Shoot Out Woe for Knowle Ladies

The FA Cup has produced drama on several occasions for Knowle Ladies FC; this year was no different, albeit this time they fell on the wrong side of the outcome, going out of the competition on penalties to Lichfield City.



With a large crowd in attendance, Knowle were in buoyant mood though the first action was actually created by Lichfield. A long punt forward was headed clear by Sam Smith, but then blasted back over the Knowle defence and gathered at the back post by the centre forward who slotted home. The assistant referee’s flag duly went up to confirm she was a long way offside, and from there on it was all Knowle attack wise. They buried their first chance; Natalie Gibson threaded in Nadia Bacciochi who gleefully chipped the keeper to put Knowle one nil up.

The reds sensed blood and steamed forward, creating a number of opportunities. Demi Rolph met Katie Adams’ cross but poked her shot just wide of the upright, then Adams herself was denied by a fine save after she gathered a deep cross at the back post. When Lichfield did venture forward, they were halted by a fine tackle by Naomi Henry, who retained possession and fed Yvette Dolphin. The midfielder showed a clean set of heels to her marker and slid in Bacciochi who once again produced the finish against her old side. 

With just fifteen minutes gone, it looked as though it could be a one-sided contest, but the Robins soon had problems to deal with. Keeper Katy Smirthwaite slipped when kicking and aggravated a knee injury, and although she gingerly played on, it may have had a hand in Lichfield pulling one back. A long diagonal beat Knowle’s left side, Smirthwaite was unable to come off her line and the Lichfield winger snuck in to power a strong finish past her.

The Robins continued to create however, with Gibson thundering a long range effort off the bar and the away side’s keeper making a double save from Bacciochi & Adams in quick succession. As time ticked past the 45 minute mark, Knowle really should have gone into the half time period ahead, but with the last action of the half, Lichfield won a corner. Slack Knowle marking gave their attacker a free header and she equalised easily.

Knowle were certainly more organised in the second half, despite that set back, and substitutes Morgan Betteridge and Jess Holland added some steel to the ranks. They enjoyed a good spell early in the half, creating chances from which Rolph couldn’t quite get a strong enough shot off. The home side took the lead when Kate Fleming was pole-axed in the penalty area; Rolph stepped up to smash her penalty beyond the keeper and put the score 3-2 in Knowle’s favour.

They should have extended the lead a couple of times after; Gibson hit the bar again, this time with a free kick and the rebound bounced off Bacciochi and went wide. Adams found space in the box but her shot was blocked and a cross from Fleming rolled across the goal line without any Knowle players getting a decisive touch. As the match rolled into the last fifteen minutes, Lichfield threw caution to the wind and started pouring forward to put sustained pressure on the Knowle backline. The defenders worked hard to keep them out, restricting them to long range attempts or through balls that sailed harmlessly out of play, but Knowle found it difficult to get out of their own half. Lichfield’s best chance was an effort blazed over the bar from a good cross and it looked like that would be that. However, the added time ticked onwards and with 95 minutes on the clock, another speculative long range effort deceived Smirthwaite and could only be palmed into the net; three all and heading to penalties. There was actually one last chance for Knowle; Gibson’s free kick fell to Jess Barlow at the back post but her effort did not have the power to beat the keeper.

So spot kicks it was; Knowle were in the ascendency when Gibson and Smith buried the first two and Smirthwaite saved Lichfield’s second effort. However Dolphin’s attempt bounced off the inside of the post to leave things square. Rolph scored her second penalty of the game and Lichfield responded; 3-3 with one kick left. Holland bravely stepped up but the keeper made the save and Lichfield’s fifth taker blasted her shot straight down the middle and into the net to send them through. Unsavoury scenes followed with a number of Lichfield players taking their celebrations too far, but Knowle held their heads high and did not respond to the provocation. They will look to take their revenge via performances on the pitch instead, as the two sides face each other in the league next week.

A disappointing end to this year’s FA Cup, with that last gasp goal spoiling what had been a good team performance. In truth, Knowle could have been out of sight in the first thirty minutes of the game so will take forward the lessons learned and regroup quickly.

Knowle: Smirthwaite, Shaw (Holland, 45), Smallwood (Betteridge, 45), Smith, Henry, Adams; Fleming, Gibson, Dolphin, Rolph, Bacciochi (Barlow, 60). Subs not used: Byrne, Phelps, Joynson.