Goals from Ede Buchele and Ava Huntrods fired Fulham into the final of the Combined Counties midweek Cup as the Whites held on to beat Haywards Heath 2-1 in a tight semi-final at Raynes Park Vale FC this evening.
Steve Jaye handed first-team regulars Ellie Parker, Tessa Allen, Mary Southgate and Chloe Christison-McNee some game-time in a side that was otherwise largely made up of the club’s under-18 squad as the Whites look to finish the season with some silverware.
The Cottagers hit the front in the fourteenth minute when Buchele seized on a slack backpass to give the Whites the lead with a predatory finish. Sasha Adamson almost doubled the lead just before the half hour but the Haywards Heath goalkeeper bravely took the ball off the midfielder’s toes as she nearly latched onto a beautiful Buchele through pass. Huntrods hammered an effort from distance against the crossbar with seven minutes of the first half remaining and Buchele drove over after working space for herself with a clever touch.
Ruby Murtagh fired over from a bright Buchele cross just after the hour mark but Huntrods hit an astonishing second goal to give Fulham some breathing space just three minutes later. The talented midfielder celebrated her birthday in the most memorable way possible – striking an absolute screamer from range to give the Whites the kind of cushion their adventure more than merited.
Adamson hit an audacious effort over the bar as Fulham looked for more goals but a nervy finish ensued after Parker miscontrolled a backpass from Christison-McNee, allowing Haywards Heath to pull a goal back. Mila Lewis came close to reinstating Fulham’s two-goal advantage with a strike that clipped the top of the crossbar with eight minutes to play, but Fulham were able to see the game out to advance to the final later this month.
FULHAM WOMEN: Parker; Allen, Todd-Warmouth, Southgate; Lewis, Walters, Christison-McNee, Huntrods; Connelly, Adamson, Buchele. Subs: Humphries, Hayes, Murtagh, Almendros, Patel.
GOALS: Buchele (14), Huntrods (68).
