Charlton Athletic 2-1 Queens Park Rangers - We've had quite a successful season, says Stuart Weston

CHARLTON ATHLETIC  2-1  QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Capital Women’s Cup Final
Sunday 27^th April 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Imber Court

CHARLTON ATHLETIC manager Stuart Weston says his side have been on a roller-coaster this season after the club retained the Capital Women’s Cup.

The Addicks, who stunned Arsenal 2-1 (after extra time) at Redbridge to win the silverware last season, won the rebranded competition by the same scoreline against a spirited Queens Park Rangers side, who they could be facing in The FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division next season.

Martino Cheavannes’ side are in second-place in the South East Combination and can win the title on the last day of the season to leapfrog over C&K Basildon.

They progressed through to the final after two home wins over Enfield Town (3-1) and K.I.K.K United (5-0).

Charlton Athletic progressed by beating Old Actonians (6-0) and beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0, which was played on Thamesmead Town’s 3G pitch.

The Uxbridge-based side took the lead through Stacey Sowden’s 26^th goal of the season.

But Charlton Athletic, who went into the game in fourth-place in their league, turned the game around inside the opening five minutes of the second half.

Lone striker, Sam Pittuck, 30, scored her fifteenth goal of the season, before the impressive Kit Graham, 18, powered home the winner through the goalkeeper’s fingers to bring the trophy back home.

“Absolutely fantastic!” was Weston’s reaction after the game.

“We’ve had a bit of a roller-coaster season with the amount of injuries that we’ve had.

“We’ve been up and down in the league. We’ve had some really good results and some disappointing ones but today, although QPR came out and made it difficult for us first half, I thought we were a little bit slow out of the blocks.

“I thought we maybe sat off them a little bit too much and they came out and pressed us really well, pressed us all over the pitch.  We didn’t have any time on the ball and we got caught in possession a lot, where if we moved the ball quicker than that doesn’t happen.

“We went in at half-time, made those points to the girls, said we needed to move the ball a lot quicker.  On the odd occasion we done it in the first half, we sort of played through them, so I highlighted that point.”

Charlton Athletic created the first chance of the game, which was the third London FA Women’s Cup Final of the day played at Ryman Premier League club Metropolitan Police’s Imber Court ground in East Molesey, Surrey.

Graham and Francesca Tye linked up to release right-winger Emma Harrison down the right and she cut into the box but dwelled on the ball and the ball was cleared away to the unmarked Ruby Southgate, who blasted her right-footed drive over from 25-yards after only 95 seconds.

Queens Park Rangers’ first opening followed after seven minutes.

Sarah Staples swung in a right-footed free-kick towards the edge of the penalty area where Gemma Rudman came up from the back to plant her header harmlessly wide.

Staples took another opportunity to deliver another free-kick towards the far post which was again won in the air by Rudman but Laura Cooper hooked her right-footed volley into Megen Lynch’s gloves.

Tye played a one-two with Pittuck down the left before whipping in a right-footed cross towards the near post but Pittuck, who made space for herself inside the penalty area, sent her header harmlessly wide from 12-yards.

Left-winger Sophie Blowers held her head in her arms in agony after clipping a right-footed curler high around the far post from 22-yards after the Charlton player received the ball from Graham.

The game then turned into a midfield battle, before Charlton Athletic created their next chance in the 20^th minute.

Tye released Pittuck down the right and she got herself to the by-line and she pulled the ball back to the near post where Blowers looped her right-footed volley towards the roof of the net, which was plucked out of the air by keeper Jo Ayre.

Dominant Charlton Athletic squandered an excellent chance to take the lead when Graham skipped past her marker and sprayed the ball to Pittuck on the right but she stroked her right-footed angled drive across Ayre and agonisingly past the foot of the far post from 10-yards.

Weston said: “I was just saying to the girls at half-time that a lot of games this year we’ve had a lot of chances but we’re snatching at shots rather than taking a touch and steadying ourselves first and she pulled it wide.”

However, Charlton Athletic were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal as Queens Park Rangers grabbed a 23^rd minute lead.

Sophie Fogarty played the ball forward to Sowden on the edge of the penalty area and she played a sublime angled ball in behind the Charlton defence for Elly Maggs to latch onto. 

The R’s skipper cut the ball back and Sowden rifled her shot over Lynch’s left shoulder into the roof of the net.

“It was a good finish,” acknowledged Weston.

“If I remember rightly the ball came over into the middle and we didn’t challenge for the ball. We let it bounce, the ball’s gone through the middle far too easy and at that point – and it’s one of the things that we picked up on – we need to be more competitive when the balls coming down in the air. We need to start heading balls rather than sticking feet out trying to control them at shoulder height.

“The ball got played out and to be fair to her it’s a good finish, but at that point the game was going one way and another. It was quite even. It was a little bit scrappy and they got their heads in front.”

It was just what the game needed, the underdog taking the lead against the favourites.

But Weston said: “Although the whole time I knew if we got our own game going that one goal down we could turn that over and obviously we did.

