COLCHESTER United Women booked themselves a home clash with Newmarket Town in the Women's FA Cup second qualifying round thanks to a 3-1 victory over Cambridge City Women at Shrub End, writes MATT AGER.
U’s goalkeeper Izzy Eagland was called into action after seven minutes, making a good save to keep out a long-range effort. Cambridge continued to look dangerous from distance, with a free-kick grazing the crossbar before another effort from outside the box flew just over.
Colchester were looking dangerous themselves, with Lindsey Morgan making life difficult for the Cambridge defence and covering significant yardage across the pitch.
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The U's pressure eventually paid off after 37 minutes, with Brooke Wright picking up possession centrally to produce a perfectly weighted through ball for Keisha Amoah, who showed great composure to slot the ball past the Cambridge goalkeeper and put the U’s ahead.
Forward Lily Tilyard was also a constant threat up front, making an impact with early runs and coming close to adding a second.
But Cambridge levelled three minutes before the break through a header following a dangerous corner delivered towards the back post.
Just before the break, Amoah came close to restoring Colchester's lead courtesy of another Wright supply, but the visitors’ keeper claimed the cross-box delivery to deny a potential sitter.
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Colchester started the second half positively, with the pace of the forward line continuing to cause problems for the Cambridge defence. Amoah was first to show that threat, racing onto an aerial ball just four minutes after the restart, before Tilyard made another strong run down the right.
The U’s regained the lead through Williams, who raced beyond the Cambridge defence before calmly finishing past the goalkeeper, from Wright's pass.
Cambridge came close in the 68th minute when a strong delivery into the box was headed away from danger by substitute Emily Ager.
The U’s continued to threaten on the counter, with Kezia Holdaway beating the offside trap before getting a firm shot away inside the box.
Brought down after her effort, the referee awarded a penalty which Wright nestled into the bottom left corner to make it 3-1 and secure the U’s place in the next round.
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Georgia Young put in an excellent defensive display and was involved in countless crunching challenges throughout the afternoon, as Colchester worked hard to keep Cambridge at bay.
Eagland dealt confidently with anything that came her way, while the players in front of her joined Young to defend resolutely and ensure the U’s maintained their advantage.
Colchester return to Shrub End for league action this weekend when they host Hertford Town.
Colchester United Women: Izzy Eagland, Keisha Amoah, Aoife McGinley, Evie-Mai Harding, Kexia Holdaway, Bethany Mills, Lindsey Morgan, Layla Russell, Billie-Jo Williams, Brooke Wright, Georgia Young. Subs: Emily Ager, Gracie-Jayne Angus, Lottie Behan, Amelia Brooke, Lily Tilyard, Lucy Yewman.
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