Brentford Women have put together a scintillating start to the 2024/25 season.
Goals galore, league wins, cup runs, big crowds and a first half of the season full of highlights have made for a memorable start to the campaign.
Following the first team’s final game of the year last weekend, take a look back at some of the best moments of the season so far.
FA Cup run
Karleigh Osborne’s side went on a historic run to the third round proper of the FA Cup.
After making the first round proper last season for the first time in club history, the Bees eyed another run past the qualifying rounds.
The quest began in first round qualifying against North Leigh, the Bees winning 18-1 with four goals from each of Chloe Logie, Ashley Cheatley and Nikki Woods.
Tilehurst Panthers were next, Brentford defeated them 12-1 at home with Logie and Woods netting hat-tricks.
The biggest early test came in third round qualifying against former league rivals Sport London E Benfica, the Bees winning a tight clash 2-0. The first round proper beckoned again, at home against Ascot United. Logie and Cheatley each scored a brace, booking the team’s place in the second round for the first time ever.
Brentford welcomed London Seaward to Bedfont Sports Club and battled out a tough 1-0 victory to secure a home tie in the third round against Fulham.
Making history on repeat 🤩
See you in the third round 😮💨 @AdobeWFACup #BrentfordFCW | #BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/CfD9qSPoJw
— Brentford FC Women (@BrentfordFCW) November 24, 2024
The west London derby provided an amazing atmosphere, 719 fans braving the wet and windy conditions to back the Bees. Logie’s second-half equaliser got the fans up, however it wasn’t enough as Fulham won 2-1.
Ashley Cheatley/Chloe Logie partnership
Logie has proven herself as a dominant goalscorer in her time at Brentford and this season has seen her team up with Cheatley in attack.
Joining the Bees from Ashford Town, Cheatley brough with her a wealth of experience playing at higher level.
The partnership has blossomed from the first league game against Leatherhead, with the pair scoring a combined 62 goals in 18 games across all competitions.
Return to the Gtech
The start of this season saw Brentford return to Gtech Community Stadium for a third time, this time against league rivals Clapton Community.
Fans came out in force again, 3,585 people watching on as Cheatley scored a Gtech debut hat-trick to steal the show.
Logie scored a brace in her third Gtech game, while Samantha Read and Woods each netted once to help the Bees secure three points.
Ashley Cheatley’s wondergoal
Cheatley became an internet sensation overnight following her bicycle kick in Brentford’s 4-2 over Ascot United in the FA Cup first round.
Maddie Phillips played the ball from the right into Cheatley, the forward taking a touch and flicking the ball over her defender, then jumping to meet the ball at its highest point and slamming it home over her head.
The video of Cheatley’s effort has 116,000 views on the Brentford Women Instagram and has been shared across social media by BBC Football and the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
Ashley Cheatley that’s incredible @AdobeWFACup 😱#BrentfordFCW | #BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/CTvv4AcDdS
— Brentford FC Women (@BrentfordFCW) November 3, 2024
Nikki Woods’ FA Cup winner
It was goals galore in Brentford’s early FA Cup games, however the second-round clash with London Seaward proved to be a tight affair.
That was until Woods scored an 85th-minute winner to book the Bees’ place in the third round.
The winger took possession on the left side of the box and after initially looking to cross the ball, decided to go for goal, the ball sailing over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net, securing a 1-0 win for Osborne’s side.