County Cup Canter for Ladies

Knowle Ladies enjoyed a comfortable win against Tipton Town in the County Cup last weekend, running out 6-1 winners.

In the pouring rain, the tone of the game was set in the first ten seconds; Knowle launched a swift attack straight from kick off but Demi Rolph’s shot hit the post. The home side peppered their opponent’s goal from there on in, red shirts swarming forward at every opportunity. They were thwarted on a number of occasions by Tipton’s goalkeeper who was in inspired form; Rolph, Jess Barlow, Jess Holland and Lucy Jones all saw their shots well saved. However their build-up play was excellent and with the amount of chanced they created, it was only a matter of time before Knowle did take the lead. Rolph hit a quick fire double, finishing off balls played in by Camile Abbotts and Morgan Betteridge respectively and Knowle were 2-0 up and cruising.  

The Robins were guilty of rushing things in front of goal in their desire to score more; chances went begging and the final ball was often awry.  However, when they got it right, they were incisive – Betteridge crossed for Rolph, the keeper saved her shot yet again but Holland was on hand to thrash home the rebound. Rolph then thought she had her hat-trick but the goal was struck off by the linesman’s flag. The fourth was another good piece of play; Barlow combined with Jones to work the ball inside to Abbotts and she found Kate Fleming ghosting into the box. Fleming hit her shot across goal and the keeper blocked it, but Emma Shaw knocked home the rebound to give her side a 4-0 lead. There was no time to celebrate though; Knowle blotted their copy book when Tipton thumped the kick off forward, Sam Smith missed her clearance and the forward was cool enough to finish easily past Katy Smirthwaite. 

The 4-1 half time score line didn’t flatter Knowle, and in truth they should really have extended it. The second half followed much the same pattern, with the home side attacking at will. Knowle had two goals disallowed for offside; Maz Byrne the provider on both occasions but scorers Holland and Rolph’s celebrations were cut short by the flag. Rolph did eventually get her hat trick after watching the keeper save two one on one attempts; Holland laid off a square ball to leave her with the simple task of finding the net.

Becca Holden and Abi Morris had joined the fun from the bench early on in the second half and both were causing Tipton problems, linking well with the forwards ahead of them. Morris nearly picked up an assist when she set up Betteridge, but the keeper palmed her attempt over the bar. Knowle’s sixth and final goal was created by Abbotts; she shimmied her way past the opposing midfielder then split the defence with a pass that Rolph slotted past the keeper.

A simple enough win for Knowle then, but huge credit to Tipton – as a new team from the lower leagues they knew they had a difficult task on their hands but they worked incredibly hard for each other and never gave up. 

Knowle: Smirthwaite, Shaw, Smith, Byrne, Betteridge, Abbotts, Fleming, Jones, Rolph, Holland, Barlow.

Subs: Morris (for Betteridge, 55), Holden (for Shaw, 55).