26th August 2024
Report by Ben Stevens.
Photo courtesy of Marc Payne Photography.
Cheltenham Town Women continued their perfect start to the league with another dominant display, beating MK Dons Women 5-0 away from home.
was the skipper Emily Owen who put them into the lead with a calm penalty finish. Una Lue (pictured) quickly doubled the lead with a towering header before Lacy-Jai Liggett made it 3-0 with a smart finish into the bottom corner.
Cheltenham continued dominating the game in the second half, and quickly made it 4-0 with Lue grabbing her second of the afternoon, beating the keeper to the ball over the top from Owen and heading in her third of the season. The chances kept falling to the Robinesses but MK Dons’ keeper kept them out. The fifth came from Henna Butcher, who tapped Liggett’s shot over the line.
First Half:
Three minutes into the game, Cheltenham had two brilliant chances for an early goal. The first came from Henna Butcher playing the ball across the goal, but nobody could meet it. The second chance came after a strike from range was tipped onto the crossbar by Dons’ keeper Anna Draper, but Una Lue couldn’t convert. However she quickly made up for this, when she forced Draper into an error and won a foul in the box, with Emily Owen stepping up to take it, smashing the ball home to give Cheltenham the lead after 20 minutes.
Only two minutes later, Lue doubled the advantage. Lacy-Jai Liggett crossed the ball in from Cheltenham’s left-hand side, and Lue rose highest to head the ball in. Liggett then turned from provider into scorer, as she calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner for her second of the season.
Lue won another penalty before half-time, and this time Ffion Llewellyn stepped up to take it, but her effort was saved by Draper.
Second Half:
Much like last week, Tom Davies’ side started the second half like they ended the first, and quickly added a fourth. Owen played a ball over the top of everyone, and Lue beat the keeper to it and headed in her second of the afternoon.
Cheltenham head multiple more efforts saved by Draper. Liggett and Lue worked well together to win the ball back in the opposition half, with Liggett playing the ball back across to Lue but her effort was saved, before Butchers effort off the rebound was also saved.
However, Butcher did eventually get her goal. From a corner, Liggett’s first effort was blocked but fell back to her feet. Her second attempt was deflected off a Dons’ defender but Butcher tapped the ball over the line.
Cheltenham continued to dominant the ball for the final 20 minutes of the game, with Mia Smith in Cheltenham’s goal once again left with little to do.
Cheltenham: Smith; Sharpe (Finch 85), Owen, Llewellyn; Trinci (Bell 71), Hateley, Collis, Attenborough (Pemberton 71), Liggett (Greenwood 78); Lue, Butcher (Pengelly 78).
Cheltenham Player of the Match:
Chosen By Opposition: Meg Attenborough
Chosen By Sponsor: Una Lue
