Express & Star

Wolves Women defeat West Brom to reach Birmingham Challenge Cup Final

Wolves progressed to the final of the Birmingham FA Women’s Challenge Cup after beating rivals Albion on penalties.

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Katie Johnson (Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images).

Wolves needed a late goal from Jade Cross in added-on time to equalise and make the score in the match 2-2 after normal time.

And after Albion missed their first two penalties, Wolves needed to hold their nerve, which they did scoring all four of the penalties they did take.

The game was initially scheduled to take place at the New Bucks Head, the home of AFC Telford United, but due to the wet weather this week the fixture was moved to Compton – the Wolves training ground – on the morning of the game.

And it was the visitors who got off to the best possible start as Simran Jhamat gave them the lead within the first 30 seconds of the clash.

Phoebe Warner made a marauding run down the right-hand side and crossed to Delphi Cole, whose header was directed into the net by Jhamat.

And with less than eight minutes gone, Albion doubled their lead as Lucy Newell got on to the scoresheet.

Hannah George’s free-kick was headed goalwards by Newell and it nestled into the bottom corner.

It was an all-action start to the clash as within 14 minutes at Compton as Wolves pulled one back through Ellie Wilson.

She rose highest to head the ball into the net from a corner.

The hosts pushed and pushed for an equaliser, with Liv Ferguson shooting just wide and Destiney Toussaint hitting the crossbar.

And they finally got the goal they were looking for when Cross fired home following a scramble in the Albion box in stoppage time at the end of the game.

In the shootout, Francesca Orthodoxou went first for Albion but Bec Thomas saved her penalty, and she also saved the second penalty from Mariam Mahmood.

Wolves scored all of their penalties with Katie Johnson scoring the all-important fourth one to send them through to the final of the competition where they take on Rugby Borough.

Rugby overcame Villa 6-1 at Bodymoor Heath in midweek.