Mansfield Town Ladies progressed to the next round of the League Cup with a dramatic 1-0 win over Rotherham United at One Call Stadium this afternoon.
The match looked destined for extra-time after Stacey Bridge’s late penalty miss, but deep into added time, Jemma Douglas’ header ensured The Stagettes’ won.
Douglas enjoyed the first chance on 13 minutes, when she forced Rotherham shot-stopper Hannah Cottam into a full-stretch save with a low shot, following a lay-off by Georgina Williams.
The Stagettes enjoyed plenty of possession, but it was the South Yorkshire side that created the next chance, as Amy Pollock poked a low effort straight at Stagettes 'keeper Emma Horsnall.
Both teams were caught offside on several occasions, though when The Millers did spring the offside trap midway through the first half, Natalie Shaw saw a tame drive parried away.
Rotherham came close to an opener on the half-hour mark, but Kirsty Walton's last-ditch intervention prevented Pollock from scoring, following a piercing low cross by Jade Rabjohn.
Klare Osborne soon blazed an effort high and wide, before The Stagettes came within inches of an opener, when Douglas rattled the upright with a thunderous right-footed strike.
Rebecca Davis should have put The Millers within seconds of the re-start, when she failed to find the target, having latched onto Pollock’s low pull-back.
The Stagettes then went close, as Williams picked out Montgomery inside the six-yard box, but Megan Wilson got back bravely, and was able to take the sting out of the shot.
Mansfield looked the more adventurous of the two teams, and after Douglas headed wide from a corner, Jemma Allen almost pounced on a speculative long ball forwards.
The match had turned into a scrappy affair by the time Bridge saw a long-range strike well-saved by a back-peddling Rotherham ‘keeper on 76 minutes.
Pollock twice came close to snatching a victory for The Millers in the closing exchanges, as she hit the woodwork with an overhead kick, before forcing Horsnall into a quick reaction save.
With five minutes remaining, The Stagettes were awarded a perfect chance to claim victory, when Douglas was fouled inside the area.
There was a lengthy delay prior to the resulting spot-kick, but when it was finally taken, Bridge’s powerful drive down the middle was palmed over by Cottam.
But deep into added time, The Stagettes sealed a dramatic victory.
Hanna Bodle picked out Douglas with an in-swinging corner into the area, and The Stagettes’ striker placed a pin-point header into the net.
