Town win at Haverhill Rovers Ladies Southern championship league leaders travelling with just 12 players

S-Tech League Cup quarter-final: Haverhill Rovers Ladies 5 Wisbech Town Ladies 7

‘Fenladies’ progressed into their third cup semi-final of the season with this dramatic and hard fought win over Southern championship league leaders Haverhill.

Travelling with just the 12 players, no regular goalie and several carrying injuries, the Town ladies produced a remarkably gutsy display.

Haverhill started the game well and struck the post early on and then took a deserved lead with a good finish past stand-in keeper Amy Hepting.

At this point Wisbech changed formation and almost immediately got the equaliser when Abbie Somerville released Sophie Swinden who slotted the ball home to level the game.

Leah Hall then put the visitors ahead for the first time when she smashed home a dipping shot after the home side failed to clear a corner. Haverhill struck back on the stroke of half time with a free kick that Hepting got fingers to but couldn’t keep out; H-T 2-2.

Second half was just as frantic in a real end to end tussle, but it was the home side who gained the advantage going 3-2 up, and things got worse for Wisbech when Hall was forced off with an Achilles injury.

Replacement Rachael Simpson however did an excellent job in the middle of the pitch, while skipper Faye Kowalewsky drew the Town team level at 3-3 after Naomi Lyon cut into the box and delivered a perfect pass with 25 minutes to go.

A clash of heads then saw centre back Kaylie Swinden forced to leave the field with 15 minutes to go and the Wisbech ladies were down to 10 players as they had already used their only sub.

Against the odds Sophie Swinden broke clear and put Wisbech 4-3 up with only minutes to play, unfortunately they couldn’t hold out and the hosts equalised in stoppage time; Ft 4-4.

Extra time

Fenladies dug very deep in the extra 30 minutes and bolstered by Kaylie Swinden returning to the game, took control.

Sophie Swinden completed her hat-trick to make it 5-4, Chloe Stanborough then scored direct from a corner to cap a tireless midfield display (6-4).

Haverhill pulled one back late in the second 15 minutes before Swinden got her fourth goal when she charged down the goalie's clearance (5-7 AET).