Charlton Athletic 0-6 Sheffield - We're positive that we can beat Durham, says Sheffield coach

CHARLTON ATHLETIC  0-6  SHEFFIELD
The FA Women’s Cup Third Round
Sunday 16^th February 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Bayliss Avenue

SHEFFIELD coach Luke Swindlehurst says his side’s impressive run of results will give them momentum going into their trip to Super League Two side Durham in the last sixteen of The FA Women’s Cup in four weeks’ time.

Sheffield, who are four points clear of Stoke City at the top of the FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division League table, cut open a poor Charlton Athletic side that were in seventh-place in the Southern Division.

Clinical Sheffield scored four goals in a devastating nine minute spell to lead 4-0 at the break, courtesy of goals from skipper Carla Ward, Suzanne Davies, Kerry Parkin and Jodie Michalska.

Michalska and Ward both scored again during the second half, taking their goalscoring tallies to 20 and 10 for the season.

Sheffield arrived at sunny Bayliss Avenue on a run of eight wins on the bounce and have been scoring goals for fun, having defeated Barnsley 15-0 (County Cup) and Liverpool Feds 10-0 (FA Women’s Cup) in their last two games.

Charlton Athletic went into this game on a five-match unbeaten run, but they were simply outclassed by Helen Mitchell’s side.

“Delighted, I think the girls played absolutely fantastic football,” said Swindlehurst afterwards.

“We didn’t really know a great deal what to expect with Charlton, obviously being in a different league to us, but our girls’ showed a really good attacking threat and once we got the goal I think we settled into the game. It’s been a positive day for us.”

Reflecting on his side’s impressive winning run, Swindlehurst said: “I think overall, including friendlies, League Cups and league games, I think it stretches to thirteen games in a row so we’re high in confidence and momentum and we’re back in the league next week against Blackburn Rovers so hopefully we can kick on and being top of the league as well, it puts us in with a great chance.”

The home side kept things tight for the opening seventeen minutes, before Sheffield started to create chance after chance.

Lynn Goodman released Ward through on goal but the midfielder played the ball across goal which deflected into Lisa Giampalma’s path and Megan Lynch spread herself at her near post for the ball to ricochet just wide.

Michalska’s diagonal ball was swept out to left-winger Davies, who played the ball through to Giampalma, who was denied a certain goal when Lynch rushed off her line to make a fine block to thwart the striker.

But Sheffield opened up the floodgates with the opening goal after 20 minutes.

Central midfielder Rebecca Lee played a sublime through ball (in between Katie Flack and Rosie Paye) to put Ward through on goal, who rolled her left-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner from fifteen-yards.

Swindlehurst said: “Wardy has been fantastic. In training she’s been notching goals. I think she’s notched three in her last game so he’s got high confidence in front of goal so she’s doing really well for us.”

Sheffield, The Oldest Football Club in the World, saw Michalska roll her left-footed drive into Lynch’s gloves, before left-back Ellie Gulliatt danced her way towards the edge of the Charlton Athletic penalty area before lashing her shot over.

Things quickly started to go downhill for Charlton Athletic as Sheffield doubled their lead in the 23^rd minute.

Gilliatt released Davies sprinting down the left channel and the winger cut inside before cracking a left-footed angled drive across Lynch into the top far corner of the net.

Swindlehurst added: “Brilliant strike! She’s capable of that! She cuts in off the line and when you give her a sighter she’s lethal sometimes.

“We’re very lucky that we got a quick goal and we then got another goal and that really set the tone for us with Suzanne’s strike so we’re delighted.”

Sheffield put the game beyond Charlton Athletic’s reach with a third goal only 147 seconds later.

Davies progressed down the left and danced her way into the penalty area before cutting the ball along to the near post where Parkin slid a first-time right-footed shot into the bottom left hand corner through a crowd of players, leaving unsighted keeper Lynch rooted to the spot.

Swindlehurst added: “Poked home yes, you’ve got to be there. We’ve got good numbers in the box and it’s fell to her and we’re really pleased. We’re delighted for her. She doesn’t score many goals but she’s got on the end of it and slotted it nicely so that was a good one.”

Shell-shocked Charlton Athletic created their first chance in the 27^th minute when Jenny Newman (who was later stretchered off with a leg injury) hooked her shot wide of the near post after Stef Simmons swept in their first corner from the right.

But Sheffield scored their fourth goal within two minutes, which Swindlehurst confirmed was a training ground move.

Ward swung in a corner from the left towards the middle of the goalmouth for Michalska to plant her free header into the roof of the net from ten-yards.

“We’ve worked on the corners all week,” he said. “It’s something that we do regularly. We put them in to the edge of the box and they come back in and it’s fallen right on her head.  Wardy’s put the ball in a great area and as long as she hits the target, it looks like it’s going to be a goal and she’s finished it well.”

Classy Sheffield created a couple more chances before the break.

Ward whipped in a corner from the right which came out to Giampalma on the left and she whipped the ball back into the penalty area where Davies glanced her header down and Lynch saved low to his left.

Lee then cracked a right-footed drive towards Lynch’s goal from 30-yards, which dipped narrowly over the crossbar.

Swindlehurst said: “Like we said at half-time, it was just really about game management and making sure that we carried on doing the right things and work hard.

“We scored ourselves a couple of extra goals as well, so it’s a positive for us.”

Sheffield caught Charlton Athletic on the break and within the opening 52 seconds of the second half Michalska cut past Flack to clip her left-footed shot into the keeper’s arms.

Charlton Athletic linked up well down the left through Kit Graham and Simmons and Graham cracked a left-footed speculative drive harmlessly past the near post from 30-yards.

And at the other end, Lee played the ball inside to Michalska, whose rasping left-footed drive from 30-yards was caught by Lynch.

