City Ladies earn their spurs, but Tottenham have last laugh

Bianca Baptiste, Megan Wynne and Rianna Dean gave the London club took a 3-0 lead into the break.

In the second half Chichester fought back, Helen Ogle and Jess Lewry each grabbing a goal before an 84th-minute goal from Dean put the game to bed.

City ended pre-season with a loss but there were several positives to take.

Up next is the first league game of the season as Oxford United come to Oaklands Park this Sunday.

A strong Chichester side lined up and on the bench was Rebecca Barron and the returning Molly Clark, who had just come back from the Beach Soccer season, while Lewry made the squad following two excellent performance with the development squad.

In the rain, Spurs broke the deadlock. Wynne beat Sharna Capel-Watson down the right and sent in a great cross for Baptiste to head home.

Another player returning to the Chi side was Hollie Wride, who got her longest runout against Tottenham. The midfielder set up Chloe Melton with a ball over the top she squared for Jade Widdows but play was brought back after Melton received a blow to the face.

Wride took the free-kick and Ogle headed home, only to be disappointed as the offside flag was shown.

The visitors upped their game and scored twice before the break. Wynne went from provider to scorer as she met a cross in the box and scored after her first effort was blocked by the foot of goalkeeper Lauren Dolbear.

Next Dean sent a low shot into the goal, giving Aaron Smith and his side plenty to think about at half-time.

After the break Natasha Stephens, Laura Ingram, Sara Tubby, Barron and Clark all came on.

The changes helped and three minutes after the restart Chichester were back in it. Clark found Stephens out wide and she curled the ball into the box, allowing Ogle to fire in.

Chichester grew in confidence in the second half and when Clark found youngster Tubby on the edge of the box her cross was met by Lewry’s head.

This seemed to spur on Spurs and Dean’s second of the afternoon sealed the win.

Several more could have been added but for heroics in the Chichester goal from new keeper Dolbear.

HAYLEY NEWMAN

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