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Caversham United Women exited the FA Women’s Cup as Queens Park Rangers progressed with two goals in each half.
In their maiden season as The Goats, Caversham travelled to face Queens Park Rangers Women at Hanwell Town’s Powerday Stadium in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup third qualifying round.
QPR currently sit three tiers above Caversham in the women’s football pyramid, so leaving London with a ticket into the first round proper was always going to be tough for the Goats. Nevertheless, having seen off Warminster Town 3-1 and then Eversley & California 4-2 in the previous rounds, Caversham did have hope.
Given QPR’s attack had recently scored six goals against Maidenhead United, Caversham organised well, planning to allow QPR the lioness’s share of possession and defend stoutly, whilst hitting the Hoops on the break.
Though Rangers dominated the ball, the Goats held firm and had chances of their own, until the 23rd minute.
Rangers marauding full backs were starting to cause problems and with that, QPR switched their focus through the centre and Melanie Hall slotted the ball under Nina Merritt, despite her getting a hand to it to make it 1-0
The next two minutes could have completely changed the game.
The Goats responded immediately and on 25 minutes Steph Nelson hit the underside of the crossbar from 25 yards out.
The keeper was well beaten, but in the absence of goal line technology, we’ll never know if the ball crossed the line despite of the thoughts of the Caversham players and fans alike.
After a spell of domination and causing trouble to the R’s defence, QPR doubled their lead through Searle, finishing at the second attempt.
From being so close to equalising to being 0-2 down was a huge kick in the teeth for Goats’ manager Georgia Graham and her team.
Ultimately, in the second half Rangers showed their fitness and three-tier-superior prowess, scoring a third mid-way through the half as Moore with a brilliant flick.
They added a fourth in injury time as Edwards scored having come off the bench.
Queens Park Rangers: Pope, Petit, Searle, Carolan, Grieve(c), Jordinson, Blodgett, Akerman, Davies, Moore, Hall. Subs: Edwards, Nygaard-Parsons, Redhead-Ling
Caversham United: Merritt(c), C. Clarke, Hobson, Wicks, Dearling, Levy, Butler, Jenkins, Swan, Nelson, Newland. Subs: Thoreau, Hayden, D. Clarke, Hopkins, Zayadi
By Paul Gutteridge
