Charlton Athletic Ladies 2 Tottenham Ladies 1

Spurs Ladies’ perfect trophy hunt was stopped in its tracks following a 2-1 defeat to Capital Women’s Cup holders Charlton Athletic at the Maurice Rebak Stadium last night.

Despite taking the lead through Wendy Martin, The Lilywhites let their lead slip – something that hasn’t been accustomed to this team.

Renee Hector pinpointed towards Bianca Baptiste bursting down the right channel, but her byline cross looking for Martin at the near post was just hooked away by Rosey Sullivan.

Hector’s drilled free-kick to the six-yard box was taken off the head of Martin by Sullivan, as Bianca Baptiste’s curling shot found the hands of Alex Baker.

Baptiste hustled Katie Flack for possession and floated a cross attempting to meet Martin’s diving header, only for Sullivan to get ahead and clear the danger.

Kit Graham looked to play Gemma Shepherd in behind Charlton’s defence, but Riana Soobadoo tracked back and read the pass, before Kim Dixson struck her free-kick from distance which crashed off the wall towards Sullivan, who curled wide of the top right from just inside the area.

Avilla Bergin broke on a counter attack and tried to slip Shepherd through on goal, but Sophie Mclean managed to get the vital touch to cut out a one-on-one.

Josie Green burst forward and picked out Baptiste, who came within inches on the slide of turning the ball home before Graham swapped passes with Shepherd but found Soobadoo on hand to steer clear with a diving challenge.

It took just three minutes after the restart for Karen Hills’ team to get in front, though, as Baptiste crossed from the right towards Martin who headed over Baker and into the net.

Shepherd latched on to a loose ball and rolled it across to Graham who blazed over from six yards, while Jenna Schillaci’s deep free-kick was punched by Baker as far as Hector, whose header found the roof of the net.

Leah Rawle crossed towards Nikita Whinnett inside the area and she laid off to Mclean who fired over from 20 yards.

But Charlton’s equaliser arrived on the hour when Dixson’s free-kick was punched away by Toni-Anne Wayne and Flack looped a pass towards the far post for Charley Clifford to touch over the line.

And Charlton won it 12 minutes from time when Bergin broke to the left and rolled the ball across for Graham to power home from close range.

Hector’s 25-yard free-kick had Baker concerned but just evaded the upright and Baptiste had a glorious chance to make it 2-2 in the dying minutes, racing through on goal but firing wide with Kelley Blanchflower and Martin on the stretch unable to turn in.

Spurs Ladies:Toni-Anne Wayne,Lucia Leon, Renee Hector, Jenna Schillaci,Leah Rawle (Eartha Pond 87), Josie Green, Sophie Mclean, Riana Soobadoo (Katie O’Leary 66), Bianca Baptiste, Wendy Martin, Nikita Whinnett (Kelley Blanchflower 84). Unused subs: Megen Lynch, Shannon Moloney.