Recap

Bridges Women march on in Challenge Cup after second win over Steyning

By Ellie Duffett

Bridges Women travelled down once again this week to face Steyning in the second round of the Sussex Women’s Challenge Cup.

Bridges have won both of their meetings against Steyning this week with Bridges scoring nine goals and only conceding two.

In today’s match, Bridges put in a dominant performance which saw them secure a 4-0 win. The match opened with an early opportunity at goal from Amelia Sandys, who 30 seconds into play made a cross into goal. The ball was chased down by Kaitlyn Paul and Katie Butts but controlled by the keeper as she stepped out and intercepted the pass.

Two minutes later, Bridges scored their first goal after Butts ran onto Paul’s pass into the box. Butts had a strong Steyning press on her but kept her composure, putting a clean, precise shot straight into the back of the net.

Just over one minute later and Paul added a second. Paul made a run onto a loose Steyning ball. In a lapse of judgement, the keeper ran forward out of the box to also try and meet the ball but was too slow to try and close down the opportunity. Paul continued forward, before placing a perfect shot into the empty net. Bridges held a 2-0 advantage.

Almost 10 minutes later, Steyning were on a promising attack until defender Ava Clark stepped up and immediately dispossessed the attacker.

Bo Hughes, who helped Bridges score their third goal of the game, was impressive today, keeping her composure in incredibly tight spaces, weaving in and out of the opposition. The third goal came after Hughes played an impressive ball through two players and up to Butts. The keeper ran out of the box, allowing Butts to chip the ball over her head and into goal.

Bridges played the first half with confidence keeping their shape whilst Steyning scrambled at times for control.

As the second half began, Steyning started with a fiery attitude creating a more balanced game.In the 62^nd minute, Steyning were awarded a corner, the ball went into the box and there was mayhem with Bridges players trying to control the ball and Steyning trying to shoot. In the chaos, Poppy Nicholls injured her knee and had to be substituted.

In the 79^th minute, Lilly Standing picked the ball off the opposition before running to the right-hand side of goal and taking a shot at goal which unfortunately landed in the side netting.

In the 82^nd minute, Bridges went down to 10 players after Pam McDonnell was shown a red card after an incident involving the opposition pulling on McDonnell’s shirt.

With only 10 players, Bridges kept composure, continuing to play in the positive style which they had previously.

In the 84th minute, Nancy Newman added her name to the scoresheet after she received a cross from Emily Fleg on the edge of the box before slotting it home.

The game finished at 4-0 to Bridges, another dominant performance against Steyning. The team will now look ahead to their next fixture facing Broadbridge Heath this coming Wednesday the 21^st at home.