Eastbourne Borough Women’s incredible season continued on Tuesday night as they beat Sutton United on penalties to reach the semi-final of the Combined Counties Cup.
The team went into the game missing some key players through injury, and this list was added to after 5 minutes, when Molly Hill was stretchered off with a serious ankle injury.
Chris Day shuffled his team around, pushing Izzy Payne into the number 10, and bringing Megan Griffiths on to the left wing. Suttons physical long ball approach meant a busy night for Boroughs young back 4, marshalled superbly by Holly Carter at Centre-Back.
With Charlotte Gurr and Kellie Larkin pulling the strings in midfield, Borough produced some breath taking build up play from the back, but couldn’t find many clear cut opportunities.
Indeed it was Sutton who broke the deadlock a minute before half time, with a long shot being pushed onto the post by the impressive Moule in goal, but the Sutton striker was first to react for an easy tap in.
With no changes at half time, Borough came out with the same tempo they finished the first half, and a flowing move saw Gurr’s shot from the edge of the box pushed away by the Sutton keeper into the path of Becky Simmons, who buried her 31st goal of the season high into the Sutton net.
Both teams pushed hard for a winner, and the introduction of 16 year old Daisy Taylor for Payne gave Borough a fresh impetus.
With a few minutes left both teams were planning for penalties, with Payne coming back on for the hard working Abbie Tucker on the right, and Phoebe Cram replacing player of the match Ruby Starkey at right back. With the travelling Borough fans out singing the Sutton support, the game went into a penalty shoot out.
Kellie Larkin, Charlotte Gurr, Simmons and Izzy Payne all scored as it went to sudden death – with Sophia Moule making a save before she saved Sutton’s sixth penalty – allowing Phoebe Cram to score the decisive penalty and sending Borough through.
Having wrapped up the league title and Sussex FA Challenge Trophy, Chris Day’s side have two more cup final appearances to come as well as the semi-final of the Combined Counties Cup to look forward to.
