Gloucester City Women secure club County Cup Semi Final double with win over Bitton
Gloucester City Women completed a second-half comeback to clinch a GFA Women’s Trophy Semi Final spot with a 2-1 win over Bitton Ladies AFC at The Sign Market Stadium, writes Abi Harding.
Goals from Maggie Neall and Lucabella Davis ruled out Ruby Nolan’s first half strike.
The opening exchanges of the game were even, with both sides having their fair share of possession but with no clear-cut chances.
However, this all changed on the half an hour mark when Bitton started pressing for an opener.
First, Abbie Woodley-Marshall’s shot from long range cannoned off the crossbar.
Three minutes later, Woodley-Marshall opened the scoring, shrugging off the defender on the right-hand side before slotting her effort past Sam Linteo in goal.
It finished 1-0 to the hosts at the break, but it didn’t take City long to find an equaliser after half-time.
Neall’s corner was caught but then fumbled by Bitton goalkeeper Zoe Hodgson, with the ball ending up in the back of the net.
The visitors almost got a second just before the hour mark when Davis ran in behind, however her effort was saved by Hodgson, who also caught the rebound from Sachi Kaneko-Grun.
Davis got her reward eventually to put Gloucester City 2-1 up, meeting Neall’s free kick at the back post not long after missing her previous chance.
Despite the hosts pushing for an equaliser, it was to no avail, as City saw the game out well to progress into the Semi Finals.
The result sees Chris Hill’s side join the City Women’s Reserves side in securing their spot in the final four of the County Cup.
City’s first team will host Cheltenham Saracens in the Semi Final, whilst the Reserves side will have to wait to see if they will place AEK Boco Ladies Development or North Bristol Wanderers in the Challenge Cup – after their Quarter Final was postponed this weekend.
Both Bitton and City are back in league action next weekend, with Bitton hosting Purton Women whilst Gloucester City travel to Cirencester Town.
Bitton Ladies: Hodgson, S. Nolan, Millett Hague, Coole, Shore, Soppelsa, R. Nolan, Williams, Plant, Woodley-Marshall
Gloucester City Women: Linteo, Neall, Scheafer, Stichter, Todd, Grey, Warren, Gomez, Soave, Davis, Kaneko-Grun
Subs: Peck, Akkurt, Randhawa, Smith, Skibinski
C Martin Roofing Player of the Match – Maggie Neall (Gloucester City Women)
READ MORE: Check out Sunday’s Women’s football results in and around Gloucestershire right here
