It was a five-star performance for the Huddersfield Town Women’s first team against their own development squad, beating them 5-1 on Thursday night for a place in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA Women’s Challenge Cup final.
The first team squad now has a chance to win two cups this year after already securing their place in the National League Cup final.
The County Cup showpiece event will take place on April 30 at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium where Town will face either Oughtibridge WM Women FC or Barnsley Women’s FC.
In a strange twist of fate Town’s first team and development squad were drawn against each other in the semi-final played on home turf at the Stafflex Arena.
The first team were technically ‘away’ even though the game was played on their own pitch because floodlights were needed. Wearing the away kit, the senior squad came out on top as five different scorers found the net on the night.
It was the development side who came out the stronger and could have been 1-0 up after two minutes. Macy Ellis was slotted through on goal and forced a good save out of Daniela Kośinska in the first team goal.
In the 11th minute the deadlock was broken as Beth Ibbotson managed to get on the end of a cross at the far post and nod the ball past Laura Carter for her first goal for the club.
The development team then equalised in the 30th minute. Tara Duce scored an absolute peach of a free-kick from 30 yards out to level the scores at half-time.
The first team showed their class and greater strength after the break and it only took three second half minutes for Huddersfield’s first team to take the lead again. Mia Parry pounced quickest on a loose ball which she turned home from close range. That was Parry’s first goal for the club.
The Terriers’ first team extended their lead in the 52nd minute when Serena Fletcher made her way into the box and smashed the ball in from close range to make it 3-1.
The first team grabbed a fourth goal in the 81st minute when Falone Sumaili got a goal after Carter parried the ball straight into her path.
The scoring was rounded off with a minute to go as Kate Mallin got on the scoresheet on her 501st appearance for the Terriers. Ria Montgomery had a shot from range which was parried by Carter and Mallin finished it off.
The first team’s next game is away against Hull City on Sunday April 10 (2.00).
Images by: Eva Knott
