Copy Mike Skinner – Swindon Spitfires.

Swindon Spitfires made it through to the second qualifying round of the FA Women’s Cup with a 2-1 win over Downend Flyers. Having beaten the same side 2-0 in the league last week, this was a closer encounter with Spitfires requiring extra-time to complete the task.

Spitfires couldn’t make the most of some good deliveries to the box from Ria Salleh and Beth Turner inside the first ten minutes whilst at the other end Downend couldn’t profit from a free-kick on the edge of the area for handball.

An Emma Skinner strike on 21 minutes pulled a fine save from the keeper high to her left, and Karyn Coombs was also denied a minute later after some good work by Debbie Rose.

The visitor’s keeper was definitely the busier, dealing with further efforts from Coombs and Skinner, and when she was beaten by Salleh on 36 minutes a covering defender flicked it round for a corner. And two minutes later Salleh’s effort from a Jenny Jones cross was again hacked clear.

At the other end Hayley Huckin cleared a Downend cross on 39 minutes, and keeper Julia Caton denied a high shot a minute later. But Spitfires had further chances for Salleh and Coombs before the half-time whistle.

With Spitfires switching Turner to the wing and dropping Hannah Gulliver into right back for the second half they looked to make the most of the Highworth slope. But despite early pressure it was the visitors who got their noses in front in the 59th minute when a corner was headed home.

Coombs had a shot saved a minute later, and a run and shot from centre back Jenny Gray was also comfortably dealt with on 67 minutes. But the equaliser came two minutes later, Turner winning the ball on the edge of the Downend area before dinking past four defenders and slotting home.

Caton was then kept busy with some reasonably comfortable saves as Downend tried hard to restore their advantage before Salleh, Skinner and Turner spurned opportunities for Spitfires. And so it was into extra time.

Salleh shot wide inside the first minute, while Turner fired against the cross bar as Spitfires looked like the team with the most left in their tank. Spitfires’ winner came just a minute into the second period of extra time, a back header by Coombs from a Spitfires’ corner finding the back of the net.

Jones was then harshly denied a goal by an offside flag against Cara Costello, and Salleh pulls another good save from the keeper low to her left. Some good mopping up by Huckin prevented Downend the opportunity to level in the last couple of minutes, leaving Spitfires to take the spoils 2-1

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