Women’s Under-21s reach Capital Cup semi-final with win at Ashford | OneFootball

First half goals from Cruz Fuller-Fagan and Mia Endacott gave our Women’s Under-21s a 2-1 win at Ashford Town in the quarter-final of the Capital Cup on Sunday afternoon.

Fuller-Fagan fired home her second goal of the season to give us the lead just before the half hour mark and although we were denied on numerous occasions by Emma Vigolo, we eventually doubled our lead on the stroke of half time as Endacott netted her second goal in as many games to give us control of proceedings ahead of the second period.

Ashford Town, who won this competition last season responded well after the break as they pushed for a way back into the game and, although Ashford halved the deficit in the final minute of normal time, we held on to secure the victory and send us marching into the semi-finals of the competition.

We named an unchanged starting XI from our defeat to Brighton from midweek, while the substitutes bench featured a number of Under-16s player, including Sophie Jackson, Holly Mae Elmes and Eloise Summer-Mee, against senior opposition who compete in the FA Women’s National League Division One South East – tier four of Women’s football pyramid.

Having already overcome two senior sides in the competition so far, beating Millwall and QPR in the earlier rounds, we looked to make a strong start at Hanworth Villa, Ruby Gaitley got on the end of a cross from Persis Oteng but she failed to direct her effort on target, before good work from Fuller-Fagan on the right-hand side found Oteng inside the box, however a block from an Ashford Town defender denied the forward’s shot.

The breakthrough eventually arrived on 27 minutes and Oteng was at the heart of the move, the forward collecting the ball just inside our own half before driving forward into the opposition’s box, her effort was saved by the feet of the hosts’ goalkeeper but the ball looped upwards, Endacott’s header found Fuller-Fagan in the six-yard box and she guided her header into the back of the net.

It was pretty much one-way traffic after the opening goal, Vigolo making a number of saves to deny us, but we managed to double our lead on the stroke of half time after excellent work from Endacott. Oteng found the forward on the edge of the box, she cut inside to evade the defender and create space in the centre of the 18-yard box before picking out the bottom left corner with a well-taken finish, netting in back-to-back games for our Under-21s.

Unsurprisingly the hosts were determinded to find a response after the break, Erin Radbourne reacting quickly to save Tanique Cole’s effort, and while we limited them to very few opportunities for a large spell in the second period, Ashford managed to pull a goal back in the final minute of normal time, a free-kick from the left was forced home by Mary Southgate from close range. Despite a nervy ending to the encounter in Hounslow, we managed to hold off a late comeback to book our place in the last four of the competition.