Millwall Lionesses 1-5 Ebbsfleet United
By Myles Thornton at St Paul’s Sports Ground. 15/1/24
Millwall Lionesses were defeated 5-1 by Ebbsfleet United at St Paul’s Sports Ground on Sunday afternoon.
The lionesses came into the game, you’d think, full of confidence following a 6-2 win this time last week against Sutton United Ladies in the LSE Regional League Cup. Ebbsfleet came into the game following on from a 2-1 loss away to Saltdean in the same competition.
However, after just 11 minutes, Ebbsfleet United were ahead. A well worked team move saw Amelia Woodgate take on a shot which found the back of the net.
Then, just before the 25 minute mark, Woodgate found the ball at her feet once again, and she launched a great shot into the top right corner.
It was neatly 3 for The Fleet when Georgia Perch had a good chance but it went just wide.
Teni Charles then chipped the ball over Millwall goalkeeper and academy graduate Wiktoria Gmiterek and made it 3-0 on 35 minutes.
Things only got worse for Millwall in the second half, although they had a couple of spells where they looked like they could push on and find the back of the net, they allowed The Fleet’s pressure and with just over 10 minutes to go the visitors got a fourth. Dan Carlton put a good ball into the box and it was scrambled into the back of the net.
Ellie Pace made it 5 on 89 minutes. Woodgate, who already had a brace in the game, put the ball across the face of goal and Pace was there to tap it in.
Shannan Drewe got one back for Millwall though going into added on time. But it was too little too late as the Lionesses fell to their 7th defeat of the season.
After the game, Ebbsfleet United’s manager Quinton Naidoo told club media it was “a really really good performance” and said it “doesn’t happen by luck and it’s been made on the training pitch”.
I asked Millwall Co Manager Adam Rowland his thoughts post match and he said “It was always going to be a tough game today against a strong side in Ebbsfleet.
We started well however after a mistake we gifted them their first goal. We couldn’t seem to get back on the front foot from then on and didn’t play the best football that we know we can play. It wasn’t our best day at the office so we will knuckle down and move on to next training this week and focus on next weekend. It’s currently a building process at the club as we continue to work with what we have while trying to bring in more players and add some more quality to our squad as we continue to build.”
Next up for the Lionesses is a home tie against QPR in the Capital Cup on Sunday 21st January 2024and Ebbsfleet will take on Dorking Wanderers away from home in the league on the same day.
Teams:
Millwall: Gmiterek, Huseyin, Payne, Bailey, Chapman, Butler (C), Napper, Young, Garwood, Drewe, Burr. Subs: Seely, Joyce, Jones, Bennett, James.
Scorers: Drewe 90’
Ebbsfleet United: Roberts, Iron, Waud, Porter, Simmons, O’Shea, Woodgate, Russ, Pearch, Charles, Carlton. Subs: Murton, Willis, Pace, Jestin, Reynolds
Scorers: Woodgate 10’, 24’, Charles 35’, Carlton 79′, Pace 85′
Attendance: 40
Referee: Vince Kennedy
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