Published: 17 November, 2011
by STEVE BARNETT

HAMPSTEAD Women FC agonisingly missed out on a place in the first round proper of the FA Cup on Sunday when they were beaten 2-1 by Cambridge at the Hampstead Heath Extension.

It was always going to be a big ask for the side from NW3 to win their third round qualifier as they took on a team who play two leagues above them in the South East Combination League.

Cambridge dominated the early stages and took a deserved lead 15 minutes in.

Things went from bad to worse for the home side when five minutes later top-scorer Val Toro was carried off (left) with suspected knee ligament damage.

To their credit Hampstead battled back to level the scores when top England Under-23s goalkeeper Verity Crook sliced her kick, allowing Anjana Gadgil to bravely head the ball on for Becky Barns to smash home the equaliser just before the break.

Hampstead started brightly in the second-half, with Gadgil twice going close, first hitting a volley just over the bar and then scuffing another shot straight at the keeper.

The misses were to prove costly as Nat Richardson scored a screamer to hand Cambridge a 2-1 victory.

Hampstead ended the game with 10 players after debutant Mel Tomilin was sent off for kicking out at a defender.