Second half strikes from Rachel Panting, Megalie Mendes and Ede Buchele helped Fulham FC Women fightback to win a five-goal thriller against Millwall Lionesses at Motspur Park this afternoon.
The Whites registered their fourth successive league win but they were made to work exceptionally hard by a spirited Millwall outfit who had seen their manager Kevin Boanas resign on Friday following a dispiriting 2-0 defeat to Dulwich Hamlet last weekend. After a moving minute’s silence in memory of Maddy Cusack, Fulham began with the confidence of a side that had scored fourteen goals in their last three games and should have gone in front in the second minute when Georgia Heasman played Sophie Manzi in behind the Millwall defence. The striker skipped around the goalkeeper but slotted agonisingly wide.
Manzi had another chance to give the hosts the lead seven minutes later when Fulham were awarded a penalty for handball but Chrissie Wiggins saved her spot-kick as well as the follow-up. The visitors then threatened as Chloe Burr found space on the left and floated a cross in that was headed into the arms of Ellie Parker by Grace Seely. Manzi was denied by another Wiggins’ reaction save before Rachel Panting tested the Millwall custodian’s reflexes with a fierce rising right-footed drive.
The Lionesses took the lead somewhat against the run of play nine minutes before half time. Burr was given too much to cross from the left and Melissa Jones drifted away from Ella Tagliavini and looped an impressive header into the top corner. Panting almost delivered an immediate riposte but her close range finish from Madi Parsonson’s cross was bravely blocked by Tyra Poole. The Lionesses then had a goal disallowed for offisde but still went in with a lead at half time.
Fulham started with a renewed sense of ambition with Panting places an effort wide of the far post before the former Oxford forward stabbed wide from close range after a floated free-kick from Mendes. The Whites kept up the pressure with Lilly Lambard seeing a speculative strike deflected behind for a corner. Panting poked Fulham level when she was found by Parsonson’s perfect corner and Steve Jaye’s side lead just three minutes later.
The second goal was a beautifully worked move. Wing-back Mendes finished excellently after Adamson and Panting had linked up impressively. Panting then held up the ball brilliantly on the edge of the box before teeing up Adamson, who skied a shot from a good position. The game was in the balance until almost the last minute of the ninety. Fulham, with their defence benefiting from the recent return to the starting line-up of skipper Mary Southgate, had chances to extend their lead most notably when Panting stabbed wide from Parsonson’s flag-kick.
The Whites looked to have wrapped up the points when tremendous tenacity from Parsonson, who had played through the pain of a knee injury, won the ball back on the right flank and threaded a peach of pass through for the bright Buchele, who sprinted into the penalty area and caressed a cool finish into the corner. Millwall did keep their hosts sweating until the very end after Ellen Napper headed into from a corner in the closing stages – but the Whites held on for a big win.
FULHAM FC WOMEN (3-4-3): Parker; Tagliavini, Southgate, Dale; Mendes, Parsonson, Hill, Lambird; Heasman, Adamson, Manzi. Subs: Gibbs, Stormer, Adaway, Panting, Buchele.
BOOKED: Parsonson.
GOALS: Panting (54), Mendes (57), Buchele (88).
MILLWALL LIONESSES: Wiggins; Poole, Connell, Bailey, Huseyin, Chapman, Jones, Seely, Whitter, Drewe, Burr. Subs: Bennett, Napper, Giordani, Cole, White.
GOALS: Jones (36), Napper (90+5).
REFEREE: Dan Vernon
ATTENDANCE: 150
