Five West Ham United women’s team loanees were in action for their respective temporary clubs over the weekend.
Rebekah Dowsett (pictured, above) and Watford Women suffered their first defeat of the season on Sunday, losing 3-0 at home to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Women’s National League Cup first round.
Goalkeeper Dowsett started for the Golden Girls at Grosvenor Vale in Ruislip, but was unable to prevent the Pilgrims’ progress to the second round. Olivia Francis scored twice and Tianna Teisar once as the Devon side hit three goals in nine minutes either side of half-time.
A second West Ham loanee, teenage midfielder Soraya Walsh, was an unused substitute for the home side.
Prior to Sunday’s defeat, Watford had won nine games in a row, scoring 42 goals and conceding just six, with Dowsett keeping four clean sheets.
Jessie Stapleton completed the full 90 minutes for Nottingham Forest in their 1-1 Subway® Women's League Cup Group A draw with Everton at Goodison Park.
The Reds took the lead on 56 minutes when Aimee Claypole converted from the penalty spot after former Hammer Kirsty Smith had been fouled, but the Blues levelled three minutes later through Kelly Gago’s composed finish.
Following the full-time whistle, a penalty shootout determined which side would take an extra point. Everton won 4-3, with former West Ham player Maz Pacheco scoring the Blues’ fifth spot-kick.
Forest sit second in Group A with four points from two games, one behind Manchester City. Everton are third on two and Newcastle United bottom on one. Forest host City in their final tie on 22 November, when a win inside 90 minutes will take them through to the quarter-finals.
Chile international Camila Sáez started for Bristol City in their 3-0 home defeat by Aston Villa in Group E at The Robins High Performance Centre. Former Hammer Rachel Daly was among Villa’s scorers as the Women’s Super League side brushed aside their Women’s Super League 2 hosts.
Republic of Ireland midfielder Jessica Ziu (pictured, above) was introduced as a half-time substitute for Bristol City with Charlotte Healy’s side already trailing 2-0, continuing her comeback after over a year out through injury.
Defeat eliminated Bristol City from contention to qualify for the knockout stages, as they sit bottom of Group E with one point from two matches. Tottenham Hotspur lead with five, Aston Villa have four and Birmingham City have two.
Keira Flannery and Charlton Athletic Women were not in action at the weekend as their League Cup Group C tie against Portsmouth at The Valley was postponed due to an unprecedented number of injuries in the Pompey squad. It will now be rearranged.
In the London & South East Regional Women’s Premier Division, Ruby Warwick and Barking Women fell to a 2-1 home defeat by Sutton United at Mayesbrook Park.
A fourth defeat in their opening seven league matches leaves Barking eighth in the 12-team table with nine points.
