By Jeff Burnige
Millwall Lionesses are five points clear at the top of the London & South East Regional Women’s Football League after their nervy 3-1 victory at Aylesford last weekend.
Always a difficult fixture for the Lionesses, they found yet another opponent determined to end this great run with a strong defensive operation.
Aylesford started well and created a couple of chances, but it was Millwall knocking on the door, and after 34 minutes Otesha Charles saw her excellent strike saved only for midfielder Maisie Joyce to follow up and make it 1-0. Joyce scored four the previous week and clearly has a hunger for more. It was a surprise when the hosts equalised right on half- time with a good header form a free-kick, thus ending a run of four clean sheets for Millwall.
The pressure from the Lionesses became more and more intense in the second half but some heroic defending from Aylesford was frustrating them, until manager Jack Wheeler decided to make a triple substitution on 65 minutes, bringing on striker Lucy Jellett and midfielders Grace Seely and Ella Bailey both making their return from injury. Constant pressure seemed certain to bring the winner, but after Jellett hit the bar on 78 minutes the home keeper brilliantly tipped over the rebound.
Finally, on 83 minutes, the inevitable goal came, and it was from the deadly top-scorer Charles.
Aylesford had given their all, so Millwall were now dominant if a little anxiously protecting their one-goal lead. That anxiety eased in the last minute when Sophie Chapman hit a great shot which was again well-saved by the overworked keeper, but Jellett pounced on the rebound and made the points safe at 3-1.
The Lionesses’ lead and nine successive wins means that every opponent will be as determined as Aylesford were, but the next three games are in three different cups so their lead in the league will survive.
It is Richmond Park at home in the League Cup on Sunday at 3 pm. That is followed by a prestige clash against third-tier Gillingham in the first round the Women’s FA Cup also at St Paul’s the following Sunday. Millwall are still two divisions below their opponents following their administrative relegation of 2019, but this is a milestone in their return towards the top levels of Women’s football.
This should be a high-standard game, with the Lionesses playing the strange role of the underdog.