Madi Parsonson made one goal and then scored a superb winner to send Fulham Women into the fourth round of the FA Cup after a derby win at local rivals Brentford this afternoon.
The Whites made a strong start at Bedfont as Ella Newman drove over in the third minute and Steve Jaye’s came close to an opener again when Ellie Olds connected with a inch-perfect cross from midfielder Stella Gandee Morgan but volleyed wide of the target. Brentford gradually got themselves into the contest and almost took a wind-assisted lead when Chloe Webb’s left-wing cross almost floated over a wrong-footed Amber Webber in the Fulham goal.
The hosts then spurned a couple of good chances in quick succession to take the lead. First, Ashley Cheatley fired wide from a tight angle and then Chloe Logie lofted an effort over the crossbar after latching onto an intelligent through ball from Nikki Woods. An open contest saw Fulham go straight up the other end and test home goalkeeper Evie Witek through Gandee Morgan and then Olds, with the striker seeing a shot turned aside for a corner.
Fulham started the second period on the front foot and got their reward two minutes after the resumption. Parsonson floated over a perfect cross and the experienced Olds headed home the opening goal with aplomb. Brentford almost equalised within 90 seconds only for Woods to shoot straight at Webber when the visitors had failed to clear Cheatley’s cross.
Bo Taylor was denied another smart Wittek save just after the hour mark as the game began to become significantly stretched. The Bees were throwing players forward in search of an equaliser and their attacking approach paid off with eighteen minutes remaining. Woods lofted a ball over the Fulham defence and Logie lashed a powerful finish past Webber and high into the net.
But the hosts were level for less than two minutes. Parsonson took the tie by the scruff of the neck and followed up to fire Fulham back in front after Wittek had done wonderfully to keep out the former Dulwich star’s initial shot. Brentford threw everything at their local rivals in the closing stages, with the Whites indebted to Webber, who did brilliantly to deny Cheatley in a one-on-one right at the death.
Fulham held on to end Brentford’s unbelievable 20-match winning run – with the Tier 5 side set to learn their fourth round opponents in tomorrow lunchtime’s draw.
**BRENTFORD WOMEN:** Witek, Phillips, Graver, Engelhard, Holmes (Gjabiamila 79), Logie, Webb (Matthews 64), Woods, Cheatley, Worsley, Read (Potter 57). **Subs (not used):** Holguin, Reid, Aboul Kheir, Troth, Walker.
**GOAL:** Logie (71).
**FULHAM WOMEN:** Webber, Taguavini, Gane, Foreman, Olds, Parsonson, Gandee Morgan, Newman, Mendes, Beaver, Taylor. **Subs:** Gibbs, Stormer, Taylor-Makepeece, Roberts, Filder, Jordan.
**ATTENDANCE:** 719.