Brilliant effort ends in National Cup penalty shoot-out heartache for York College
York College women’s football team suffered penalty shoot-out heartache after performing brilliantly in their ECFA National Premier Cup semi-final against Barking Abbey School.
A superbly taken goal by Grace Sykes, fresh from helping the England Colleges team reach the final of an international tournament in Italy, had cancelled out an early Barking effort but, despite York going closest to then winning the game, the scores remained deadlocked at 1-1 after two hours of football, including extra-time.
Barking went on to win 3-0 on penalties with their goalkeeper making two fine saves and the other spot kick hitting the post.
Earlier, the London side had forged ahead in the third minute but York’s defence, brilliantly marshalled by skipper Summer Harvey and fellow centre-back Katie Varley, responded resolutely and were not breached again.
Sykes equalised on the quarter-hour mark when she charged on to Heather Smith’s perfectly weighted pass through the left channel and fired low past the onrushing Barking keeper.
Further first-half chances saw Emia Hendrickson-Eastwood force a good save and Sykes’ spectacular edge-of-the-box volley crash back into play off a post.
After the break, Ruby Gore charged clear through but was denied by another strong save and, in extra-time, Sykes (twice) and Hendrickson-Eastwood both went close to a winning goal, while an overhit Barking cross glanced the home crossbar.
Penalty pain followed for the host team, managed by York City coaches as part of our Development Centre’s partnership with the football club, but the side’s spirit and close-knit togetherness was summed up by this comment made by one player: “I’d rather all of us missed than just one player feeling responsible for defeat.”
Despite our natural disappointment, we would now like to wish Barking Abbey good luck in the final, which will be held at English Football League club Accrington Stanley’s Wham Stadium.
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