SRWFL League Cup Final.
Sunday was the annual finals day in the Southern Region Women’s Football League, with both the Chairman’s Cup and League Cup reaching their conclusions at a sunny and warm Rivermoor Stadium in Reading.
The second, kicking off at 3pm, was the League Cup Final between two of the strongest sides in the SRWFL Premier Division. Wycombe Wanderers, who have been the trailblazers throughout the season from the first week, and AFC Portchester, who are still in with a chance of winning the title along with Winchester City Flyers.
Previous league meetings this season has seen AFC Portchester hold the upper hand, winning 1-0 at Wycombe in March thanks to a Charmaine True goal, and 3-0 at home just a week ago with Kimberley Fuller, Layla Morgan and Laurie Potvin on the scoresheet.
But a cup final at a neutral venue is always a different kettle of fish. The Arancione couldn’t take anything for granted knowing that Wycombe would be fired up to avenge last week’s defeat.
The first ten minutes seemed to set the tone for the match, very tight, little space for either side and a very dry and hard pitch making life difficult for both sides. Wycombe’s tactics looked to be to get people behind the ball and break from deep and also use Emma Delves as a marker to try to limit Portchester captain Gemma Hillier’s influence on the game.
The first chance came to Portchester, Becki Bath with a run and cross from the left which was met by the foot of Layla Morgan in the box but unfortunately for them, the ball went straight into the arms of Erin Radbourne in the Wycombe goal.
Jordanne Hoesli-Akins drove the Chairgirls on with a good run herself, beating a defender for pace before hitting a shot on target but again straight at Portchester keeper Shannon Betteridge.
Probably the best chance of the half came from a lovely floated cross into the Wycombe box which was met by the head of Bath but was deflected over by Radbourne.
Back came Wycombe and a surging run and cross from Jess Watkins wasn’t dealt with cleanly by the Portchester defence. Emani Kassem knocked it back high into the area and had Betteridge backpedalling before the ball hit the top of the crossbar and bounced away to safety.
Portchester had two further efforts as the game headed towards half time, the dangerous Bath ran down the left and played it to Morgan with her back to goal. She managed to turn and get a shot away only to see it lift over the bar. Next, a lung-busting Kim Fuller run down the left produced a lovely cross to the far post finding Morgan but she didn’t get a good contact and her header went narrowly wide of the post.
H-T: Wycombe Wanderers 0 AFC Portchester 0
If anything, the second half got even tighter than the first with chances fewer and further between, both sides cancelling each other out for long periods and goalmouth action was at a premium.
Portchester did make two half chances, Bath with a shot from distance and then playing in Morgan but both were easily fielded by Radbourne. Somewhat inevitably we headed into a penalty shoot-out with neither side able to break the stalemate.
F-T: Wycombe Wanderers 0 AFC Portchester 0.
So, into the penalty shoot-out we went with AFC Portchester having the first spot kick. Kim Fuller sending Radbourne the wrong way before Bobby Lynch’s kick was brilliantly saved by Betteridge.
Laurie Potvin then saw her spot kick rebound off the post and somehow go along the line onto the other post and loop up into the arms of Radbourne, followed by Hoesli-Akins dragging her shot wide for Wycombe.
Sophie Bell then stroked the ball into the left corner to make it 2-0 to Portchester before Watkins tried to go down the middle only for Betteridge to stand her ground and parry the ball away.
Bath was up next and this time Radbourne chose correctly and saved well to her left, Laura Hennessy then calmly slotted home her pen to halve the deficit.
This left Maisy Smith needing to score to win the cup for Portchester and she planted the ball firmly into the bottom left corner to spark jubilant celebrations from the Porchester contingent.
Penalties: Wycombe Wanderers 1 AFC Portchester 3
This was a tough battle between two closely matched sides in warm conditions and on a difficult playing surface. Portchester probably deserved the victory as they did create the better chances throughout the game, with Becki Bath picking up the player of the match.
Wycombe must now sit and wait to see if they will be crowned as champions of the league having finished their games, with Winchester City Flyers (two matches left) and AFC Portchester (still with five left to play) both able to overhaul the Chairgirls. The next match is between the two contenders and that result could be crucial for all three teams.
Congratulations to AFC Portchester on winning the League Cup and good luck for your remaining league (and cup!) games. Commiserations to Wycombe on the day but they can be proud of the season they’ve had regardless of whether they are crowned as champions or not.
A top day out and thanks to all four clubs involved, the SRWFL for organising and Reading City for hosting.
See you all next season!