Fulham Women knocked Arsenal Women Academy out of the Capital Cup on a dramatic afternoon at Craven Cottage.
The girls stormed into a two goal lead in the first half, with Rachel Panting adding to Megalie Mendes’ penalty.
Arsenal, the competition holders, fought back well after the break and restored parity with two goals of their own, before Fulham substitute goalkeeper Ellie Parker saved a stoppage time penalty.
Parker would prove to be the difference in the shootout that followed, too, saving three spot-kicks to win the tie for her team.
After a strong start, Fulham Women were handed a golden opportunity on 10 minutes when Georgia Heasman was pulled down in the box as she tried to connect with Panting’s teasing delivery. Maddison Stanbury guessed the right way, but Mendes’ spot-kick was too clean and flew beyond the Arsenal goalkeeper.
The Whites were getting plenty of joy down the right-hand side, with Sasha Adamson running onto another Panting delivery, but Stanbury was equal to her swept effort.
We hadn’t seen loads from Arsenal in an attacking sense, with Fulham snuffing them out whenever they entered the final third, but Amelia Bloom fashioned an opening in the 25th minute, with Libby Stratton making a fine save to deny the Gunners forward.
It was Bloom versus Stratton again two minutes later, but this time it was a routine stop for the FFCW ‘keeper.
A fortunate bounce around the Arsenal area then saw the ball drop kindly for Heasman, but Stanbury was equal to her placed strike.
A nice move from the visitors ended with Maddy Earl attempting to chip Stratton, but our number one was well positioned and made a simple catch.
Out of nothing, Arsenal almost grabbed an equaliser when Sienna Hurrell’s skewed cross smacked against the crossbar. It came straight out to Isabella Fisher, but thankfully she could only head over.
It was the woodwork at the other end that was shaking moments later, with Stanbury showing excellent agility to turn Adamson’s piledriver onto the bar and over.
Arsenal struggled to clear the subsequent corner and were duly punished when the unmarked Adamson was able to square for Panting, who side-footed home her volley with aplomb.
Naturally, the young Gunners will have wanted a quick reaction in the second half, and they nearly grabbed it when Bloom was slipped through. Stratton was off her line quickly, though, to narrow the angle and make the save.
The visitors were playing with purpose after the restart, but almost found themselves three down on the hour mark. A lovely spin from Heasman saw her get away from her marker, with Stanbury palming her wicked cross straight to Adamson, who saw her strike blocked from near the line by Maisie Wilson.
The ball then dropped to Betty Barron-Clark on the edge of the box, who hit her shot well but it just cleared the target.
That proved to be a crucial moment as Arsenal went straight up the other end to half the deficit courtesy of Bloom’s pinpoint first time finish.
Arsenal tails were up, and they threatened a quickfire double when Vivienne Lea broke free, but Stratton made a big stop to preserve her side’s lead.
That lead did not remain intact for too long, though. A driving run from Hurrell culminated in her bending a great pass into Bloom, who worked a yard of space before slotting into the corner.
Fulham looked to quickly reassert themselves on proceedings, with Adamson showing good strength to hold off the last defender, but she couldn’t get enough power on her attempt to beat Stanbury.
Hearts were in mouths as we entered the final 10 as Bloom looked certain to poke home her second, but Olivia Dale made a fantastic last ditch tackle to deny the Arsenal forward.
They almost capitalised from the corner that followed, but Becky Stormer was able to clear a loose ball from off the line.
Mendes did find the net with a looped effort with two minutes to go, but the whistle had already gone for a foul.
With penalties approaching, substitute goalkeeper Ellie Parker was brought on in place of Stratton, and she found herself facing a spot-kick earlier than expected when Ella Tagliavini committed a foul in stoppage time. Bloom went for power with her effort from 12 yards, but Parker stood tall and got a firm arm on it to push over, to the delight of the crowd.
In the shootout, Sophie Manzi and Hurrell both netted, but Mendes saw her kick strike the underside of the bar, landing the wrong side of the line.
Lucy Lyon and Madi Parsonson converted for either side, before Parker denied Ruby Seaby to level things up. Unfortunately we could not capitalise, with Lilly Lambird shooting straight at Stanbury, but she was given an immediate reprieve when Parker kept out Lia.
Dale then thumped a perfect strike into the corner, meaning it was all on Bloom to keep Arsenal in it. She’d had a fine game up top for her side, but Parker had been imperious since her introduction, making yet another stop to dump the holders out and put Fulham Women into the next round.
