Brighouse Town Women boss looks for cup response after league loss to Stoke City

Brighouse Town Women were punished for an inconsistent performance when losing 3-2 to Stoke City in Sunday's National League Northern Premier clash.
Cara Fields. Picture: Ray SpencerCara Fields. Picture: Ray Spencer
Cara Fields. Picture: Ray Spencer

Persistent rain meant the Yorkshire Payments Stadium was unplayable so the match was switched to the 3G at Calderdale College in Halifax.

Brighouse gave a debut to new signing Lucy Sowerby, who joined from Huddersfleld Town earlier in the week.

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For the second game running Rob Mitchell’s team started slowly and Stoke City had the best of the early chances.

Goalkeeper Imogen Maguire made a good early save with her right foot but the visitors weren’t to be denied when Molly Holder broke the deadlock from 30 yards after 14 minutes.

It was the least Stoke City deserved and they were denied a second when Becky Gompertz cleared off the line midway through the half. Stoke’s players thought the ball had crossed the line but the assistant referee Craig Salmons was in the perfect position and waved play on.

The visitors also had a goal ruled out for a push in the box as the first 45 finished 1-0.

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Brighouse came out for the second half with a lot more attacking intent and equalised after 50 minutes when Sowerby ran onto a long ball down the middle to lob the advancing goalkeeper Liz Hobson to spark wild scenes of celebration.

However, Brighouse immediately handed the advantage back to the opponents when Stoke scored a perfectly struck free-kick into the top corner after 56 minutes through Callan Barber.

Mitchell made a string of substitutions and player of the match Cara Fields’ arrival brought some much-needed composure to the middle of the pitch.

Brighouse looked a completely different side when they started playing football and Sowerby came close to adding a second but her deflected shot was pushed onto the crossbar by Hobson and the danger was cleared.

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Thoughts of a comeback were dashed when Beth Roberts’ left wing cross on 86 minutes found Roisin Kivel unmarked in the six-yard box and she headed home.

With nothing to lose Brighouse threw everything forward and thought they’d grabbed a second when Imogen Williams found Amy Woodruff to tap home but this time assistant referee Salmons didn’t come to their rescue and ruled it out for a marginal offside.

In the 92nd minute Drew Greene found Leah Embley on the right wing and she drove the ball beyond Hobson to make it 3-2 but it was a case of too little too late.

After the game Mitchell said Stoke deserved the three points and urged his team to learn from their mistakes. He said: “I said a few weeks ago that some of the teams towards the bottom were in false positions and that’s proved to be the case.

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“Stoke City were really up for it and started better than us and deservedly took the lead. We were more of a threat in the second half but only really started to play well in the final 15 minutes.

“I thought we were unlucky to have a goal ruled out for offside but we switched off for their third and then we were chasing the game.

“However we have a big game against Huddersfield Town on Wednesday in the quarter-final of the League Cup and I’ll be looking for a response.”

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