**U’s Women fall to late Fulham goal in the opening game of the league season, losing 2-1 away from home.**
The U’s fought back after going 1-0 down early through a fine strike from Dungate as Kim Farrow opened her account on her league debut for the U’s. However, in the second half the U’s were doing well to hold their hosts at 1-1 including a superb penalty save from Lauren Webb until a late winner in the 90th minute from Olds secured all three points for the Cottagers.
Sean Greygoose named a strong starting 11 in his first league game since returning as head coach which included the prolific strike partnership of Jade Bell and Kim Farrow with Kim Richards, Zoe Wood and Becca Stephenson just behind.
Early on it was the U’s giving the hosts some problems as Lauren Tomlinson’s long throws into the box resulted in a couple of long-range efforts from Sammy Edgar that finished narrowly wide.
However, on the 18th minute the hosts made the breakthrough as a long ball over the top found Dungate on the right-hand side who cut past a couple of U’s defenders before arrowing a shot into the bottom corner past Webb.
Fulham taking the lead didn’t deter the U’s though as they continued to build on their bright start and in the 33rd minute they got their just rewards. Jade Bell latched onto a mix up at the back between Fulham defender and goalkeeper to setup her strike partner Kim Farrow to tap into an empty net and bring the U’s level.
Following the equaliser the U’s continued to put pressure on the Fulham goal as another loose ball fell to Edgar whose shot was well blocked and thus finished an entertaining first half.
No changes for either side during the break and it was our hosts that started on the front foot as several dangerous attacks were broken up by good goalkeeping by Webb to cutout a low cross on the 47th minute before a last-ditch tackle from Cheal-Ferris on the 51st minute denied another threatening looking Fulham attack.
Fulham’s early pressure eventually paid off however as on the 52nd minute they were awarded a penalty. A slide through ball put Fulham’s forward through on goal and after wrong footing Webb in goal, the U’s goalkeeper caught the forward with her leg, and a penalty was awarded with Webb being booked as a result.
Despite giving away the penalty, the U’s stopper redeemed herself moments later as she flew to her left to push the Fulham penalty away from goal and keep the scores at 1-1.
The U’s were forced into an early change a few minutes later as Lauren Rouse was replaced by Abbie Jackson after sustaining an ankle injury.
Following the break there was a lull in play until the 69th minute as a superb, whipped delivery from Zoe Wood found Farrow at the back post, unfortunately the striker couldn’t keep her effort down as she launched herself at the ball and on the stretch her strike went just over the bar.
Three minutes later Sean made his second change of the game as Becca Stephenson was replaced by Mollie Coupar.
A half chance for Fulham followed in the 73rd minute, but the tame effort was easily gathered by Webb in goal.
A minute later in the 74th minute, the U’s put a dangerous cross into the box from a freekick which Cheal-Ferris looked favourite to get onto, but the Fulham stopper halted the defender at close range, putting her body on the line and sustaining an injury in the process.
There was a break in play as the goalkeeper received treatment and eventually was taken off to be replaced.
The stoppage in play sparked life back into the Fulham attack and on the 90th minute, the hosts retook the lead.
A long ball down the left-hand side was tracked down by the Fulham winger who crossed to the back post for the opposite sided winger to head back centrally to an unmarked Olds who slotted home calmly to put the hosts up 2-1.
The U’s huffed and puffed to get another equaliser and the closest they came was through Mia Richards, her long-range effort looped just over and onto the roof of the net.
A couple of half chances for the hosts followed but Fulham stayed compact to secure all three points from this opening fixture of the league season.
Up next for the U’s is a break in league action as we take on Real Bedford in the league cup on Wednesday night before our next league fixture against Luton Town on August 24th; both games are at our home venue: St Neots Town FC.
**Fulham FC:** Gibbs (Stormer, 83’), Tagliavini, Rutherford, Parsonson (Mendes, 90+10’), Gandee Morgan (Adamson, 69’), Stead (Olds, 69’), Oliver, Stevens, Dale, Dungate (Milne, 90+9’), Bradley
**Subs Not Used:** Milne, Stormer, Olds, Adamson, Mendes
**Goalscorers:** Dungate (17’), Olds (90’)
**Bookings:** None
**Cambridge United:** Webb, Miles, Tomlinson, Cheal-Ferris, Rouse (Jackson, 57’), Richards, Bell, Edgar, Farrow, Stephenson (Coupar, 72’), Wood
**Subs Not Used:** Shults, Jarvis, Docking, Marden
**Goalscorers:** Farrow (33’)
**Bookings:** Webb
**Attendance:** 122