However, Charlton Athletic squandered an excellent chance to restore some pride in the 52^nd minute.

Winger Emma Harrison released striker Sam Pittuck through on goal but with only keeper Claire Wallhead to beat, stroked her shot agonisingly wide of the far post from fifteen-yards.

Charlton Athletic squandered another excellent chance to score only four minutes later.

Grace Coombs floated a right-footed free-kick into the Sheffield penalty area from 30-yards and Graham held her head in her hands in agony after glancing her header narrowly wide of the left-hand post from seven yards.

Gilliatt shrugged off an earlier knee injury to run past three Charlton defenders to cut into the penalty area before stroking a left-footed shot on the angle into Lynch’s gloves.

But Sheffield had to wait until the 67^th minute for their fifth goal.

Davies sped past Charlton right-back Leigh Houlihan to reach the by-line before whipping in a cross for the unmarked Michalska to stick out her left leg to poke the ball into the middle of the goal from six-yards.

“Jodie, again, in front of goal, she’s absolutely lethal,” said Swindlehurst. “She’s more or less the top scorer every season within our Northern League and she’s transferred that to the Cup today.

“If she keeps scoring, she’ll probably be the top scorer at the end of the season as well.”

A run from Sheffield substitute Isabella Hayes down the right saw her cut inside but her shot lacked conviction and Lynch picked up the rolling ball.

Sheffield wrapped up the game with a sixth goal with fifteen minutes left.

Substitute Kirsty Richardson (who had made two fine last-player tackles inside the box to prevent Harrison and Pittuck going through on goal) clipped a free-kick into the Charlton penalty area.

Davies showed trickery on the right hand side of the box and her industry saw the loose ball roll to Ward who blasted her right-footed shot into the middle of the goal from eight-yards.

Swindlehurst added: “Fifteen from the end she’s wrapped it up. She’s tapped it in an it’s a positive for her because she’s got herself another goal and we’re delighted with that so we can go away and prepare for the next round.”

Charlton Athletic were awarded a free-kick inside the Sheffield penalty area after Wallhead picked up a back pass, after being put under pressure by Harrison.

Graham touched the ball to Coombs, who’s right-footed drive forced Wallhead to dive low to her right to clutch the ball in her hands.

Coombs then struck a speculative right-footed shot from 30-yards, which bounced once into Wallhead’s gloves to make a routine save.

Sheffield were reduced to ten-players for the final eight minutes when they lost Davies to injury, but they still created a couple of late chances to add to the home side’s misery.

Ward played in Hayes, who was denied by a fine save from Lynch, who palmed the ball behind for a corner.

Parkin, Lee and Ward linked up in the middle before the ball was spread out wide to Gilliatt, who almost capped off an impressive performance by clipping her left-footed chip over Lynch’s head, only for the ball to bounce back down off the underside of the bar.

Sheffield have claimed 27 points from their ten league games and are confident they can travel up to Durham and cause a Cup shock in the next round.

Swindlehurst said: “We’re top of the table, we’re doing well in the league. We’ve won nine games in the league and we’ve only had one slip up and we can just keep ticking the games off now until the end of the season and hopefully that helps us get us over the line and win the title, so I’m delighted with that.

“We’ve got a trip to Durham in the next round. We know a lot about Durham having played them recently in a friendly, which was a good run out for us so we had a very good look at them so we’re delighted with that round as well so hopefully we can progress.

“We’ve got Durham which we’re positive that we can win and then we get to the next round and we’ll have to see about that, see who we draw.”

Charlton Athletic manager Stuart Weston declined to comment.

Elsewhere, Gillingham progressed into the next round after Charlotte Gurr’s penalty was enough to defeat Nottingham Forest – who knocked them out last season.

James Marrs’ side will now host Preston North End or Yeovil Town in the next round.

Millwall, meanwhile, went down to a 2-1 defeat to fellow Super League Two rivals Reading on the artificial pitch at the Meridian Sports & Social Club.

Herne Bay will meet Bromley in the Kent Women’s Plate Final on Wednesday 2 April.

The holders thrashed West Kent 14-1 at Bell Meadow and manager Anthony Deer tweeted his delight with the scoreline.

He said: “That was a little bit emphatic! 14-1 winners and into our first cup final this year.”

Bromley, nicknamed The Ravenetts, are through to their first cup final in their inaugural season after beating Swale 6-3 at Sittingbourne Community College.

Club administrator Jeff Hutton tweeted: “Brilliant news re Bromley Ladies getting through to the final, great news!  Have to make sure we all get to the final to show our support!”

Charlton Athletic: Megan Lynch, Leigh Houlihan, Rosie Paye, Katie Flack, Stef Simmons (Katie Hardaker 69), Jenny Newman (Eliz Ibrahim 63), Grace Coombs, Charley Clifford (Gemma Hyland 34), Kit Graham, Emma Harrison, Sam Pittuck.
Sub: Megan Carroll

Sheffield: Claire Wallhead, Lynn Goodman, Abbie McManus (Kirsty Richardson 68), Natasha Cooke, Ellie Gilliatt, Kerry Parkin, Carla Ward, Rebecca Lee, Suzanne Davies, Lisa Giampalma (Isabella Hayes 61), Jodie Michalska (Leanne De Silva 68).
Subs: Aimee Johnson, Olivia Foxton

Goals: Carla Ward 20, 75, Suzanne Davies 23, Kerry Parkin 25, Jodie Michalska 29, 67

Booked: Lisa Giampalma 40

Attendance: 50
Referee: Mr Mark Edwards (Sutton, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Terry Hilden (Abbey Wood, London SE2) & Mr Mariusz Galas (Catford, London SE6)