Cup Exit For Wolves Women

By Callum Doughty

Wolves Women 1 (J.Cross 72)

Coventry United Ladies 3 (Hughes 7, Dermody 22, Haigh 58)

A late second half-fight back wasn't enough for Wolves Women as they were knocked out of the Birmingham County Cup after falling to a 3-1 defeat to Coventry United Ladies.

The Wolves girls will be disappointed to exit the competition at the quarter-final stage after overcoming Sutton Coldfield Town Ladies and Lye Town Ladies in previous rounds.

The away side started the game on top and were ahead in the opening ten minutes with the first real shot of the game. A stunning long-range strike from Amber Hughes flew over Beth Powney in the Wolves goal.

Wolves then went close twice through Anna Price, whose shot on the swivel was tipped over by the Coventry goalkeeper, and Jade Cross who could only fire into the goalkeeper's hands.

The visitors soon doubled their lead out of practically nothing. The ball fell to Coventry's Helen Dermody on the edge of the area and her low strike managed to beat Powney and slot into the bottom corner.

The second half began in similar fashion to the first, with the two best chances falling to Coventry United. A close-range header came off the outside of the post before the away side put themselves even further in-front, again the chance came from a corner but this time Natalie Haigh was able to find the back of the net with a deflected header.

This seemed to inject some energy into Wolves and they were soon back in the game. Sub Rachael Howard's carving through ball found Jade Cross who slotted it calmly in between the Coventry goalkeeper's legs to give Wolves a glimmer of hope.

The hosts continued to push and went close through Howard and Charlotte Criddle twice, but it wasn't enough to help them avoid defeat.

Wolves manager Daniel McNamara said: ''There's a lot of positives and negatives to take from the game. I think first-half we showed them a bit too much respect but second-half we came out with a different mentality.

''At half-time we talked about winning our individual battles and we came out and did that more. We take the positives out of today's game and move onto Stoke City in the league next week, that's where we need to pick up the points.''

*Wolves Women return to FA Women's Premier League action next Sunday 25th February as they host Stoke City Ladies at Hednesford Town FC with a 2pm kick off. Admission £2; concessions £1.

TEAM | Powney, Widdal, Anslow, Price (C), E.Cross, Butler, Whetton (Criddle), Bavington (McQuilkin), J.Cross, Williams, Haynes (Howard) SUBS: Jones, Hewitt