Brentford Women are Trophy Cup final bound following a 4-0 win over Hackney on Sunday afternoon.
Goals from Freya Worsley, Samantha Read, Chloe Logie and Nikki Woods secured the semi-final win at Bedfont Sports Club in sunny conditions.
Karleigh Osborne made two changes to his squad that beat Camden & Islington United 14-0 last time out, keeper Evie Witek coming back into the starting line-up, while Nour Aboul Kheir replaced Sophie Troth on the bench.
The contest proved an even one across the opening five minutes, both sides enjoying time in possession without threatening either backline.
Brentford earned the best chance of the opening 10 minutes, Woods’ ball clearing the Hackney defenders and finding Logie, whose shot hit the post and went out of play.
Logie was in the thick of the action on 15 minutes as she was taken down outside the box and earned a free-kick. Maddie Phillips stepped up to take it and her shot went just right of the goal.
Phillips provided plenty of run down the right side across the opening half and was nearly rewarded with an assist on 22 minutes, her cross into the box finding Logie whose shot went just high of the bar.
The Bees continued to look for an opening goal and nearly found it through Ella Cottrell on 33 minutes. Hackney keeper Naomi Gross came out of her goal to defend a ball which fell to Cottrell, however her shot was well defended deep in the box by the visitor’s backline.
Osborne’s side saw some reward for effort one minute later, Woods’ corner being cleared back to the forward who crossed into the box again, the ball falling off the pack to Worsley who fired it into the back of the net to make it 1-0, a scoreline the Bees held onto until half-time.
Coming out of the break the Bees were back on the attack, Logie beating her defender inside the opening two minutes and firing a shot that was well saved by Gross.
Matthews got in on the act two minutes later but her shot suffered a similar fate, flying over the bar.
Multiple half chances were eventually rewarded with a second goal, the ball bobbling around inside the box from a corner before Read headed it home from close range.
Osborne’s side didn’t have to wait long to find a third goal, Chloe Webb crossing the ball into Logie who found the back of the net from close range on 70 minutes.
With 20 minutes to play and a spot in the Trophy Cup final seemingly booked in, the Bees continued to press for a fourth goal.
It came inside the last 10 minutes, Woods finding herself one-on-one with Gross and putting it past her to make it 4-0 and secure Brentford’s spot in the final.
Brentford Women: Witek, Graver, Holmes (Aboul Kheir, 78’), Logie (Bolitho, 78’), Webb, Woods, Phillips (Ferns, 74’), Matthews, Worsley (Reid, 71’), Cottrell (Wardlaw, 76’), Read
Osborne rapt with semi-final performance
Brentford Women head coach Karleigh Osborne was full of praise for his side following a Trophy Cup semi-final win on Sunday.
Osborne labelled the performance as one of the Bees best of the season so far, as they now look toward the final on 19 May.
