Women’s Woe In County Cup Final

Peterborough United 3 – 2 Cambridge

Making their second county cup final appearance in as many years, Cambridge’s women footballers’ hopes of silverware were dashed by a late goal.

The match couldn’t have got off to a worse start for the team with two goals coming in the space of little more than ten minutes.

Peterborough’s Seaman finished off some skilful midfield play with a wonder goal that was shortly followed up by a goal from a corner.

This wasn’t supposed to have happened. Cambridge had beaten Peterborough twice earlier in the season and the Cantabrigians, playing in their first match since the holidays, were unsettled by their opponent’s vast improvement.

However, CUWAFC were able to force their way back into the match. Helen Bellfield’s hard tackling and captain Leesa Haydock’s astute passing set up a platform for the team to build on.

The pair’s hard work was rewarded on the stroke of half time. In a goal reminiscent of Lionel Messi’s strike against Arsenal, Ashley Winslow daintily chipped the Peterborough keeper from the edge of the box. Onlookers described it as a “superb, but bizarre strike.”

Cambridge raced out of the blocks in the second half. Right wing Mandy Wainwright was a constant threat and made light work of the Peterborough left back on several occasions.

The Blues’ equaliser stemmed from Wainwright’s wing play. Bursting down the flank Wainwright cut the ball back to Trigg-Smith who coolly finished on the penalty spot.

The rest of the half was an increasingly tense affair. Cambridge held out until the 88th minute when a freak Peterborough goal, direct from a corner, extinguished their hopes of victory.