Brentford Women 1 Sutton United Women 1 (3-4 penalties): Bees knocked out of WFA cup | OneFootball

Brentford Women were knocked out of the Adobe Women's FA cup after a tense penalty shootout against Sutton United Women.

Carly Williams' side lost for the first time this season after the tie ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Ashley Cheatley had the first chance of the game within the opening two minutes when her first effort deflected back to her and she sent her volleyed-second attempt just wide of the top corner.

Brentford opened the scoring on 11 minutes. Winger Esme Alaneme took an excellent touch to break free down the right and looped a cross over Megan Taylor in the Sutton net to score her first goal since joining the Bees in the summer.

On the 22 minute mark Lucy Potter looked to have brought down Gabby Williams inside the box but the referee waved away the ardent Sutton appeals.

The Bees almost had a second twenty minutes later when skipper Maddie Phillips drove out of centre-half brilliantly and cut the Sutton defence in half with a splitting pass, but Ilana Harris-Walters' cross was smothered well by Taylor at the feet of Cheatley.

It was a tight first-half and the west Londoners had to stand up to a tough physical test. On 36 minutes Tatiana Saunders made a remarkable save to keep the lead in tact, clawing a looping header off the line.

Brentford were missing both Regan Graver and Carolin Engelhard at centre-half, but Makeba Black had an excellent game at right-back stepping up from the B team and almost scored a wonder-goal when her half-volley from range came off the inside of the post on 55 minutes.

Sutton should have had an equaliser just before the hour mark when K'Shaela Burch-Waldron took one too many touches and laid the ball off to Phoebe Langley who dragged her shot wide with the goal gaping.

Maï Louvrier had a brilliant chance on 70 minutes as Lucy Potter's corner fell to the midfielder inside the box but her snapshot was deflected over the bar.

The game became very scrappy and Saunders had to make some important saves, punching the ball off her line and then holding on to the rebound on 72 minutes.

Three minutes later and Brentford were the architects of their own downfall when Potter was caught playing out from the back and Gaby Williams rounded Saunders and finished into an empty net to make it 1-1.

Renai McCrea had a chance from range saved and Potter's corner was flicked off the line by Taylor and the game ended level and went straight to penalties.

Brentford took first. Phillips stepped up but was denied by Taylor and Sutton went on to win the shooutout 4-3 despite a save from Saunders and Eden Clark striking the post.

It went to sudden death and Taylor saved both Alissa Down's and Saunders' spot-kicks and it was the U's who progressed to the second round proper.

A gutting way to exit the Adobe Women's FA cup, but the Bees are presented with the perfect chance to bounce back when they travel to Saltdean United on Sunday 2 November for a top-of-the-table clash.

Brentford: Saunders, Phillips, Potter, Harris-Walters, Alaneme (Berry 72) Sangha, Down, McCrea, Cheatley, Louvrier (Worsley 81), Black

Unused subs: Holguin, Petit, Morrice-Bartlett

Booked: Potter 71

Sutton: Taylor, Dunne, Humphrey, Walters, Oliver, Meehan, Baptiste, Burch-Waldron, Langley, Spear, Williams

Subs: Clark, Moon, Warren, Olumoedji, Cutler

Booked: Burch-Waldron 67, Meehan 52

Williams pleased despite defeat

Brentford Women head coach Carly Williams was pleased with her side's performance despite falling to a penalty shoot-out defeat to Sutton United in the FA Cup first round.

"Obviously it's always disappointing when a game ends in penalties, at that point it's kind of anyones (game)," she said.

"We're disappointed we didn't finish off the game, I think we had opportunities to finish off the game, I think we dominated.

"Disappointing way to end, but obviously for us within 90 minutes we haven't lost a game, so it's picking the positives in there as well."