Sport London E Benfica 1 Brentford Women 3: Cheatley’s brace secures Capital Cup win | OneFootball

Brentford Women booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Capital Cup thanks to a 3-1 win over Sport London E Benfica on Sunday.

In mild conditions at Rectory Park, the Bees took a one-goal advantage into the break thanks to Ashley Cheatley’s goal and an own goal. Cheatley completed her brace late in the second half to secure the victory for the west Londoners.

Carly Williams welcomed new goalkeeper Saskia Reeves-Priestley into the starting line-up for her Brentford debut, while captain Maddie Phillips was brought back into the team following time out with an injury.

Brentford dominated territory early and almost found an early opener through Cheatley. The Bees' no.16 beat two opponents inside the box before firing a shot on target, however it was straight at Sport London goalkeeper Amanda O’Neill.

Cheatley went one better on 11 minutes to give the west Londoners the lead. Meeting the ball on the half-volley inside the box, the Brentford striker sent the ball goalward, the ball hitting the back of the net off O’Neill’s fingertips.

Looking to pounce on the wave of momentum, the Bees nearly had a second soon after. Renai McCrea played a neat ball to Asees Sangha breaking through the backline before the Brentford no.8 rounded O’Neill. Sangha was forced to shoot from a tight angle, however, and it was kept out by the hosts’ backline.

Making her first start since November's win over Clapton Community, Maï Louvrier came close to a superb assist as she played Chelsie Berry through down the right side, however the winger’s shot was straight at O’Neill.

With a goal under her belt, Cheatley eyed a second as she beat her defender to a long ball on the edge of the box. Her strike looked to be heading to the top corner before O’Neill’s diving effort to her left kept the ball out of the goal.

Brentford doubled their lead on the half-hour mark through an own goal. After playing Sangha through, McCrea received the ball back in the box and looked to score, her shot put into the back of the net off the outstretched leg of a Sport London defender.

It was Sport London who went into half-time with momentum as, against the run of play, they halved the deficit in stoppage-time.

After McCrea was deemed to have committed handball in the box, Renata Ferreira stepped up and slotted home the penalty to make it 2-1 at the break.

Despite conceding a late first-half goal the Bees began the second 45 minutes strongly.

Cheatley won the ball back high on 50 minutes before playing it back to Sangha, the midfielder shooting with her first touch as she ran onto the ball, however it sailed over the bar.

With time and space through midfield, Alissa Down played a brilliant ball to McCrea breaking down the left side, however the left-back’s shot was directly at O’Neill.

As the hour mark passed, it was Cheatley who seemed destined for a second goal. Running onto Sangha’s slick through ball, Cheatley took a touch to her right once inside the box and sent the ball goalward, however it sailed over the bar.

Berry suffered the same fate on 70 minutes as she met McCrea’s cross in the box, this time her glancing header putting the ball over the bar.

Reeves-Priestley was forced into action soon after as Alisha Akeju broke forward, Brentford’s new goalkeeper doing well to keep the ball out of the back of the net for a corner.

Phillips was brought on alongside Ilana Harris-Walters and was immediately thrust into the action. Meeting Lucy Potter’s cross at the back post, Phillips got a foot to the ball, however it hit the side of the net.

After an attempt to put the ball in the bottom-right corner was kept out on 83 minutes, Cheatley tried the bottom-left corner on 89 minutes and made no mistake. Running onto Phillips’ through ball, Cheatley fired it home to make it 3-1 and book Brentford’s spot in the next round of the Capital Cup.

Sport London E Benfica: O’Neill, Riera, Drake, Frost, Rabin, Reis Campos, Ferreira, Shiner, Kerl, Pieles-Tamayo, Akeju

Booked: Riera 69

Brentford Women: Reeves-Priestley, Graver (Phillips 77), Potter, Sangha, Down, McCrea, Cheatley, Louvrier (Harris-Walters 77), Worsley, Black, Berry

Carly Williams: We're happy to get through to the next round

Brentford Women head coach Carly Williams was happy to progress to the next round of the Capital Cup following Sunday's win over Sport London E Benfica, however conceded there was room for improvement in her side.

"As you can see some players are not happy with their performance today but, to get the win over the line, that's ultimately what we needed to do today, so I'm pleased with the win," she explained.

"Can we play better? Yes. But I'm more than happy to get through to the next round

"We had lots of chances, chances we should've put away... but I'm really pleased with the creation, we've just got to be more ruthless.

"It's always important to have our captain [Maddie Phillips] back, she's been working hard to make sure she gets back and is in the right condition. She made a difference on the pitch today and she got an assist as well."