Spurs Women earned two points in the second match of the Continental League Cup, following a 4-2 victory in a penalty shootout against West Ham at Rush Green Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
We had a 2-0 lead going into stoppage time thanks to goals from Rianna Dean and Josie Green, but there was late drama as Martha Thomas and Kenza Dali scored for West Ham to level it up at 2-2 and ensure a share of the spoils, with the game going to penalties to determine who gained a bonus point.
Chloe Peplow, Lucy Quinn and Dean converted their penalties for us, with Chloe Morgan making a brilliant save to deny Adriana Leon of West Ham before Rachel Furness went on to score the decisive spot-kick.
Head Coaches Karen Hills and Juan Amoros made seven changes to the team that started against Manchester United in last Sunday’s league defeat at The Hive as Morgan and Megan Wynne were handed their first starts of the season.
Dean gave us the lead in the 52nd minute after an effort on goal from Coral-Jade Haines was parried into the path of our number nine who made no mistake from close range.
Moments later, Green went close to increasing our lead when she got on the end of Wynne’s cross but her headed effort went just wide of the goal.
Welsh international Green doubled our advantage with seven minutes to go as her deflected shot from just outside the box flew into the top corner.
But the Hammers pulled one back in the first minute of stoppage time as Thomas scrambled one past Morgan, before they completed their comeback with two minutes of additional time remaining through Dali, who hit an unstoppable free-kick into the top corner to force the match into a penalty shootout.
Head Coach Karen Hills said: “I thought we were outstanding in the 90 minutes of the game. We made a lot of changes and gave some of the girls who haven’t played much a good opportunity to get some minutes and I thought every one of them did brilliantly. We controlled the game and I was really pleased. Then injury time came and West Ham pulled one back, then they were on the front foot and we gifted them a silly free-kick. We’re obviously disappointed to concede two late goals but overall, from a performance point of view, I thought the players did exceptionally well."
