Barnet FC Ladies 3 Reading Royals 2 (After Extra Time)
FA Women's Premier League Cup Preliminary Round
Sunday 27 August 2006
At Hanwell Town FC

Barnet FC Ladies progressed to the First Round of the FA Women's Premier League Cup, thanks to a hard fought extra time win against Reading Royals.Beth Curtis continued her excellent early season goal scoring form, whilst Dee Smith and Clare Stevens each scored their first Barnet goals in a 3-2 win.However, the Bees had every cause to be grateful to goalkeeper Jess Devoti who produced a string of fine saves to keep her side in the game.

Beth Curtis gave Barnet an early advantage after seven minutes.A clever reverse pass from Leanne Small played in Beth Curtis who out paced her marker and took the ball around the advancing Reading keeper to calmly slot the ball home.

The first half was an even affair with both sides largely being reduced to long range efforts on goal.Reading came closest to adding to the score when Carla Rose just failed to get a touch when a cross flashed across the face of the Barnet goal.

Tracey Kevins introduced Tina Keech into the action at half time for debutant Nicola Burgess.Keech was making a welcome return to first team action after injury had disrupted the last 18 months of her career.

Reading started the second period very strongly.Jess Devoti was soon forced into an excellent save at the feet of the advancing Tracy Korkett.However, the Royals were back on level terms after 52 minutes, Katy Hooper curling in a shot for the angle of the penalty area into the top corner of the net.Minutes later Devoti pulled off another superb save this time as Jo Perks broke through for a one-on-one situation.

The Bees appeared to have retaken the lead after 63 minutes.Beth Curtis rounded off a trademark mazy run into the box with a chip over the Reading keeper Cherie Rowlands.Rowlands scrambled back and appeared to retrieve the ball from behind the goal line, but the assistant referee was adamant that a goal had not been scored.

Fortunately Barnet did not have to wait long before restoring their advantage.Tina Keech picked out Dee Smith with a ball from the right hand side and the midfield player produced a composed finish to give her side a 2-1 lead.The goal was Smith's first for Barnet.

Both sides continued to attack in search of further goals.Smith pick out Leanne Small with an excellent cross-field pass and the striker's goal bound effort was well saved by Rowlands.Minutes later Devoti produced and excellent finger-tip save to thwart the prolific Reading striker Cheryl Williams.

Barnet's resistance was worn down deep into injury time.Natasha Caswell seized on loose ball twelve yards out and fired home an equaliser, despite the efforts of Keech on the goal line to keep the ball out.

In the first period of extra time Claire Thomas went close to scoring her first Barnet goal, shooting just wide having been played in by Clare Stevens.At the other end, Jess Devoti produced another fine finger-tip save from Williams' long range effort.

With four minutes of the second period of extra time remaining Louisa Richards was pulled back on the angle of the Reading penalty area.Left Back Clare Stevens stepped up to strike her free kick through a crowd of players and into the far corner of the net to give the Bees a decisive 3-2 lead with her first Barnet goal.

However, there was one further scare for Barnet in the dying moments of the game when Williams free-kick struck the cross-bar.

As a result of this win, Barnet FC Ladies will travel to Southampton Saints for their Round One tie in the FA Women's Premier League Cup, which will be played at Winchester City FC on Sunday 10 September 2006.

Barnet Team: Jess Devoti; Charlotte Herson (Lynda Brown 104 mins), Vicky Elcome, Katie Wicka, Clare Stevens; Dee Smith, Claire Thomas, Ann Harvey, Nicola Burgess (Tina Keech 45 mins); Leanne Small (Louisa Richards 88 mins), Beth Curtis.

Substitutes: (Not used) Nina Welsman and Amy Murphy.

Goalscorers: Beth Curtis (7 mins), Dee Smith (65 mins), Clare Stevens (116 mins)