By Jeff Burnige at St Paul’s
MILLWALL surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by Sutton United Women in the L&SERWFL Premier Division last Sunday, having only five weeks earlier beaten them 6-2 in the League Cup.
The Lionesses needed an 84th-minute equaliser from defender Sophie Chapman to salvage a point.
Joint-managers Alex Russell and Adam Rowland had to make three changes from the excellent but dispiriting performance in their 3-2 League Cup defeat at Dartford a week earlier. Their three most experienced and senior players, defender Jordan Butler, midfielder Chloe Burr and striker Emma Whitter were all missing, and it showed in an insipid performance.
Sutton, under Lucy Clark, came with a game plan and a new-manager bounce.
It was a case of Sutton comfortably cancelling out any promising moves by the Lionesses, and there were virtually no chances in the first half. Ciara Watling continued her rehabilitation with a first start since her return to the club, and Liv McGregor made her own return after three months out injured.
Matters improved for the Lionesses in the second half with the introduction of Maizi Garwood and Shay Bennett to midfield. The usually deadly Shannan Drewe was kept reasonably quiet until a superb delivery from a rare corner-kick should have produced a goal.
There were some half-chances, but it was a frustrating afternoon. Russell and Rowland sent on striker Sharna Giordani and goal-threat midfielder Maisie Joyce for the last 20 minutes, but it was Sutton who took the lead with ten minutes remaining, when former Millwall Development player Jas Backhurst fired home when the Lionesses failed to clear a free-kick, much to her delight.
Millwall were stirred into a late drive for an equaliser, and with six minutes left, Drewe produced another great delivery which Sutton goalkeeper Zoe McNulty could not hold, and Chapman steered home to secure a point.
Millwall travel to AFC Wimbledon, the current leaders in the FA Women’s National League South East, in the Capital Senior Cup at Carshalton Athletic FC this Sunday. A performance like the one at Dartford would give them a chance to surprise the Dons, but one like this latest display would be nothing like enough to get a positive result. Kick-off is at 3pm.
