WOMEN’S FA CUP REPORT | Brighton 1-0 Charlton

Charlton Athletic Women bowed out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage on Wednesday evening after losing 1-0 to WSL side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Former Addick Fliss Gibbons scored the only goal in a tightly contested game.

It was Charlton who started off on the front foot, with Jess King rattling the crossbar in the seventh minute.

The game evened out as the first half continued, with the hosts having an excellent chance to go ahead in the 20th minute as Connolly found herself free in the box, but the forward’s effort rolled past Eartha Cumings’ goal.

A minute later Hannah Godfrey made a superb block in the area, preventing a clear goal-scoring opportunity as Brighton continued to press.

The Addicks were quick off the marks in the second half, winning a corner that was well cleared after Lois Heuchan managed to head it goalwards.

In the 59th minute Godfrey put her body on the line again, deflecting Maya Le Tissier’s powerful half-volley out for a corner.

Brighton took the lead in the 68th minute when the Addicks failed to clear the ball at the edge of the area, Gibbons was there to rifle the ball into the back of the net.

The Addicks had a good chance to equalise in the 81st minute when Follis capitalised on a poor back pass, but her effort was hacked clear.

Charlton’s biggest chance of the second half came in the 94th minute when Mia Ross thundered a ball destined for the top corner, only for Walsh to pull off a brilliant save to help Brighton progress into the semi-final.

The Addicks are straight back to league action this Saturday when they travel to Vicarage Road to take on Watford.

Brighton: Walsh, Gibbons, Kerkdijk, Le Tissier, Whelan, Connolly (Simpkins, 57), Kaagman (Williams, 57), Babajide, Green, Brazil, Robinson (Adebowale, 86)

Subs (not used): Angel, Koivisto, Nokuthula, Cordier, Longhurst, Jones

Charlton: Cumings, Newborough, Filbey, King (Follis, 73), Sulola, Wynne, Hughes, Roche (Skeels, 45), Godfrey, Heuchan, Ross

Subs (not used): Hillyerd, Sampson, Bashford

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