VITALITY WOMEN’S FA CUP SECOND ROUND
Sunday December 5th, 1.00pm
Stourbridge Road Sports Ground
LYE TOWN LADIES 1
Sian Johnson 59
NORTHAMPTON TOWN WOMEN 2
Leah Cudone 80
Cesca Partridge 90+5 pen
Cobblers: Isobel McDonald, Eden Brown, Fay Noble, Bianca Luttman, Abbie Brewin (sub Abbie Reboul 72), Alex Bartlett, Rachael Mumford, Emma Billenness, Leah Cudone, Rachael St John Mosse (sub Cesca Partridge 57), Georgia Tear (sub Charlie Cooper 46)
Subs not used: Jo Daniel, Sara Wait, Beth Artemiou, Gracie Williams
Northampton Town progressed to the third round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win away to fellow Level Five outfit Lye Town on Sunday afternoon.
Leah Cudone scored the equaliser and substitute Cesca Partridge scored an added time penalty as the Cobblers’ record FA Cup run continued.
Joint-managers Lou Barry and Josh Oldfield made three changes to the team that knocked Bedworth United out in the last round three weeks ago.
Captain Eden Brown returned to the side. Emma Billenness and Georgia Tear also came into the squad.
Lye started the game brightly with the home crowd behind them, and Isobel McDonald pushed an early effort past the post.
The tie became tight and scrappy until the half-an-hour mark, when Cudone beat two defenders in the area and had a shot held.
Cudone’s close range header from Tear’s inswinging corner was caught a few minutes later.
Rachael St John Mosse had two chances to break the deadlock before the interval. An effort rolled wide after a touch from the goalkeeper and she headed over from the resulting corner.
Half time substitute Charlie Cooper almost made an instant impact, but she was tackled as she shaped to shoot. Cudone’s follow-up was pushed behind for a corner.
The Cobblers continued to press for an opener, but it was Lye who took the lead against the run of play when a deep cross was bundled home at the back post on the hour.
Cooper worked some space in the box but her effort across goal was denied as the visitors looked to respond.
They did just that with 10 minutes remaining when Billenness’ cross was dispatched by Cudone in the middle.
There was late drama at both ends when Lye hit the outside of the post from the penalty spot before Cudone was denied from 12 yards less than a minute later.
Substitute Partridge won another penalty deep into injury time, which she slotted into the bottom left corner to send the Cobblers through.
Barry and Oldfield’s side travel to Level Four side Lincoln City in the third round next week.
The Imps knocked out Leafield Athletic with a 3-2 win on Sunday.
LYE TOWN MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 6
CORNERS: (4) 5
FOULS: (4) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 13
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 11
CORNERS: (5) 8
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (4) 7