Women's Report | Cardinals into Capital Cup Second Round

Woking FC Women 2-0 Epsom & Ewell Women
Capital Women's Cup First Round
15th October 2023
Eastwood Centre


A goal on either side of half-time was enough to see Woking progress into the second round of the Capital Women’s Cup on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Both Trudy Bryan-Kerr and Efrosyni Theocharous got their names on the scoresheet, as they helped their team defeat a very good tier seven side in Epsom & Ewell.

The Cards got off to a flying start with their high press working well and this saw Bianca Underhill intercept her opposition number for the ball, which she then played into Trudy, who tapped home from close range in just the second minute of the match. The number 14 continued from where she left off last weekend against Selsey Development.

Epsom registered their first chance of the game around a quarter of an hour in, but their number 9 only managed to fire the ball into the side netting.

Amy Jenkins had a busy day at times throughout the game and showed her class throughout. No more so as when she got down low in the first half to make a brilliant save and claim the ball from any further threat.

Just moments later, she was at it again, this time denying an almost certain goal from a one-versus-one with an outstretched left leg.

Head Coach Anthony Rosenberg-Murray has made it clear that he wants to make use of the roll-on, roll-off substitutions and did so again on the half-hour mark, as he swapped Laura Mitchell and Alicia Christie for Lily Davis and Sian Hardaker. Megan Vincer also replaced Trudy, as she came on to make her first appearance of the season.

Efro had a chance just before half time after some good hold-up play from Charlotte Keenan, but her eventual effort went just over the crossbar.

HT: Woking 1-0 Epsom & Ewell

Just before the second half got back underway, three substitutions were made, seeing Amy Richards and Sian replacing Bianca and Gracie Price. Ellie Boddy unfortunately had to make way due to an injury and was replaced by Sophie Burgess.

Ten minutes into the second 45 saw the hosts double their lead after a corner from the left-hand side took a deflection off of an Epsom player and rolled out to Efro, who was positioned outside the box. The number 10 took aim first time and watched the ball fly into the top left-hand corner.

Five minutes later, another great corner this time found Laura at the back post but her shot went just agonisingly past the post.

Charlotte seemed to have covered every blade of astroturf throughout the game and was unlucky numerous of times to not get her own name onto the scoresheet. Her best chances came just seven minutes apart, firstly when she made a great run from the halfway line but could only manage her eventual shot into the side netting and then secondly, when she was played in superbly by Gaby Hobday but had her effort well saved by the opposition goalkeeper.

Gaby had a chance of her own to make it three before full time but another good save from Epsom’s ‘keeper saw the score finish with just the two goals for the hosts.

Back-to-back clean sheets after a tricky start will be a huge confidence boost to the team and the chance to go on another cup run will gather a lot of interest due to last season's heroics in the Southern League Chairmen’s Cup. Until the next round, attention will now turn to next Sunday’s clash against Havant & Waterlooville Women, the first of three straight home league games to come at the Eastwood Centre.



Woking Starting XI: Jenkins, Davis (30), Cotter, Boddy (46), Underhill (46) (81), Hardaker (30) (46) (73), Price (46), Hobday, Theocharous, Bryan-Kerr (30) (73), Keenan

Subs: Richards (46), Burgess (46), Christie (30), Vincer (30) (81), Mitchell (30)

Attendance: 40

Players of the Match: Amy Jenkins & Efrosyni Theocharous