Workington Town Women have booked their place in the next round of the FA Cup after an impressive home debut under their new identity.
They will travel to Chester-le-Street Women on September 22.
Taking to the field for the first time at home in their new eye catching, blue and white strip and with five players making their home debuts, Town were spurred on by pride and quickly applied pressure on their visitors.
Keeley Chatters, sisters Kirsten and Cassie Donald, Rachel Gallagher and Nat Broad were all experiencing the warm hospitality of the Fibrus for the first time.
Broad capped her debut with her opening goal for the club as well as becoming the first goal scorer at home for the Town Women.
Despite the positive start for Town, it was the visitors that went ahead in the 11th minute with a strike from close range when a parried clearance by keeper Laura Miller was pounced on by the alert Gateshead striker.
Town were keen to push on from this setback and clinical play through the middle form Kirsten Donald, Chloe Henderson and Sarah Smith was starting to create space out wide for full backs Cassie Donald and Chatters to exploit.
Keen running from the attacking trio of Hayley Bracken, Bea Barber and Broad were keeping the visiting backline honest with the Gateshead keeper being tested on numerous occasions.
A free kick from Cassie Donald from 30 yards out brought a finger tip save from the Gateshead shot stopper with further action coming from a drive from Barber which was also well saved. Centre Backs, Naomi Foster (captain) and Holly Redmond were facing a tough test as they tried to contain what looked to be a very dangerous visiting front line.
Town suffered another blow just after the half hour mark, when Cassie Donald went down after an attacking raid in to the box. The youngster had been in great from, so to see her leave the field was a blow to all concerned and hope her recovery is both timely and successful.
The home side drew level soon after the stoppage after a display of good pressing in the final third was rewarded with regaining possession. Bracken had led the press and was complimented by the actions of Smith and Broad.
This resulted in Smith applying pressure and Bracken winning the ball and finding Smith who then connected with Broad in space just inside the area. Broad was quick to control before firing the ball into the far right corner to level the score.
The home side were on top positionally and were in control of the ball at this stage albeit all square on the scoreboard.
Seconds before half-time, a free kick floated in behind the line from Redmond was lifted over the onrushing keeper, but sadly travelled the wrong side of the post.
Gateshead had set a high defensive line and had marshalled well in the first half to catch the Town attacking line offside on numerous occasions.
However, it was the reverse of this that proved to be pivotal as the home side went ahead with the second half 10 minutes old.
Barber’s well-timed run from deep was met by a delivery in behind the line from Bracken and last season’s top goal scorer went on, what has become somewhat of a trademark run to goal,
Just under ten minutes later, and with the Town Women in full control, their lead was extended. Chatters was in an advanced position on the left and had tried to find Barber as she threatened the line again.
The ball was half-cleared and Broad was keen to collect centrally before turning to pick out Henderson supporting in space on the right. Henderson collected before steadying to fire a strike across the keeper and find the far corner.
The final goal came two minutes later and this sealed the game for Workington. Helen Wagstaff had recently been introduced, as well as full back Sophie Birkett in the first half, and the pair connected intelligently to work the ball from a central position just outside their area to an advanced position on the right offering width.
Birkett carried well before linking with Kirsten Donald who returned the favour to put the overlapping full back in space on the right. Birkett drove before crossing to find Bracken supporting centrally who finished with a deft touch to leave the visiting shot stopper stranded.
Fresh legs were introduced through Linzi Donaldson, Morgan McGrady and home debutant Rachel Gallagher with the home side intent or maintaining a positive pressure high up the pitch. Town’s dominance remained and they could have increased the scoreline had it not been for the quality of goalkeeping in the visitors’ nets.
A free kick by Kirsten Donald from 25 yards out smashed onto the cross bar before Gateshead cleared to safety. Chatter’s was found in space on the left from a clever ball lifted over the back line. The full back steadied and struck for home, only to be denied by the woodwork.
The Town Women will now face a tough test in the next round against a side that has just dropped out of the National League structure.
Chloe Henderson is in a spell of fine form and it was this that caught the eye of the day’s match sponsors as they rewarded her efforts by selecting her as Player of the Game.
The performance was in stark contrast to their previous outing last Wednesday evening, where an under par performance seen them well beaten by four goals against Morecambe Ladies FC with Laura Miller collecting the Player of the Game vote for her performance between the posts.
Manager Paul Mackenzie said after the game: “We looked jaded against Morecambe last week and this was probably down to a demanding starting schedule of four away games in 11 days.
“As a group we weren’t happy with the performance and it was very important that we showed the character to bounce back, which we have done against Gateshead. There were lots of positives from the game and not just the result. We looked lively up front, controlled in the middle and dealt with threats at the back. The performance was a team performance and that’s what we needed.
“We will have to look at Cassie’s injury and see what that looks like this week and it looks like Hayley may have picked-up something too. We are fortunate that we now have established an arrangement with Town’s Physio Jason Burrow and both players will see him.
“We will get a financial lift from winning and its only right that this is reinvested in the players’ wellbeing where possible.”
