Highlights: Brentford Women vs Southampton Women FA Cup
Despite coming back from three goals down Brentford exit the FA Cup in the first round proper following a 4-3 defeat to Southampton Women in an excellent game at Bedfont Sports Club.
Brentford forged an unbelievable comeback in front of their home crowd after finding themselves 3-0 down in the opening 35 minutes through a Megan Wood hat-trick. Nikki Woods was involved in all the goals to level the game, scoring twice and assisting once as the Bees took the match to extra time. Southampton, who compete in tier 4, managed to find the net deep into the second half of extra time to proceed to the next round of the FA Cup.
The Bees played a back four which consisted of Regan Graver, Cara Graham, Samantha Read and Keira Ferns. Mollie Holmes partnered Freya Worsley in the central midfield positions with Sophie Troth playing just ahead, whilst Kirsty Matthews, Nikki Woods and Chloe Webb formed a front three.
Despite looking dangerous themselves early on, Brentford found themselves 1-0 down inside the opening five minutes.
Southampton’s Megan Wood picked up the ball from 25 yards and struck a perfect strike which flew into the top left corner leaving Evie Witek with no chance.
Brentford still remained confident especially in the attacking areas and had two great chances to level the score line on the 20-minute mark.
The first chance came when Worsley played a great pass into Logie who drove with the ball towards the Southampton box, before letting off a powerful shot which was well saved by Grace Jenman.
The following corner saw Woods deliver a great ball into the box which found Matthews at the far post, but the forward could only turn her effort over the bar.
The visitors managed to double their lead against the run of play, and it was Wood who struck again from distance, this time her shot found the bottom right corner.
Brentford were playing some great football at times but didn’t put the ball in the back of the net when their chances came.
Southampton made it three on 35 minutes when the referee awarded the away side a penalty after Regan Graver handled the ball inside the box.
Witek saved the initial penalty for the Bees, but the referee ordered a retake due to encroachment.
Wood’s scored her hat-trick the second time of asking slotting the ball into the bottom right corner.
Brentford continued to push forward and were rewarded for their hard work four minutes before the break when Worsley found Woods with a great pass.
The forward ran into the box before slotting the ball into the near post giving the Bees confidence ahead of the second half.
The hosts began the second half with a real fire underneath them and got another goal back just eight minutes after the break when Matthews rose brilliantly to head home a corner from Woods.
Southampton couldn’t get out of their own half and certainly struggled to contain Woods who had the better of the opposition’s full-back.
It was Woods who completed the comeback on 55 minutes when the forward drove inside from the left wing and smashed the ball past Jenman from 25 yards out.
Worsley was having an exceptional game for the Bees in the middle of midfield and was driving the home side forward with every opportunity.
Brentford thought they had got themselves ahead on 76 minutes when another Woods corner troubled the Southampton defence, this time the ball found Cara Graham whose flashed header went inches wide.
There was nothing between the sides in the remaining 10 minutes, as the game continued on into extra time.
Extra time displayed a lot of tired legs, with both sides struggling to create any real chances as the game looked destined for penalties.
But Southampton broke Brentford's hearts in the 115 minute, when substitute Leah Etheridge tapped the ball into the back of the net from close range to send the visitors through to the second round of the FA Cup.
Brentford Women: Witek, Graver (Webb, 94), Graham, Holmes (Aboul Kheir, 72), Logie (Bolitho, 97’), Troth (Wardlaw, 62’), Woods, Matthews, Worsley, Read, Ferns
Subs not used: Mirjan, Cottrell, Arquette
Southampton Women: Jenman, Vokes, Whitlock, Tucker, Wood, Sievwright, Jeal, Chaffe, Wellesley-Davies, Thorogood, Knight
Subs: Luce, Etheridge, Coousens, Ball, Payne
Karleigh Osborne left incredibly proud of his team
Despite being disappointed, Brentford Women's head coach Karleigh Osborne was left extremely proud of his team after they came back from three goals down to take the game to extra time.