“It almost makes you think, come on, you have to roll your sleeves up now girls or you’re going to walk away disappointed!

“I’ve looked at QPR’s season and I never really looked at us coming in as favourites, although we’re in the Premier League and they’re in the league below.  They’re about to win that league. This is the second final they’ve got to this season and I knew that some of their players used to play for Barnet and a lot of our girls know a lot of their girls.  I knew they were a good side.”

Set-piece specialist Staples curled a right-footed free-kick around the far post from 25-yards, before Charlton Athletic were left cursing their luck in the 29^th minute.

Right-back Southgate, who plugged Queens Park Rangers threat down the left wing, released Harrison down the right and she skipped past Staples before whipping in a cross towards the far post where Tye looped her left-footed drive over the keeper only for the ball to clip the top of the crossbar and behind for a goal-kick.

Tye, 22, was named official player-of-the-match after the game and Weston was full of praise for the central midfielder, who has waited patiently for her chance at first team level.

“It was unlucky! As soon as she hit it and it left her foot I thought it was in and I thought the goalkeeper was beaten and unfortunately it hit the bar.

“I thought Fran has had a brilliant game today. She was named player-of-the-match.  We took her off because she worked so hard. I think her legs were getting a bit heavy, which you can’t blame her for but I thought she controlled it in there, especially in the second half.  I couldn’t be more pleased!

“There was a time when she went back and played in the reserves for a while.  There was a few things I wanted her to work on. Since we’ve brought her back things have fallen into place and she’s been excellent.”

Charlton Athletic went close again through central midfielder Clare Rogers, whose right-footed angled free-kick from 25-yards dipped just over the crossbar.

Queens Park Rangers were to be denied a second goal at the end of the first half.

Staples played a defence splitting pass to release Sowden through on goal and her right-footed shot, whilst under pressure from a sliding challenge, forced Lynch to dive low to her right to make a crucial save.

“Megen has done it time and time again this season,” said a thankful Weston.

“She’s a good, quality goalkeeper.  She had a bit of a knock on her foot during the game so it was a little bit of a worry but again she’s up there as one of the best goalkeepers in our league and she can’t save them all but she’s saved a fair few.”

Weston revealed what he told his players during the half-time interval.

“I said how bad to you want it because at the moment there were times in that game where it looked like they wanted it more!

“I couldn’t had hoped for a better reaction! For QPR it’s a sucker punch. They’ve gone in on the front foot, they’re 1-0 up and we’ve come out and 69 seconds later we’re one-all and I think for pretty much most of the second half we’ve just dominated.

“We moved the ball a lot quicker and our midfield was better and it wasn’t too long before we made it 2-1.”

With his words still ringing in his players’ ears, Charlton Athletic hauled themselves back into the game, equalising after only 69 seconds.

Harrison was released down the left and she centred her cross low into the penalty area.  The ball ricochet around the penalty area and fell at Pittuck’s feet, to place her right-footed curler into the far corner from ten-yards.

Weston said: “It was pleasing to see the goal that Sam scored! She just placed it lovely, just curled it into the goal, but good link up play between her and Kit, which has happened a few times this season.

“From where I was it started outside the post and it just curled in at the last minute. Nice finish!  There was a crowd of bodies in front of her as well. It’s nice to see because that was the pretty much the only place she was going to get it in and she found it!”

But Queens Park Rangers keeper Ayre will be the one to blame for gifting Charlton Athletic the winner, with only four minutes and 22 seconds gone.

Graham capped off a fine performance, regularly linking up well with Pittuck, when she received the ball and powered a left-footed volley on the turn from 22-yards, which slipped through the keeper’s fingers and dropped down into the net.

“She’s got a goal exactly the same last week,” said Weston.

“She puts so much power in her left foot. The goalkeeper gets her hands to it but the power is such that the girl’s right on her line and she can’t keep it out. It’s too powerful to keep out.”

Graham was full of praise for his two goalscorers, whom have scored 29 goals between them.

“There’s so many games where it just hasn’t fallen for them. They’ve been missing opportunities and I said to them keep going and it will turn your way one day. Fortunately it has turned their way.  Kit’s top goalscorer, it takes her to 15 this season, it’s not a bad return.”

That clincher knocked the stuffing out of title-chasing Queens Park Rangers as Charlton’s two central defenders, skipper Katie Flack and Rosie Paye formed a solid defensive wall to protect Lynch.

The two goalscorers linked up well on the hour when Pittuck knocked down a long ball for Graham, who hooked her right-footed volley wide of the post.

However, Charlton Athletic almost gifted Queens Park Rangers a 65^th minute leveller.

Fogarty swung in a left-footed free-kick towards the far post from 30-yards and Paye sprinted towards her own goal to send a bullet header narrowly over her own crossbar.

It was nice to see Paye collect a winners medal after her father Mike (who is the assistant manager to Keith Bird at Cray Wanderers) suffered relegation from the Ryman Premier League as the division’s worst team.

