Swindon Town WFC 1 Bridgwater Utd WFC 1 (Bridgwater win 2 – 4 on penalties)

Bridgwater United Women’s all conquering campaign continued yesterday with a tense and nerve shattering WFA Cup victory over Swindon Town, on Cirencester Town’ s 3G pitch yesterday.

The Robin’s battled to the end and were rewarded in added time when substitute Rosie Hill was fouled in the penalty area and the cool head of striker Meg Jarvis sent the game to spot kicks where she and keeper Jasmine Read brought home the bacon in style.

Swindon play a level above and were expecting a smooth passage through to the next round but were undone in the end by their indiscipline and Bridgwater’s refusal to go down.

They came out determined to dominate in the first period and Read was only in action once saving a free-kick from way out but the game took a while to settle until Swindon’s Tori St Clair was booked for a challenge on skipper Manfy Sharpe. Just past the hour Town took the lead against the run of play when a counter-attack down the left brought a fine save from Read but the ball fell kindly to Annie Coulston who knocked it in off the bar.

Four minutes later the whole complex of the game changed when St Clair was booked again for another reckless challenge meaning a red card and her team having to play an hour with ten players.

Just on the break Bridgy went close to levelling when Beatriz Kretteis and Ellie Strippel combined to find the darting Gracie Owen, whose fine cross found Jarvis but her header was kept out by the home keeper.

The ten of Swindon rode their luck midway through the second half when Bridgy had a loud shout for a penalty waved away after Jarvis was brought down, but within moments they had picked up their second red card when Shara Osbourne-Ricketts was shown red from the bench for supposedly throwing the ball away to waste time – her second red card in four days.

Bridgwater’s frustration continued on 70 minutes when Emison Evans was taken out in the box but again with no spot kick given and it began to look like they would return to Somerset empty handed until their luck finally changed two minutes into added time when Rosie Hill was fouled and Jarvis did the rest with an ice cool finish.

There was controversy in the shoot out when Jas Read saved the second kick only to have it retaken but was blazed over the bar before Abbie Carslake slotted the winner to set off the celebrations in style.

This Sunday is the second part of what is now a three-part cup trilogy with the rearranged League Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur U21s at Middlezoy, ko 2pm. Then a week later the FA Cup returns when Lewes Women visit for what is bound to be a tremendous day in front of a big crowd.

Squad: Jasmine Read, Abbey Hateley, Keeley Banfield, Manfy Sharpe, Ellie-Mae Bell, Meg Jarvis, Ella Pemberton, Gracie Owen, Ellie Strippel, Beatriz Kretteis, Erin Williams.

Subs: Grace Smith, Abbie Carslake, Katie Jones, Emison Evans, Aimee Kingdon, Rosie Hill, Gracie Binns.

Report by Kerry Miller

Photos by Jess Fawcett