Report | Keynsham Town Ladies 3 Argyle Women 5
Keynsham Town Ladies 3
Plymouth Argyle Women 5
Knapman 3’,37’,47’
Cunningham 42’
Alphous 45’
Plymouth Argyle Women got back to winning ways after a goal-fest in the FA Cup. After playing well without reward last weekend, Argyle put in a more clinical performance to progress past Keynsham Town into the 2nd round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup.
Having already beaten Keynsham 5-1 in the league earlier in the season, Argyle had every reason to feel confident of another good result in the cup. They got off to a flyer through Natasha Knapman’s third goal of the season. Only three minutes into the game, right wing-back Sophie Perrin got in behind the Keynsham defence and whipped a cross into Knapman, who took a touch and finished into the far corner. Argyle nearly doubled their lead three minutes later when Gabi Alphous burst past her marker, but her left-footed shot went wide of the far post.
Then against the run of play, Keynsham equalised as a defensive error allowed their striker to intercept the ball and finish into the empty Argyle net. Argyle reacted and twice went close to restoring their lead. Knapman and Alphous both went close, but their strikes went wide of the Keynsham post. Then Keynsham played a long ball that caught the Argyle defence out, and their striker finished into the bottom corner to give them an unlikely lead.
Argyle showed great character to react to going behind and equalised in the 37th minute once again through Knapman. Jemma Rose picked the ball up in midfield and played a through ball into the path of Knapman, who finished into the bottom corner. With the momentum with them, Argyle restored their lead only 5 minutes later when Zoe Cunningham fired the ball in off the underside of the bar from the edge of the Keynsham box.
Then on the stroke of halftime, Cunningham turned provider. She picked the ball up by the left corner flag and spun past her marker before dipping her shoulder and dribbling past another two to burst into the penalty box, where she cut the ball back to Gabi Alphous, who smashed the ball into the back of the net.
Argyle were rampant in attack and continued the goal-scoring only two minutes into the second half. Perrin again found space on the right-hand side, and her teasing cross was too much for Haynes in the Keynsham net, who spilt the ball to Knapman, who hooked the ball in from an acute angle to complete her hattrick.
It was a more controlled performance from Argyle in the second half, who dominated possession of the ball. They could have extended their lead through substitute Tracey Cross who twice drew good saves from Haynes in the Keynsham goal. But Keynsham did get a third goal in the 77th minute after another defensive error gifted them a chance, but after that, Argyle saw the game out well to win 5-3.
It was a good performance from Argyle and hopefully a much-needed confidence boost after a recent difficult run of results. The Argyle Women’s team have another away game next weekend when they return to league action to take on Oxford United in the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division.
Photo Credit: Dan Newton
Plymouth Argyle Women
Soper, Perrin, Thomas, Papaioannou, Ramsey, Train, Crawford, Rose, Cunningham, Alphous, Knapman
Subs: Cross, Bell, Ireland
Keynsham Town Ladies
Haynes, Withers, McKorkill, Yorstan, Grogan, Evans, Butcher, Carabott, Williams, Bartlett, Lorton,
Subs: Bak, Norris, Reed, Coates