A tale of two halves as the Bees hold on to secure a 4-3 win against Cambridge United to progress to the next round of the Plate Cup despite a strong lead at the break.
From kick off both pressed hard for the ball, as the tension to break the deadlock early on was felt around the ground.
The Bees came close to taking an early lead after just five minutes, as the ball fell into the box and was scrambled around between the players.
Lily Whitelock was able to get a shot on target, but despite it being saved the referee stopped the play for offside.
Moments later Millie Isherwood was played through from inside her own half, and with a quick look up she took a shot from long range, hoping to beat the keeper who was off her line, but the ball fell too wide and resulted in a Cambridge goal kick.
You could feel that a goal was approaching soon, as Shamoy Campbell created a good chance for herself to cross the ball in from the right, hoping to pick out Isherwood but it was just out of reach for the striker.
However, just minutes later the Bees had opened the scoring, as Whitelock charged down the left side and cut in for a shot at goal.
Her chance was saved by the keeper, but Isherwood was there to fire home the rebound and give her side the lead.
It took just under one minute for the Bees to double their score, as Thea Budden played a brilliant ball over the top to pick out Brionne Fowle at the back post, who tapped it past the goalkeeper, adding another goal to her tally for the season and giving Budden an assit on her full debut.
Around the 30th minute mark the Bees had won a corner, with Isherwood stepping up to take it she fired the ball deep into the mix, where Cheyenne Flynn raised up highest to make the connection and head it perfectly out of the keepers reach and into the back of the net, making it 3-0 to the Bees and giving Dan McKimm’s side a comfortable lead heading into the break.
Half-Time: Cambridge United 0-3 London Bees
As the game kicked off for the second half, the goals kept on coming for the Bees as Isherwood scored her second of the match.
The ball was delivered in from the right, where Betty Larkin and Isherwood were waiting to strike, both attacks had their first attempts blocked by the defence, but Isherwood was able to send the ball into the goal on her second attempt, giving her side their fourth goal of the match.
Minutes later the game started to turn as the hosts scored two goals in one minute, giving them a lifeline back in this game.
On the hour mark things started to get worrying for the Bees as Cambridge were awarded a penalty after a foul in the box.
The hosts were able to convert the penalty quickly, making the score now 3-4 and giving the Bees some extra work to do in the remaining 30 minutes of the half.
Dan McKimm brought some fresh legs into the field in the hope of hanging onto the lead with Sam Lanza, Aimee Durn and Fran Vigo entering the game.
The hosts weren’t giving up as they tried to find a way to complete the comeback but the Bees held firm, refusing to give up the lead they worked hard to achieve.
With full time approaching, the U’s won a free kick in the Bees half, they lobbed it over the top aiming towards the far corner, but Roberts made a brilliantly timed dive to stop the shot and deny the hosts in the final moments.
The referee later blew the whistle for full-time, and the Bees held on to secure the win, and earning their spot into the next round of the cup.
Full-Time: Cambridge United 3-4 London Bees
Line-Up: Roberts, Heil, Flynn, Vyse (Vigo 66′), Isherwood, Burrows, Budden, Fowle, Larkin (Lanza 55′), Campbell (Durn 66′), Whitelock
Goals: Isherwood (18′, 47′), Fowle (20′), Flynn (34′)
The Bees are back in more cup action next week as they take on Barking at The Bees Stadium in the next round of the FA Cup.