A last-minute winner from substitute Ellie Olds fired Fulham to victory over Cambridge United on their Tier 4 debut at Motspur Park yesterday afternoon.

The Whites went ahead through a fine strike from summer signing Katie Dungate on nineteen minutes. United drew level through debutant Kim Farrow twelve minutes before the break after a dreadful defensive mix-up. The opening day encounter looked destined for a draw, especially after U’s goalkeeper Lauren Webb had saved a second half spot-kick from Kayleigh Stead, but Olds had other ideas.

The experienced striker put Steve Jaye’s side back in front in added time with a clinical finish at the far post and the hosts held on to claim all three points. Fulham’s resilience was underlined by the fact that they lost Frankie Gibbs after the goalkeeper made a brave block at the feet of Brooklyn Cheal-Ferris, with the number one having to be replaced in goal by attacker Sasha Adamson for the final eight minutes of normal time and more than ten minutes of added time.

FULHAM FC WOMEN: Gibbs (Stormer 83); Tagliavini, Rutherford, Parsonson (Mendes, 90+10), Gandee Morgan (Adamson, 69), Stead (Olds 69), Oliver, Stevens, Dale, Dungate (Milne, 90+9), Bradley.

GOALS: Dungate (19), Olds (90).

CAMBRIDGE UNITED WOMEN: Webb, Miles, Tomlinson, Cheal-Ferris, Rouse (Jackson, 57), Richards, Bell, Edgar, Farrow, Stephenson (Coupar, 72), Wood. Subs (not used): Shults, Jarvis, Docking, Marden.

BOOKED:

GOAL: Farrow (33).