A record crowd of close to 700 fans saw Oxford City Women go through in a thrilling 4-2 win over a battling Sherborne Town Ladies side in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup this afternoon at the MGroup Stadium

Goals from Yasmin Edwards, Kate Parsons top scorer Ellie White and player of the match Amy Leach were enough to send The Hoops through despite goals from Imogen Miller and Charlotte Harmer that set up a grandstand finish.

With that record breaking crowd roaring them on what City needed was a nice early goal to settle them down. It took just three minutes for Edwards to provide exactly that when the young forward touched the ball to her right and then arrowed a powerful effort into the top right corner, giving visiting keeper Emily Wilkinson no chance as City went a goal ahead.

Sherborne, who play at a similar level to City in the league, responded well and saw plenty of the ball without truly testing home keeper Hannah Gerrow and on 20 minutes the home side were two goals up as Edwards turned provider, turning her marker and slipping a perfectly weighted pass for Parsons to finish from a tight angle.

This is the FA Cup though and as we know, anything can happen. Straight from the restart Sherborne were reborn as they charged forward and top scorer Miller raced into the box to thump home and make it 2-1. It could easily have been 2-2 a minute later when Ellie Orritt again found space but fired into the side-netting

That all brought the cup tie to life and the rest of the half was played at a frantic pace. White went close, a trademark Billie Bough-French free kick forced a save and then a minute into added time the predatory White finally broke the shackles and powered away in familiar fashion. Sherborne trailed in her wake and a simple finish made it 3-1 at the break.

That third goal momentarily knocked the stuffing out of Sherborne for the first part of the second half as City steadied themselves and protected their two goal lead. Chances dried up for both teams  until Gerrow made a good save from a dipping Harmer effort after 76 minutes only for the same player to pop up in the six yard box from the resulting corner to stab home and make it 3-2 and game properly on.

There were thrills and spills at both ends. Bough-French again forced a save from long range but an offside 'goal' at the other end kept the crowd biting their nails as Sherborne threw everything into a last gasp push for an equaliser. However after 95 minutes Leach touched home from close range and City finally ended Sherborne resistance.

Enormous credit to City who battled  for everything, fought for every loose ball, and were full value for a famous victory.

A great performance and the adventure continues.

Can't wait...

CITY

Gerrow, Leach, Wellington-Faissal (Ayers 66), Prescott-Luke, Parsons (L White 71), Harris, E White (Lester 96), Edwards (Walecki 79), Craven, O’Leary (Tayman 58), Bough-French

SUBS
Davies, Gorman

ATT: 695

Report by Chris Williams, pictures by Darrell Fisher