Although Worcester City’s Women’s FA Cup run ended in a cruel 4-3 penalty shootout defeat away at Leafield Athletic, the overriding message was one of pride, unity, and belief.
The away side left everything on the pitch in their Adobe Women’s FA Cup Second Round Proper tie which saw Leafield advance on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Reflecting on the performance, the City captain Cerys Dolloway spoke about the effort shown across the entire squad, describing a group fully committed to their plan from the first whistle.
“We put an absolute shift in today,” she said. “Everyone’s worked so hard. We had a game plan coming in, we knew what we were doing, and everyone just left everything out there.”
Worcester’s intensity and organisation had earned them a deserved lead in the first half, but a late Leafield equaliser shifted the tie into a dramatic finish and ultimately penalties.
Even in the heartbreak of defeat, the captain’s focus remained on her teammates’ courage. “To lose on pens is a tough one,” she admitted. “I’m so, so proud of every single person who stood up to take that penalty. If they scored, if they missed, the bravery to stand up and take a pen on a night like this… I’m just really proud of everyone.”
Defender Jess Bate echoed the sense of pride but also highlighted the positives the squad can take forward.
“It’s a really tough way to exit the cup,
“The last two weeks we’ve had some really positive performances and moments.
“We’ll definitely take the positivity we’ve shown today and last week into next week and moving forward. We’ll regroup together and make sure we come out stronger from it.”
Both players also praised the travelling fans, who provided loud and unwavering support throughout the match. Their backing, they said, was impossible to miss.
“It was absolutely brilliant hearing them on the sidelines,” Dolloway said with a smile.
“I feel like they were actually louder than the Leafield fans. They always come out, and we’re really grateful.”
“The last couple of weeks they’ve been amazing, and hopefully next week we can put in a performance that gives them something to celebrate,” Bate added.
Though Sunday’s defeat was harsh, Worcester City Women leave the FA Cup with renewed confidence, strengthened belief, and a determination to build on their recent performances. With the squad united and the fans firmly behind them, attention now turns to next weekend’s clash against Lincoln.
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