2nd May 2019
| By Jon Palmer |
||
A late penalty from precocious midfield talent Georgia Brown secured a 2-2 draw for Cheltenham Town Ladies in front of their all-time record crowd.
A spirited Swindon Town Ladies team recovered from conceding early to lead 2-1, with 375 supporters gathered inside the Jonny-Rocks Stadium on Saturday evening.
But after she had been fouled in the box, 16-year-old Brown stepped up to score calmly from the penalty spot as it finished all-square.
The result takes the Robins’ points total for the season to 40 with one match left, away to Larkhall Athletic.
They ended last term on 10 points illustrating just how much progress they have made under manager Alex Cheal this season.
They enjoyed a fine start to proceedings, kicking off two hours after the men’s team defeated their Swindon counterparts 3-2 in League Two.
Central defender Cerys Dolloway headed in a corner from Annie Martin in the third minute.
But Swindon levelled in the 10th minute, with Alice Telling scoring from close range after a corner caused problems for the home defence.
Millie Colford put Swindon in front in the 42nd minute, holding off a challenge from Dolloway and finishing emphatically past Bec Panniers.
Cheltenham controlled much of the second half, hitting the bar twice through Martin and Brown, but their deserved equaliser arrived in the 86th minute.
At the other end, Panniers made one outstanding save to turn a shot over the bar in the 51st minute and Sally Butterfield made a clearance off the line, but a point was the least Cheltenham deserved.
Cheal said: “I am disappointed not to win it, but we have to be pleased with the overall event and performance.
“We said at half-time we are doing everything but adding to our goal tally and we gifted them two poor goals.
“We dominated the game, but were unfortunate not to score more than we did, especially towards the end when Swindon were tiring.
“It’s a positive point and we are still in with a shout for third place. We have to be proud of what the players have achieved this season, regardless of whether we finish third or fourth.”
Brown is being closely monitored by Oxford United.
“She is mature beyond her years and she really drives us on,” Cheal said.
“She is one to keep an eye on and she definitely has a bright future.”
Cheltenham Town Ladies: B Panniers; S Walters, C Dolloway, S Morris, N Purvis (L Ellis 56); A Bevan (S Butterfield 64), G Brown, L Fensome, B Wilkins (A Davies 84), E Hitchcox; A Martin. Subs not used: A Leask, E Briscoe.
Swindon Town Ladies: S Barrett; P New, K Nightingale, S Morgan, J Teasdale (S Doidge 76); C Lawrence, K Evans (R Lewis 46), A Telling (R Scahill 88), H Diaz-Butcher; M Colford, M Larkin. Subs not used: L Goodright, N Goodright.
Star Player: Georgia Brown.
Attendance: 375.
