IN the Thames Valley Counties Women’s League Cup Plate competition, Barton Royals Rovers won 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw against previously unbeaten Northern League side City Belles.

Against the run of play, City Belles went in front, but Royals kept up the pressure and their persistence paid off when in-form Katy Cresswell struck an injury-time equaliser to send the tie to penalties. With both teams each having one kick saved it was level at 4-4 after five penalties and went to sudden death.

Barton converted their sixth kick, but City Belles missed sending them into the quarter finals at the end of their best performance of the season.

  • NEWBURY Ladies were battered 9-0 by Oxford City in round one of the Southern Region Women’s League Chairman’s Cup on Sunday.

The initial stages saw Newbury start brightly with Ayala Truelove within inches of connecting with Ellie Reed’s set-piece before the ball was swept away to safety.

However, Oxford began to take control, and Newbury goalkeeper Carly Passfield made two saves before she was beaten in the 11th minute.

The visitors made it 2-0 shortly after and then scored twice in two minutes midway through the first half to take complete control.

It was 5-0 on the half-hour mark, and although Newbury managed to stop their opponents from doing any further damage before the break, it took only three minutes of the second half for Oxford to score again.

After the visitors went 7-0 in front shortly before the hour mark, Newbury responded gallantly, with their player-of-the-match Reed particularly impressive and Becky Anderson and Tracy Beales also linking well.

However, they were unable to grab a consolation, and salt was poured into the home side's wounds when Oxford netted twice in the last 10 minutes to complete a demolition job.

Newbury Ladies Development were knocked out of the Thames Valley Counties League Cup as they suffered a 4-0 reverse at Taplow United in the third round.

The hosts started brightly and could have gone in front before they eventually did take the lead in the 14th minute, doubling their advantage just two minutes later.

Newbury – for whom Molly Baker and Marie Prout played particularly well – rallied, but further goals on 75 and 82 minutes completed a comfortable victory for the home side.