1st September 2022
Report by Kieran Neller.
Under the floodlights at Stadium MK, The Robinesses unbeaten start to the season came to an end courtesy of a stoppage time winner from Tricia Gould.
The game started without many chances, but quickly picked up around the 20th minute, when Lacy-Jai Liggett’s charge from deep inspired the first real chance of the game despite being saved by the keeper.
Liggett created another opportunity just minutes later when she fired a cross to the near post for Henna Butcher who couldn’t quite connect with the ball.
Liggett became the centre of another close call as she had the ball in the back of the net in the 34th minute but was judged to be offside by the linesman.
In the next minute it was the Robinesses’ goalkeeper Aimee Watson taking the spotlight as she pulled of a remarkable double save to keep the scoreline level.
The second half saw even more chances for both teams, but MK Dons drew first blood as Mollie Coupar managed to convert a chance from a loose ball in the box.
Jade Grove had a chance to equalise two minutes later as the ball bobbled in front of her in the box, but the half-volley was off target.
It took 20 minutes from the opener for Cheltenham to get on the scoresheet. A second ball fell to Amy Wathan (pictured) in the area, and she took full advantage and fired the ball through a congested box and into the net.
Liggett came close in the 88th minute as her shot from an awkward angle was palmed high by the keeper and bounced across the goal mouth.
Into stoppage time, Butcher clipped the ball to the far post for Liggett, and though the forward does well to connect with the volley, she shot misses the target.
The game’s disappointing conclusion came in the fifth minute of added time, as Tricia Gould’s cross looped into the far post out of reach of Watson.
The side’s first away game of the season finished 2-1 to the home team. Cheltenham are on the road again this weekend as they face Oxford United.
Cheltenham: Watson, Jones, Owen, Asker (Finch 66), Wathan, Collis (Newns 22), Taylor, Butcher, Beck-Esson (Fallon 66), Liggett, Grove (Congrave 69)
Cheltenham Player of the Match: Henna Butcher
