Brentford earned their place in the second round of the FA Cup with a 4-2 win over tier-five side Ascot United on Sunday afternoon in front of a buzzing Bedfont Sports Club crowd.
Ashley Cheatley netted twice in the first half, with her opener an amazing bicycle kick. Chloe Logie struck moments after half-time to extend the hosts' lead, only for Ascot to claw their way back into the game with two goals in less than two minutes. Brentford held off a late flurry from the away side, with Logie slotting home a goal in stoppage-time to secure an historic win.
The Bees played a back three which consisted of Sam Read, Carolin Englehard and Lucy Potter with Chloe Webb and Maddie Phillips utilised as wing-backs.
Mollie Holmes partnered Freya Worsley in the central midfield positions whilst Woods played in behind a front two of Logie and Cheatley.
Brentford made a good start to the game with Cheatley coming close to opening the scoring inside the opening five minutes.
A Worlsey pass found the striker who was under pressure from an Ascot defender as her shot went just over the bar.
Cheatley looked at the top of her game and was unlucky not to have found the net again for Brentford on 12 minutes, but the forward was denied by a great save from Joide Gray-Piazza.
Ascot began to play their way into the game with Evie Witek being called into action gathering a strike from Kate Fox.
The visitors then found themselves through on goal with captain Leah Littlechild having a great opportunity to open the scoring, but Potter made a terrific last-ditch tackle to deny Ascot.
Ascot were putting on the pressure towards the half hour mark with Witek making a great save to deny Beth Lloyd who shot from close range.
Just as Ascot seemed to have gained a foothold, Cheatley scored an incredible goal to put Brentford ahead.
The striker flew into the air to execute an unbelievable bicycle kick from inside the box which found the top-right corner.
Brentford grew in confidence following their opener and soon made it 2-0 with a brilliant team goal.
Webb found Logie inside the Ascot box before the striker laid the ball off to Cheatley who showed composure to finish neatly.
Brentford flew out of the traps in the second half with Logie extending the home side’s lead three minutes after the break.
The striker showed her poacher instincts as the ball fell at the back post with Logie there to tap home.
Ascot, who looked dead and buried, forced their way back into the game within just two minutes.
The first goal came on 51 minutes through substitute Leah Robertson and the second followed shortly after when Olivia Glover found the back of the net.
Brentford seemed to have weathered the Ascot storm and were unfortunate not have scored their fourth just after the hour mark.
Logie found Cheatley again inside the Ascot box with the striker’s shot bouncing off the bar and out of play.
The Bees were awarded a spot kick on 69 minutes when a mazy run from Cheatley ended in her being brought down inside the box.
Logie stepped up to take the penalty, but her spot kick was saved well by Gray-Piazza.
Brentford showed unbelievable character to hold off the late Ascot pressure before hitting the visitors on the counter in stoppage time.
This time it was Cheatley who turned provider as she squared the ball to Logie who tapped home from close range to secure an historic win for Brentford.
Brentford Women: Witek, Phillips, Engelhard, Holmes, Logie, Webb (Graver, 74’), Woods (Gbajabiamila, 88’), Cheatley, Worsley, Read, Potter
Subs: Aboul-Kheir, Reid, Troth
Ascot United: Gray-Piazza, Luckhurst-McCord, Todd, Huntley, Drage, Torry, Fox, Littlechild, Lloyd, Ball, Glover
Subs: Sadler, Holden, Rowntree, Knight, Robertson, Doyle, Vince
Attendance: 502
Karleigh Osborne emotional following FA Cup win
Brentford Women head coach Karleigh Osborne was visibly emotional after his side booked their place in the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
Speaking on the win over Ascot United who play in the division above the Bees, Osborne said he was incredible proud of his squad.