Huddersfield Town saw their tenure in the FAWNL Cup come to an unfortunate close following a 3-1 defeat to a visiting Hull City outfit.
The Terriers resumed their FA Women’s National League Cup run with their second outing at the Stafflex in only four days. Wins in recent weeks against last season’s cup final opponents Doncaster Rovers Belles and York City Ladies in the preliminary ties were enough to ensure a first-round fixture against today’s visitors Hull City Ladies, with Glen Preston’s fielding a fairly rotated side from the recent draw against fellow league side Barnsley women.
The Tigresses recently earnt promotion from the FAWNL Division One North, with an accumulated 56 points last campaign enough to be crowned champions and secure a place in the third tier of Women’s football.
Town will have entered the game with hopes of replicating their pre-season success against Chris Hames’ side, as Hull kicked off the first minutes of the Terriers’ official cup campaign.
In a similar note to the previous contest, the initial stages of the fixture saw the home side opting to utilise Yasmin Mason across the left flank, played in an attacking full-back role once again with Kate Mallin dropping slightly deeper to receive the ball and create a wide overload.
It was the away outfit to break the deadlock however shortly before the 15-minute mark, with a defensive error finding forward Maddi Green with time at the edge of the box, allowed to drive towards the target and slot into the back of the net to place Town in a one-goal deficit.
The works of Lauren Joyce just minutes later prevented Hull City from doubling their advantage, denying the weaving goalscorer from a second before reacting well and claiming the ball from the feet of the on-running opposition attackers.
Town ramped up the pressure to push for a reply, with Charlotte Stuart meeting a Leah Embley cross with a powerful header that rattled the woodwork, before a similar chance in the 26th minute saw a second Stuart effort parried into the path of Embley who drilled into the empty net to draw the sides level.
There was an even exchange of chances between the sides in the closing periods of the first half, with the most notable taking place in the 36th minute, as Scarlett McMahon plucked a cross well from the air, before squaring to Mallin who fired narrowly high of the target as the Terriers entered the break unfortunate not to be ahead.
The Tigresses earnt their second shortly after the restart, as the ball found Hope Knight outside the area, who’s half volley towards the far corner was out of Joyce’s reach.
The attacking weightage of the fixture soon fell heavily into the hands of Preston’s side, with chance creation from wide areas the clear intention of the side searching for a second, with Stuart coming close on a number of occasions, winning yet another ariel duel in the opposition area before heading marginally wide.
Huddersfield were unable to capitalise on this dominant foothold however, as the visitors netted their third following a defensive mishap in the 71st minute to increase the Town deficit to two.
Frustration was clearly building as pivoting midfielder Caz Simone was soon booked for an offence in the host’s half, as the side continued to push for a second, with a triple substitution placing more pressure on the Tigress backline.
Despite a flurry of late corners, Town were unable produce an end product from their final efforts and were forced to settle for a 3-1 scoreline, seeing their FAWNL cup run come to an unfortunate close.
Preston’s side return to league action next Sunday, as they face the long travel to the North East to face Durham Cestria and aim to reignite their winning form.
Goals:
26′ Embley (Stuart)
Substitutions:
72′ Firth, Tirpke and Montgomery (McMahon, Mason and Housley)
Match Report: Harry Walsh
Photo Credits: Nathan Lewis
