Millwall Lionesses smash Bromley 9-0 in emphatic FA Cup win
Millwall Lionesses assistant manager Alex Russell was delighted with the side’s response to playing in front of a big crowd in their 9-0 victory against Bromley on Sunday.
The Lionesses are through to the next round of the FA Cup after an impressive win at Hayes Lane – where they scored seven first-half goals.
There was a total of 669 supporters in the stadium to watch the second round qualifying match.
Angel Reid rounded the keeper for Millwall’s opener after she was brilliantly picked out by Otesha Charles.
It was two soon after as Reid got her second and the Lionesses second of the match, smashing home after pinball in the area.
Gemma Bryan added a third for the South London club as she calmly slotted into the bottom corner for her third goal in three games.
It was four minutes later, Milly Penfold striking low and hard into the bottom corner.
Charles was dangerous all afternoon and she added a fifth with a screamer into the top left-hand corner. It was six just after the half-hour mark as Bryan got another, calmly taking the ball around the goalkeeper and tapping home.
Charles scored again to round off an incredible first 45 minutes.
Reid got her hat-trick when she cut inside the Bromley defence before tucking her strike away.
There was time for another hat-trick, however, as Charles bundled the ball over the line from a Jade Keogh delivery.
Lionesses assistant manager Russell said: “Two games in a row there have been fantastic crowds. What Bromley did, in terms of pre-match and at half-time was superb. Clearly they are a club with a real interest in their women’s set-up and I wish them well for their campaign as you can tell good things will happen at that football club. But in terms of our girls, they’ve handled both games very well.
“They’ve been asked to play the game and not the occasion. Last week is an example, a Dulwich girl gets sent off and another sin binned because of the emotion that comes with football. You’ll get that emotion in any sport. It’s when you react on emotion that you start making mistakes and we’ve just asked the girls to be mindful and let their football do the talking.
“But for such a young group of players they are playing like there’s no pressure on them, and it’s no surprise to them doing well.
“Ruthlessness is what we desire. We as staff really look to drill that into the girls and today they were reminded of what was at stake and that there was no margin for error.
“The girls were asked to set and uphold intensity levels – not match Bromley’s – and they did just that.
“Games like today will do the world of confidence for everyone. Your forwards are scoring, your midfielders are creating and your defence and keeper have kept a clean sheet. It was no surprise to see the girls sprinting to the back of the Bromley goal and placing the ball back down in the centre spot ready to really “drive the knife” in, so to speak.
“All 11 players on the pitch have a part to play in securing a clean sheet, but that would almost certainly not have been possible without Serena Hand today. She was called into action on a couple of occasions and for a goalkeeper it can be hard when you’re not busy for large parts of the game to remain switched on and react when called upon. But she did very well today and that can only do her confidence the world of good.
“It’s simple really, you can’t concede if you have the ball, and any opposition aren’t going to cause problems if the ball is in your control and up their end of the pitch.”
Next up for Millwall is a trip to AFC Acorns as they look to extend their winning run to six games.
Russell added: “A trip to Acorn will be treated as any other. The girls are well aware that nothing is gifted to them and so will put a good weeks worth of training in and turn up with the desire to compete and make it difficult for Acorns. They’ve had a real competitive start to the campaign and we’re well aware it won’t be an easy fixture.”
PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD
