Millwall Lionesses 1-1 Queens Park Rangers
Millwall win 5-4 on penalties
By Myles Thornton at St Paul’s Sports Ground. 21/1/24
Above: Wiktoria Gmiterek – Tom West Photography
Ella Bailey scored the deciding penalty in a penalty shootout as Millwall Lionesses overcame Women’s National League Division One South East side QPR to progress into the next round of the Women’s Capital Senior Cup.
Joint managers Alex Russell and Adam Rowland made two changes to the side that lost the previous week, Ella Bailey and club captain Jordan Butler made way for academy graduate Melissa Jones and Grace Seely who both started this one.
It was a much better start to the game than last week at home to Ebbsfleet United where the Lionesses found themselves behind after just 10minutes. This time around, Millwall were nearly ahead after 10 minutes, Shannan Drewe made a blinding run down the right hand side before putting the ball across the face of goal for the lightning fast Ellen Napper but she just couldn’t get her foot onto the end of the great ball.
Then on 17 minutes, QPR’s Ellie Searle had a fantastic opportunity to break the deadlock but her effort wentjust adrift.
Shannan Drewe then nearly scored a magnificent free kick, but QPR stopper Nicole Melling tipped it just over the bar.
The deadlock was then finally broken when Maizi Garwood got her fourth goal in 3 games. Ellen Napper worked very well down the right side, she put a good ball in the box and Clemmie Young’s effort hit off the crossbar and Maizi Garwood was there on the follow up to smash it home.
Nine minutes into the second half,QPR got a helping hand back into the game when the referee gave a contentious penalty from Melissa Jones’ challenge on Ellie Searle, who then converted from the spot.
The rest of the game was quite even, however Millwall deserved to win, but after 90 minutes, the score was level, and it was off to penalties.
The kicks were taken in front of the Joe Hughes end. It was locked at 4-4with both teams still to take their fifth penalty, Frankie Websters penalty was saved by U18’s goalkeeper Wiktoria Gmiterek, before Millwall’s Ella Bailey converted the winner.
After the game, joint manager Alex Russell spoke to Maritime Radio’s Jeff Burnige and said the result was “very pleasing” and he also was full of praise for the 3 youngsters (Gmiterek, Young, and Bethelmie) who were involved in today’s game. Maya Bethelmie was the youngest of the bunch at just 16 years old.
Teams:
Millwall: Gmiterek, Huseyin, Payne, Jones, Chapman, Seely (C), Napper, Young, Garwood, Drewe, Burr. Subs: Butler, Bailey, Giordani, Bennett, Bethelmie.
Scorer: Garwood 32’
QPR: Melling, Curr, McCrea, Carolan, Blodgett, Lewin, Shepherd, Hennessy, Stanley, Ward-Chambers, Searle. Subs: Nygaard-Parsons, Hill, Webster, Francis-Pownell.
Scorer: Searle 54’
Referee: Alfie Howden
Attendance: 55
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