Charlotte Herson were not used.
Manager: Lydia Bedford Coach: Jon Whittingham Physio: Pawel Panek.
Rangers suffered a blow before kick off when influential striker, Katie O’Leary was injured in the pre-match warm up. They were already without injured goalkeeper, Sophie Cheadle, who was replaced between the posts by midfielder, Eartha Pond.
After a cagey midfield start, QPR were the first to test either keeper. In the 9th Minute, Kasha Petit’s astute through ball seemed to have set up Kim Meadows. However, Barnet keeper Megan Worthington, a product of the Middlesex FA Centre of Excellence deputising for the injured Cherie Rowlands, beat Kim to the ball.
Barnet took the lead less than a minute later. Holly Sandow’s superb diagonal pass released experienced striker, Stacey Sowden. Stacey rapidly made ground before hitting an unstoppable ground shot into the bottom corner of Eartha Pond’s net.
Two minutes afterwards, Eartha made a good save from a volley by Vanna Lee, another of several graduates of the MCFA Centre of Excellence in the Barnet side.
In the 29th minute a shot on the turn from 25 yards by Barnet’s prominent midfielder, Holly Sandow whistled just wide but Rangers were now starting to dominate the game. Megan was being called into action more frequently and did well to thwart Kim Meadows, who looked set to score.
QPR’s equaliser in the 35th minute was no surprise. Sophie Fogarty released Kasha Petit with a superb pass. Kasha took the ball through the middle, outpacing the defence and coolly slipped it past the advancing keeper.
Rangers kept the pressure on the Barnet rearguard for the remainder of the half. The experience of Barnet central defensive pairing of Leanne Reidy and Gemma Rudman was particularly critical during this period of play.
However, the Bees survived some very worrying moments in the 4 minutes of added time. Elly Maggs volleyed narrowly wide. Sophie Fogarty outpaced the defence and forced Vanna Lee to clear off of the goalline. Then another scramble in the Barnet goalmouth led to another shot being scraped off of the line for Sophie to hit the rebound high over the bar.
Half time score: Queens Park Rangers 1 Barnet 1
Barnet got back into the match and regained the lead after 64 minutes. Eartha Pond saved Holly Sandow’s long free kick but could not hold it. In the resultant goalmouth melee the ball eventually came out to Leanne Reidy, on the edge of the penalty area. Leanne blasted the ball spectacularly into the roof of the net for her only goal within living memory.
Barnet almost increased their lead 3 minutes later. Elly Maggs hooked the ball off of her goal line after Chontelle Lawrence had beaten Eartha to the ball and had slipped it past her.
The Bees had further chances to sew up the match. Chontelle won the ball and forced herself into a shooting position. However, Eartha finger tipped her shot onto the post and then managed to scramble back to recover the rebound, which was rolling along the goal line. Then, a minute later a cross from Holly Sandow reached Chontelle via a defender but her shot just cleared the bar.
However, QPR equalised in the 89th minute. Eartha left her goal to take a free kick from a central position just outside the Barnet penalty area. She blasted the ball high towards the goal and although Megan Worthington got to the ball she couldn’t keep it out.
Score at 90 minutes: Queens Park Rangers 2 Barnet 2
Extra time saw a hard fought midfield battle with neither side seemingly able to penetrate the opposing defence. However, in the 119th minute, Barnet striker Stacey Sowden broke clear down the right. Stacey’s low cross was converted from close range by skipper Jess Trimnell.
Rangers then had a great chance to equalise for the third time in the match. Laura Cooper set up Sarah Staples, who made ground through the middle but drove her shot wide.
Final score: Queens Park Rangers 2 Barnet 3
Referee, Steve Williams refereed the match in an exemplary manner. He was well supported by his Assistant Referees, Dave Reader and Lee Randall and Fourth Official, Argen Babakhanlou.
Guest of Honour, County Past President and Board Member, Derek Mennell, who presented the trophy and mementoes after the game, selected Barnet’s Holly Sandow as Player of the Match.
The attendance was 148. Our thanks are due once more to Uxbridge FC for the use of their excellent facilities.
Jim Taylor
