Match report
ARSENAL LADIES 2 AFC WIMBLEDON LADIES 0
An excellent AFC Wimbledon defensive display frustrated Arsenal for an over an hour, but the Cup holders eased into Round 5 of the F A Women's Cup with two late goals.
The Gunners had scored 11 goals against the Dons in a pre-season friendly, but a repeat never looked likely. Louise Cooper turned a Grant shot round the post before Carly Hunt shot wide in a rare Dons attack. Ludlow had the ball in the net but the referee had already blown for a foul, Sanderson broke the offside trap and shot past Cooper only for Carly Hunt to clear the ball off the line, then Lizzie Laws blocked a Banks shot and shepherded the ball to Cooper.
The Dons continued to frustrate Arsenal after the break, with Cooper saving a Banks header and Ludlow bursting clean through but shooting miserably wide. Lauren Nuttall's volley was deflected wide by Wheatley for a Dons corner but then Banks burst through only to scuff her shot straight at Cooper. Arsenal eventually went ahead in the 66th minute when an excellent Sanderson cross was volleyed in at the far post by Ludlow. Six minutes later it was 2-0, Pealling crossing for Grant to turn and have a shot parried by Cooper and bundled home by Ludlow. The Dons were unable to respond and McBride chipped the ball over Cooper and wide, England centre-forward Smith shot past Cooper only for Laws to clear off the line, then Ludlow chipped the ball over Cooper but Carly Hunt was on hand to clear the danger. |
