Stanwix vs Haslingden

Haslingden Ladies faces another away game in the last 16 of the league cup, a journey up the M6 to Carlisle to play Stanwix Ladies.
Stanwix sit at the top of their division and have taken some pretty big scalps in getting to the last 16, so Haslingden knew this was going to be no easy task.
Having arrived late due to roadworks, Haslingden only had a 10 minute warm up, not ideal after a 2 hour drive.
The team consisted of;
Lomax, Atkinson, Atkinson, Webbe, Brierly, Mallabourn, Caldecott, Ashworth, Evans, Pusey, Smith, Murphy and Chadwick

The game started and a few minutes it was obvious that Stanwix were a very good side, passing the ball well and closing down as a unit. A few early shots on the Stanwix goal also showed that they had a very strong keeper. It was becoming obvious that Haslingden would have to work very hard to break down this talented team.
Haslingden pressed at every opportunity and got some reward with a fantastic strike from Evans on 15 minutes, 0-1 to Haslingden after some good build up play from Brierley and Ashworth. This only lit a fire under Stanwix who put together some excellent play to not only pull one back, but to make it 2-1 just on the stroke of halftime.
The half time team talk was all about closing quicker and winning the first and second balls, especially in the air.
The second half started and the team talk appeared to work, Haslingden closed quicker and seemed to have found some rhythm. Stanwix looked very dangerous on the break so Haslingden couldn’t really change the formation and add to the midfield. Having to stick with 4 at the back to stem the Stanwix attacks. Tackles were flying in and not one inch was given by either team. Haslingden’s lone forward, Atkinson, worked tirelessly pressing the defenders and forcing them to pass quickly. This pressing paid dividends when she forced the Stanwix right back into a mistake. Atkinson took the ball from her and rifled it home to make it 2-2.
With both teams battered and bruised we entered injury time and it was looking a draw would take us to penalties. But the Stanwix team had other ideas and put together a fantastic run, finishing with a thunderous shot from 30 yards out into the Haslingden goal. 3-2 to Stanwix with 1 minute of injury time left. From the restart and while the Stanwix managers and parents were still celebrating, Evans went on one of her mazy runs. After rounding two players she put the ball through the legs of the last defender and curled the ball into the top left of the Stanwix goal. 3-3 with only time left to take the restart before the referee blew his whistle.
Both teams looked like they’d given everything and walked off the pitch with disbelief about what had happened in those last 3 minutes of injury time.
As this was a cup game it now went to penalties and it was Haslingden who went on to win the shootout, thanks to 2 fantastic saves from Lomax in goal.
This was the fourth away cup match Haslingden Ladies have had, winning them all to get through to the quarter finals, also making Haslingden one of the lowest ranked teams to make it through.
Well done ladies.