Staples swung in the resulting corner from the left and Charlton Athletic, somehow, escaped a desperate goal-line scramble.

Weston was counting his lucky stars!

He said: “As she came in there, I saw it hit her head and I thought oh no! Luckily it went over!

“I don’t know how much of it she meant but it went over, so you have to say, great clearance!

“And then there’s the scramble.  Everyone was throwing themselves in the way and we managed to clear it and you then have to step up and deal with them and we did.

“I think they were chasing the game. They needed a goal so all we needed to do was keep the possession, keep moving the ball, keep them running and they would tire and that was quite evident towards the end.”

That was to be Queens Park Rangers last goalscoring chance, as Charlton Athletic missed more chances to increase their lead.

Harrison crossed the ball from the left, which was knocked down by Graham for Blowers to curl her right-footed volley just around the far post from 20-yards.

As the game entered the last ten minutes, substitute Gemma Hyland released Graham down the right, who cut inside before stroking a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which brought a low save from Ayre.

Pittuck squandered an excellent chance to score when she only had the keeper to beat but she stabbed her right-footed shot agonisingly past the foot of the right-hand post.

Graham then released Pittuck through on goal, who skipped past the advancing keeper, but a poor touch forced her wide and her shot was cleared off the line by Rudman.

Weston added: “She popped it around the goalkeeper, it gave her a really tight angle but I thought she was going to get on the end of that one but not quite.

“But we’ve done enough. Whether we won it three or four one today or 2-1, we’ve got the same result. We still lift the cup.”

Weston was delighted after Flack held the trophy aloft to the delight of the Charlton Athletic fans that made the trip to Surrey for an inconvenient 5:30pm kick-off.

“We’ve managed to retain the cup.  I’ve said to the girls in there, we’ve managed to get to a final, with the amount of changes that we’ve had to make through the season.

“We’re sitting fifth in the league but with the season we’ve had injury wise and having to keep changing the squad all the time, I look at it being quite successful in the circumstances.”

Cardiff City leapfrogged over Charlton Athletic (31 points), Portsmouth (31) and Coventry City (34) into second place following their 3-0 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion today.

The Welsh club are now only two points behind leaders Gillingham (38), who threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 away to third-from-bottom Keynsham Town.

The Addicks complete their campaign with away games against Portsmouth (4 May) and Cardiff City (25 May).

Weston said: “Both tough games.  Gillingham lost today, which was a massive surprise, so it’s still very open at the top there, so any one of those three teams could still win the league.

“They’re both going to be coming into the games believing that as well, so we will need to be professional, still play our game because we want to finish as high up the league as we can as well.”

Reflecting on his first season in charge of Charlton Athletic, the former reserve team manager, said: “On the whole, with the injuries we’ve had, I have to be happy really.

“We’re the Capital Cup champions and we’re above midtable in the league.  I don’t know where we can actually come but we can maybe even nick a third or a fourth place at the end.

“With the amount of changes that we’ve been forced to make, a lot of the young ones have come in and done excellent.”

Six of the 13 players that took to the field today played in the reserve team’s 3-0 defeat to Gillingham’s first team in a one-sided Kent Women’s Cup Final at Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium on 6 April.

Weston was pleased with the contribution of those players.

He said: “We’ve made changes in the last couple of weeks because we felt we just needed to freshen things up so we’ve brought a lot of players in who have played a lot of the season in the reserves and they haven’t looked out of place to be honest. 

“They’ve got themselves a winners’ medal this week.”

Weston said the crowd of 170 was good, but he added: “Maybe if the venue was a little bit closer to where we come from because last year there was about 400 at it.  We had it at Redbridge so it’s only just through the tunnel for us and it was against Arsenal as well so they were down there with their Champions League trophy and stuff like that.

“But we beat them 2-1 after extra time, so it was pleasing to get it done inside 90 minutes today.”

Charlton Athletic: Megen Lynch, Ruby Southgate, Rosie Paye, Katie Flack, Alice Singyard, Emma Harrison, Francesca Tye (Katie Hardaker 87), Kit Graham, Clare Rogers, Sophie Blowers (Gemma Hyland 80), Sam Pittuck.
Subs: Stef Simmons, Grace Coombs, Charlie Clifford

Goals: Sam Pittuck 47, Kit Graham 50

Queens Park Rangers: Jo Ayre, Jeta Bytyqi (Zemeka Clarke 87), Selin Odeniyi (Kasha Petit 79), Sarah Staples, Gemma Rudman, Lauren Gage, Elly Maggs, Laura Cooper (Leanne Mabey 90), Stacey Sowden, Katie Wilding, Sophie Fogarty.
Sub: Danielle Murphy

Goal: Stacey Sowden 23

Booked: Sarah Staples 46, Sophie Fogarty 58

Attendance: 170
Referee: Mr Piotr Zachwieja (Orpington)
Assistants: Mr Gavin Holleran (Poplar, London E14) & Mr Arden Syla (Southall, Middlesex)
Assistants: Mr Mark Edwards (Sutton, Surrey)