Match day

Team logo
Tilehurst Panthers LFC (H)
Thu Mar 28
19:45

Match day

Team logo
Tilehurst Panthers LFC (H)
Thu Mar 28 19:45
Thames Valley Counties Women's Football League
1st
45pts

Burnham defeat Rebels in penalty shootout

Burnham

Burnham

3
Blake (6), Couch (20), Charles-Smith (75) - Burnham win 4-2 on penalties
Slough Town

Slough Town

3
S Harris (50, 52), Hollis (80)
League Cup Attendance: 130 Matty Bonnett
Slough Town were knocked out of the Red Insure Cup, losing a penalty shootout to local rivals Burnham, after the two sides had shared six goals at The Gore.

Burnham took a two goal half-time lead courtesy of goals from Ryan Blake and Aaron Couch. With six minutes played, Woozley played a back pass too short, which left 16 year old goalkeeper Mattie Bonnett rushing out to try and clear. Ryan Blake got to the ball first though, rounded the keeper and slotted in to an empty goal.

Bonnett claimed a long shot from full back Ashleigh Smith comfortably, the young keeper starting very well despite the opening goal. But Slough found themselves two down when Blake’s low cross from the right was converted at the back post by Couch.

Slough came closest when Darren Wheeler saw his free kick rebound back off the crossbar, but Burnham could have gone in to half time further ahead. Marc Charles-Smith was denied by Bonnett, who spread himself well to block the shot. Despite the score, Slough were playing the better football on a pitch which worsened as the game wore on, without being able to break through a resolute defence. But Burnham improved towards the end of the half, and Couch really should have scored a third, but fired straight at Bonnett.

Slough emerged from the half time break having made two changes, with Woozley being withdrawn having played his first 45 minutes in some time, and Michael Blount suffering with a recurrence of his groin problem which has since forced him to declare himself unavailable for the rest of the season.

Slough pulled one back through Scott Harris on 50 minutes, the striker firing in a shot in via a post after a superb touch and pass from his brother Warren.

Two minutes later, Scott Harris claimed his second, and the equaliser. Debutant Leigh Rumbold headed a Wheeler free kick off a post, and as the ball rolled along the goal line, Harris nipped in to claim a tap in.

Slough suddenly looked capable of winning the game, and Warren Harris blazed over, whilst Darren Wheeler finished exquisitely, only to be ruled out by an offside flag.

However, the game swung from end to end, with Ryan Blake blazing a clear chance well over, before Bonnett pulled off a superb reaction save to turn behind Josh Webb’s effort.

Both sides looked to be tiring on the heavy pitch, and Burnham edged ahead 15 minutes from time as Charles-Smith rose unchallenged to head in a corner.

However, on 80 minutes, Wheeler’s free kick was headed across goal by Warren Harris, and lurking at the back post was Guy Hollis, who side footed into the roof of the net to claim his first Rebels goal and take the game to the lottery of a penalty shootout – but not before Michael Watkins denied Jake Parsons from Wheeler’s whipped cross, and Bonnett making another great block to keep the score at 3-3.

Wheeler and Burnham’s Ryan Upward both scored their kicks, but Jamie McClurg's effort was saved by Michael Watkins. After successful kicks from Charles-Smith, Sean Fraser and Lee Togwell, Jake Parsons also saw his placed effort saved by Watkins, leaving Nicke Kabamba to seal Burnham's progress by a score of 4-2.

Burnham Lineup

Michael Watkins, Ashleigh Smith, Tom Baddeley, Lee Togwell, Antony Page, Ryan Upward, Josh Webb, Lewis Driver, Ryan Blake, Marc Charles-Smith, Aaron Couch. Subs: Nicke Kabamba, Sam Boultwood, Harry Baddeley, Dan Malloy.

Rebels

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