27th January 2025

Report by Ben Stevens.
Cheltenham Town Women progressed to the final of the FA Women’s National League Plate after beating Southampton Academy 1-0 on Sunday in difficult conditions on Sunday.
Una Lue flicked home her 12th goal of the season in the 63rd minute before 17-year-old Carys Pugh-Jones saved a stoppage-time penalty to send Tom Davies’ side through.
The first chance of the game fell to Libby Bell just four minutes in after Henna Butcher found the wing-back in space on the right side, but Bell’s effort went just over the bar.
The visitors also threatened early on in the game, but both efforts were held comfortably by young shot-stopper Pugh-Jones, who had started all of the Plate games for Cheltenham.
As the rain continued to lash down at Kayte Lane, Butcher linked up with fellow striker Una Lue in the 38th minute, but her powerful effort crashed against the crossbar and the rebound was cleared away by Southampton.
Just before the half-time break, some fantastic defending by Holy Finch broke down a promising Saints attack, meaning the game was goalless at half-time.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 63rd minute by Lue. Substitute Doris Greenwood picked the ball up on the left-hand side and crossed in with her weaker left foot and Lue reacted quickest to flick the ball past Ella Pettit.
Just minutes later, fantastic defending from captain Emily Owen and Greenwood kept out Southampton. Owen threw her body on the line to block a dangerous chance from Natasha Ndebhulu, with Greenwood then doing the same to deny a cross seconds later.
Carnage ensued in stoppage time, with Southampton awarded a penalty.
Lucy Blumire stepped up, but Pugh-Jones produced a great save to deny the initial effort and managed to get over the ball before Blumire could react.
However, Blumire caught Pugh-Jones in the face with a late attempt for the ball and was shown a red card.
Cheltenham saw out the final minutes and secured another historic win to book their place in the final for the first time.
Davies’ side will face Bournemouth in the final, with the date of the tie yet to be announced.
Cheltenham: Pugh-Jones, Finch (Morgan-Hemmens 89), Llewellyn, Owen; Bell, Collis, Butcher, Attenborough, Trinci (Greenwood 60); Pemberton, Lue.