Buildup  

We are in the Women’s FA Cup First Round, with a matchup between Portishead Town and Billericay Town.  

 

The Starting Lineups 

Billericay Town – Mackler, Hickman, Lambe, Birkett, Dalton, Evans, Lempek, Dearing, Ralston, Jones, Smith 

Portishead Town – Lamb, Zajaczkowski, Lindsay, Tate, Heal, Torrington, Brown, Hiett, Holloway, K.Jones, Blazey 

 

The action  

We officially kick off the Women’s FA Cup matchup between Billericay Town and Portishead Town. 

Emily Mackler makes an incredible save, stopping the home side from getting an early one. 

Portishead Town have a chance to advance on goal, after the striker manages to slip past Aliyat Lambe barely, but luckily Mackler makes another incredible save using her knees to stop the ball from advancing too close to the goal. 

The Possets have a long-range effort that goes straight over the goal, flying over the fence around the edge of the pitch. 

Mackler makes an outrageous save to keep The Blues alive after Portishead tries to open the scoring. 

Sophie Birkett is shown a yellow card after a very light foul was committed. 

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Mackler is on fire in goal with another impeccable save to deny the home side. 

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We have a short stoppage in play as Mackler has taken a knock during her previous save; luckily it was only a precautionary one, and she's back up, so we get back underway. 

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We are awarded a free kick after Captain Abbi Smith is fouled. Nia Evans takes it, crossing it toward the goal, but the keeper manages to save it, intercepting our chance. 

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Portishead's number six is shown a yellow after a rough foul  

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Melissa Jones has an incredible long-range strike straight towards the goal, but the chance was saved by the keeper 

  

Half Time – Billericay Town 0-0 Portishead Town 

We are back underway in the Women's FA cup match between Billericay Town and Portishead Town. 

Paige Dearing has a close-range shot, attempting to give The Blues the advantage, but the keeper manages to get a hand on it. 

Mackler is still on fire with the saves, making a save from close range, but this leaves her down, requiring treatment. Luckily, she's back up, and we get back to it. 

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The home side has a chance with a shot towards the goal, but once again, the shot flies over the goal. 

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Portishead could’ve had a chance on goal, with a cross in towards the goal that ends up being missed by multiple players. 

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Erika Lempek comes off, making way for Megan McAniskey in the 63rd minute. 

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We've had an even second half so far, neither side having many proper chances on goal. 

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A shot is crossed in towards the box, and the ball falls to Dearing, who hits it wide. 

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We have a corner, taken by Abbi Smith, ending in a scramble on the goal line with no one managing to get a head on it.  

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The pressure is being piled on with just 15 minutes left of regular time to play. 

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Abbi Smith takes a long-distance shot, but it unfortunately doesn’t go her way and goes just wide. 

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Portishead's number two is shown the yellow, with Mackler going down again; luckily, we get back underway after treatment is received.

 

The referee awards at least five additional minutes at the end of the 90 minutes.

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Megan McAniskey is fouled in a last-ditch tackle, the calls for a penalty are denied by the referee, and we continue. 

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The home side managed to slot one into the goal during the last couple of minutes, even considering Melissa Jones being down in the box. 

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Manager Howard Mackler has been shown a red and is sent off after two yellow cards were awarded. 

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Portishead’s number 14 is also shown a red and is removed from the game.

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The referee then shows Megan McAniskey a red, the wrong player being shown a red, but she goes off, leaving us with 10 for the last minute of the game 

The whistle for full time goes, Billericay 0, Portishead 1 

 

Full Time – Billericay Town 0-1 Portishead Town 

 

An extremely heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Portishead Town in the FA Cup. 

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We played incredibly throughout the game, but it didn’t go our way today with two red cards and an unfair goal near the end. 

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A performance to definitely be proud of, and all focus shifts to Wednesday evening, where we face Hashtag United away in the National League, Southern Premier Division.