By Jeff Burnige at St Paul’s
The Lionesses could not build on the previous weekend’s 6-2 victory over Sutton United in the League Cup, as they fell to a 5-1 defeat to Ebbsfleet United at a chilly Salter Road in their L&SERWFL Premier Division game last Sunday.
Millwall are pursuing their strategy of giving opportunities at a young age to their academy players, particularly when they continue to be without many senior players through injury. Winger Grace Laverick’s ACL operation will keep her out for many months, and she joins the likes of Millie Connell, Emma Whitter, Liv McGregor and Stef Paci on the injured list. Hope Welsh is also now out with a broken big toe.
Millwall started well, and Clemmie Young, starting up front after her scoring debut from the bench against Sutton, had a goal disallowed and then brought a smart save out of the Ebbsfleet goalkeeper.
The Lionesses went behind on eleven minutes when a pass back to seventeen-year-old goalkeeper Wiktoria Gmiterek fell short, and allowed Ebbsfleet’s much-admired young striker Amelia Woodgate to score her first of the match.
St Vincent international Teni Charles made it two, and before half-time Woodgate added the third.
Joint-managers Alex Russell and Adam Rowland reminded the Lionesses of their own talent, and asked them to at least draw the second half.
This resulted in a significant improvement, only for ex-Lioness Dan Carter to make it 4-0 when her left-footed corner from the right somehow sneaked in between the near post and the defender on the line to give the scoreline a flattering look for the visitors.
Gmiterek deputised well for the unwell Chrissie Wiggins in goal, and the defence including senior players in Sophie Chapman and Jordan Butler had looked like helping Millwall to a second-half clean sheet until that late fourth goal.
Woodgate completed her fine hat-trick with five minutes left Shannan Drewe continued her own great scoring form with a consolation goal a minute from time.
The Millwall managers will hope to be able to recall a couple of players for this Sunday’s Capital Senior Cup tie at home to Queens Park Rangers of the FA Women’s National League, as this will provide at least as tough a test as Ebbsfleet, who narrowly missed out on promotion to that league last season. Kick-off at St Paul’s is 1.30pm.