London Bees were defeated 7-1 by Tottenham Hotspur U21 in their opening FAWNL Cup fixture, despite a bright start from the hosts and a strong first-half performance.
The Bees started brightly, creating a number of early chances as they looked to take an early lead.
Che Thomas had the first opportunity for the hosts, breaking into the box from the left and attempting to find the far corner, but the Spurs goalkeeper stuck out a foot to make an excellent save.
Grace Stanley also came close to opening the scoring, collecting the ball inside the box before getting a quick shot away, but her effort went narrowly wide.
Tottenham looked to respond and were denied by an impressive save from Bees debutant Amy Liddiard in the 15th minute. The goalkeeper showed quick reflexes to get down and keep out a shot heading towards the far post.
The Bees continued to push forward and were rewarded shortly afterwards.
A free-kick was awarded just outside the box, with Daisy Beard delivering a dangerous ball into the area. Rebekah Wozniak rose highest to meet it with a header and found the back of the net to give the Bees the lead.
However, the advantage was short-lived.
Tottenham were awarded a penalty soon after and converted from the spot to level the scores before going ahead just minutes later following a well-worked move into the box.
The Bees continued to create opportunities and came close to an equaliser when Beard’s free-kick struck the crossbar before being cleared by the Tottenham defence.
London Bees enjoyed a strong spell heading into the break, creating further chances but ultimately being unable to find another goal before half-time.
Half-Time: London Bees 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur U21
Tottenham extended their advantage shortly after the restart, making the task more difficult for the Bees as they searched for a way back into the game.
A number of changes were made as the Bees looked to alter the momentum and get back into the contest.
Beard came close once again from a free-kick, with her delivery met by a header inside the box, but the Spurs goalkeeper reacted quickly to tip the effort over the crossbar.
With 15 minutes remaining, Tottenham began to take control of the game. The visitors went on to score four times during the closing stages, putting the result beyond doubt as the final whistle approached.
Despite the final scoreline, the result did not fully reflect the Bees’ performance, particularly during a competitive first half in which they created several opportunities and looked dangerous going forward.
The Bees will now look to regroup and respond when they travel to Saltdean this Sunday as they return to Division One South East action.
Full-Time: London Bees 1-7 Tottenham Hotspur U21
Lineup: Liddiard, Beard (Hoare 69′), Burrows, Larkin (Martins 60′), D. Andrade, Vigo (Biggadike 60′), Thomas, Wozniak (Breen 46′) Buttigieg (Heil 60′), Smith, Stanley
Goals: Wozniak (17′)