Match Reports

Albion retain Sussex Challenge Cup

Women's U21s beat Crawley Wasps for the second successive season.

By Heather Miller • 09 March 2023

By Kyle Hemsley
Albion celebrate after retaining the Sussex Challenge Trophy.

Albion have retained the Sussex Women's Challenge Trophy after a 3-0 win over Crawley Wasps in a repeat of last season's final at Culver Road, Lancing. 

A first-half penalty from Leah Lane was the only thing that separated the two sides at the break before the youngster scored her second goal after the break. Chelsea Ferguson was next on the scoresheet with a phenomenal strike to make sure Albion retained the trophy. 

As expected, the final began with momentum as both side's looked to make an immediate impact on the match. Crawley Wasps did well to create early momentum in the Albion final third and they forced Frankie Angel to make an acrobatic save to deny them the opening goal. 

Albion looked to quickly redirect the danger and began to counterattack towards the Wasps' goal, but goalkeeper Naomi Gross also did well to make an instinctive save. 

Sinead Hogen-Belcher's Albion youngsters began to find a threatening stride  and scored the vital first goal. Ferguson broke towards the back post and sent a cross into the Wasps box which then came off the arm of Holly Talbut-Smith and Lane calmly slotted the penalty home in the 13th minute.  

By Kyle Hemsley
Chelsea Ferguson, who scored Albion's third goal, holds off a defender.

Albion continued to pressurise the Wasps backline, but the defenders were alert and able to read the danger. 

In the second half Albion doubled their lead on 51 minutes after some superb build-up play into the Wasps' box. 

Ferguson lofted a fantastic effort over the heads of their backline and found Ella Humphrey breaking into the box. She picked out Lane who fired it past Gross to give her side a two-goal advantage. 

By Kyle Hemsley
Albion celebrate after opening the scoring through Leah Lane.

In the 65th minute Ferguson made another key impression when she fired a ferocious strike past Gross from the edge of the box to make it 3-0. The youngster picked the ball up on the left flank and made a powerful run. She was able to take a touch to gain some space before sending a powerful effort past the keeper. 

Despite their three-goal lead, Albion's youngsters appetite for goals didn't dwindle in the latter stages and although they couldn't find any more goals they are champions again.

Albion: Angel, Ferguson (sub: Dent, 71), Venditto, Mitchell, Curran, Mundle (Humphrey 16) (Carpenter 46), Lane (Mundle 80), Dent (Miller 42), Milner (Eze 33), Cotton (Milner 86), Payne. 

Sub not used: Ginger.