QPR FC Women (4) – Ashford Town (Middlesex) Women (3) – Rangers Fight Back from 1-3 Down to Win the Game 

FA Women’s National League One (South-East) 

Team: Melling, Hennessy, Searle, Brooks, Blodgett, Lewin, Ward-Chambers, D’Santos, Stanley, Kennedy, Sampson 

Under the lights at the SkyEx Community Stadium, and it was Courtnay Ward-Chambers who provided the first strike at goal of the evening.  

And it was the R’s No.7 who was involved in the next goalscoring attempt, which was knocked behind. The resulting corner was headed behind for another one.  

Then, Grace Stanley played the ball out to Ward-Chambers, who proceeded to pull the trigger, and Emma Vigolo did well to hold on to it. 

However, despite this pressure from the home side, it was the visitors who took the lead on 20 minutes. After receiving a low cross from the right, Anaisa Harney successfully shot the ball into the corner. 

Ashford doubled their lead five minutes or so later, when Giusy Carnevale converted at the back-post following a deep free kick. 

At the other end, a good ball found Grace Stanley and the R’s striker’s low shot was saved at the near-post. 

Rangers pulled a goal back with an outstanding long-range effort after 34 minutes. Meila D’Santos looked up, and from over 35-yards lobbed the ball over the keeper! 

I had no idea why Mr Monkman booked Stevie Kennedy? 

Then, Grace Stanley’s shot from a widish position, flashed just past the far-post. 

But it was the visitors who added a goal seconds before the interval following a free kick for hand-ball. The cross over from the right found Anaisa Harney, who then fired the ball into the back of the net.  

There was no time to re-start the game and at half-time it was 1-3 in favour of Ashford. 

Two changes were made for the commencement of the second-half, which saw the introduction of Chrissie Wiggins and Jess Cooper, at the expense of Nicole Melling and Stevie Kennedy. 

The hosts pulled a goal back after 62 minutes, when Grace Stanley curled the ball superbly into the far-corner. 

Danny Harrigan’s next change came around eight minutes later, which saw Annie Dzyazyk coming on for Chloe Sampson.  

Good work by Grace Stanley got her to the bye-line, from which, she set-up Laura Hennessy, whose shot skimmed the crossbar.  

Rangers got a deserved equaliser after Grace Stanley had been put through. Getting one-on-one with the keeper, the R’s striker slotted the ball home.  

The pressure was maintained as the R’s continued to look for a winner. Ellie Searle skipped past her marker to win another corner. 

The winning goal came after 78 minutes, courtesy of Grace Stanley. The R’s No.9 achieved her hat-trick with a wonderful chip over the keeper.  

Grace Stanley was fouled after bursting forward towards goal. The resulting free kick from 25-yards, narrowly evaded the target. 

The R’s striker was replaced by Paige Hoile around the 90-minute mark, and in added time Renai McCrea came on for Ellie Searle.  

The R’s then went on to face Swindon Town in a League Cup tie at the SkyEx Community Stadium.  

Steve Russell