TWO goals from debutant Charlotte Reinforth helped Burton Albion Ladies to a comfortable 7-2 victory over Coventrians Ladies in the Second Round of the Birmingham Senior Cup.
The Brewers started slowly but ultimately showed their class as they ran away with the victory at Lichfield City’s McDonald’s Community Stadium.
First Team coach Ben Webster admitted that the team took a while to get going, but the side upped their performance in the second half.
“I thought, first half, we took a little bit to get going,” he said.
“It was disappointing to concede really early, score, and then concede again. I thought the manner of the goals that we conceded were disappointing from our point of view, but the girls showed a little bit of character about them to get back into the game.
“I think we saw something different about them today than we did last week, in terms of getting back into the game twice and showing character to go on and win the game. With the second half performance, I thought they did really well.
"From the first half there are bits to work on, but the second half has won them the game.”
The Brewers got off to a shaky start after a defensive mistake allowed Coventrians in on goal to drill past keeper Lily Doocey.
Albion responded well, going close a few times before defender Charlotte Jarvis rose highest from a corner to restore parity for the home side.
However, that parity was short-lived when, straight from kick off, Coventrians regained their advantage with a swift, flowing move to retake the lead.
But a moment of brilliance from Brewers captain Laura McQuilkin levelled the scoreline by the break, her wonderful looping free kick making the score 2-2 at the half.
And in the second half, the Brewers really turned on the pressure and debutant Charlotte Reinforth reacted first to a loose ball in the box to turn in her first goal of the afternoon for 3-2.
Ella Spears, who had recovered from an ankle injury sustained against Lye Town Ladies last week to start the game, got her name on the scoresheet by cutting in from the right to score a sublime solo goal.
The winger then turned provider as Natasha Rothery added to her two goals against Lye by heading Spears’ cross past the keeper.
Jarvis had scored the Brewers' opener and it was the turn of her fellow centre-half Ella Doocey to get in on the act, burying a Spears corner with her left foot to make the score 6-2.
The Brewers rounded off the scoring with Reinforth’s second of the afternoon as she coolly slotted past the on-rushing Coventrians keeper to give her side a convincing 7-2 victory.
Full-back Fiona Lane believes the team reacted well after their slow start.
“I think the team thought it would be easy after the Lye game,” she said.
“The game was a bit scrappy in the first half but eventually we got going, scored the goals and I think we finished off the game nicely which is a definite positive.
“It did take us a while to get going but once we upped our game, we started to score the goals and did what we had to do to get the win.”
With the Brewers’ focus now turning to their league game against The New Saints next Sunday, first team coach Steve Guest believes the manager’s style of play is coming across more as the weeks go on.
“I think the confidence is needed, especially with the new manager coming in,” Guest said.
“Having these games now illustrates to the team how he wants them to play. Taking nothing away from the teams we’ve played in the cup, they’ve really battled us at times, but the philosophy going forward and the way we want to do things is coming in to show.
“We’re scoring goals and conceding less. It’s a good run within the cup now and that will show what we stand for. The four games we have to catch-up in the league are against teams around us that we can give a good battle too.”