Penn & Tylers Green's revamped team make progress in the FA Cup.
This Sunday I made the short trip south for the second game on the road to Wembley and the Women's FA Cup Final. After watching Kidlington beat Salisbury 6-1 at Yarnton Road a couple of weeks ago, the Greens were drawn away to Penn & Tylers Green on the 1st Qualifying round.
Having played in the same division for the past few years, these two sides are quite familiar foes. However, there's a twist. This Penn side bears no resemblance to the team that played their last game of the 2025/26 season. In fact, as far as I could see there's not a single player left from that finished as runners-up in last season's Division One North.
Penn saw off Finchampstead at this stage of last season's FA Cup run, before going out at Sutton United in the second qualifying round. Kidlington lost at home to Ashridge Park at this stage last season.
This would be Penn's first competitive outing of the new term, so with little idea of how their new look team would perform, there was no real guide to the probably outcome of the game.
Thanks to the match officials for allowing me access to the team sheets before kick-off. Although, it has to be said that Penn's shiny gold numbers on their new kit, were very difficult to make out from distance, especially with the glare of the sun on them. So, forgive me if I get have got some of the names confused (I know I did whilst posting during the game). I'll correct any mistakes that are pointed out.
Having played in the same division for the past few years, these two sides are quite familiar foes. However, there's a twist. This Penn side bears no resemblance to the team that played their last game of the 2025/26 season. In fact, as far as I could see there's not a single player left from that finished as runners-up in last season's Division One North.
Penn saw off Finchampstead at this stage of last season's FA Cup run, before going out at Sutton United in the second qualifying round. Kidlington lost at home to Ashridge Park at this stage last season.
This would be Penn's first competitive outing of the new term, so with little idea of how their new look team would perform, there was no real guide to the probably outcome of the game.
Thanks to the match officials for allowing me access to the team sheets before kick-off. Although, it has to be said that Penn's shiny gold numbers on their new kit, were very difficult to make out from distance, especially with the glare of the sun on them. So, forgive me if I get have got some of the names confused (I know I did whilst posting during the game). I'll correct any mistakes that are pointed out.
Phoebe Williams slots home Promisingly, both sides looked very lively in the opening encounters and it appeared that both were here to attack.
We also did not have to wait too long for the first goal. Seven minutes to be exact, and it was the home team who took the early initiative. Emily Murphy parried a stinging shot from Maisie Williams, only for the ball to drop invitingly for Lucy Chappell, who made no mistake. 1-0
At this point there was no pointer towards the avalanche of goals that was heading our way. Kidlington took the early setback on the chin and immediately looked to get themselves back into the game. However, their build-up lacked an urgency and fluidity. This was not the case for Penn, who were growing into the game and realizing that they had the pace up front to cause big problems for The Greens. Kidlington countered this threat by deploying Emily Murphy as a sweeper keeper. This worked to a certain extent, with a couple of through balls being slightly overhit and cleared comfortably by the keeper.
Eighteen minutes in, however, the home side doubled their advantage. Maisie Williams smashed a shot off the foot of Murphy's right-hand upright, and there was Lucy Chappell, on the spot again, to tuck away the rebound. 2-0
Kidlington's response was a neat piece of interplay between Courtney Sumner and Julia Rushmere, which led to Beth Hawtin getting a sight of goal. Although her strike flew over the bar, it was much better form The Greens and showed that they could pose a threat. Their encouragement was fairly short-lived though. Just before the half-hour mark Penn made it three and, once again, it was the pace of their forwards that created the goal. Williams beat her marker and drove up the right before sending over a cross for Lucy Chappell to smash home from close range. 3-0
Three rapidly became four, and it was more of the same woe for the visitors. This time it was Tori Drew's pace that caught them out, the winger racing onto a through ball, beating the onrushing Murphy and slotting into an empty net. 4-0
Half an hour in and, in all honesty, the tie was in the bag for Penn. Kidlington did try to respond again with Sumner setting up Amy Busby, but her shot was straight at Lyndsey Hagger in the home goal.
Penn had well and truly found the key to unlocking Kidlington's defence and, with ten minutes of the first half remaining, they added to their tally. A simple ball through the middle this time, finding Jessie Toulson who calmly slotted past Murphy for 5-0.
Again Kidlington tried to find a response, with Julia Rushmere getting off a shot that didn't unduly trouble Hagger, but it was a token piece of resistance in all honesty and, two minutes later they found themselves a half dozen behind. A corner from the right wasn't cleared and there was centre-half Phoebe Williams to drill the ball into the corner of the net. 6-0
There was still enough time for Emily Murphy to make two very good stops from Tori Drew, before the referee blew foe the end of the half.
HT Penn & Tylers Green 6 Kidlington 0. A devastating half from the home side who were just way too pacy for the Kidlington back-line to handle. It was going to be a case of damage limitation for Kidlington in the second half. Penn were as good as in the hat for the next round.
We also did not have to wait too long for the first goal. Seven minutes to be exact, and it was the home team who took the early initiative. Emily Murphy parried a stinging shot from Maisie Williams, only for the ball to drop invitingly for Lucy Chappell, who made no mistake. 1-0
At this point there was no pointer towards the avalanche of goals that was heading our way. Kidlington took the early setback on the chin and immediately looked to get themselves back into the game. However, their build-up lacked an urgency and fluidity. This was not the case for Penn, who were growing into the game and realizing that they had the pace up front to cause big problems for The Greens. Kidlington countered this threat by deploying Emily Murphy as a sweeper keeper. This worked to a certain extent, with a couple of through balls being slightly overhit and cleared comfortably by the keeper.
Eighteen minutes in, however, the home side doubled their advantage. Maisie Williams smashed a shot off the foot of Murphy's right-hand upright, and there was Lucy Chappell, on the spot again, to tuck away the rebound. 2-0
Kidlington's response was a neat piece of interplay between Courtney Sumner and Julia Rushmere, which led to Beth Hawtin getting a sight of goal. Although her strike flew over the bar, it was much better form The Greens and showed that they could pose a threat. Their encouragement was fairly short-lived though. Just before the half-hour mark Penn made it three and, once again, it was the pace of their forwards that created the goal. Williams beat her marker and drove up the right before sending over a cross for Lucy Chappell to smash home from close range. 3-0
Three rapidly became four, and it was more of the same woe for the visitors. This time it was Tori Drew's pace that caught them out, the winger racing onto a through ball, beating the onrushing Murphy and slotting into an empty net. 4-0
Half an hour in and, in all honesty, the tie was in the bag for Penn. Kidlington did try to respond again with Sumner setting up Amy Busby, but her shot was straight at Lyndsey Hagger in the home goal.
Penn had well and truly found the key to unlocking Kidlington's defence and, with ten minutes of the first half remaining, they added to their tally. A simple ball through the middle this time, finding Jessie Toulson who calmly slotted past Murphy for 5-0.
Again Kidlington tried to find a response, with Julia Rushmere getting off a shot that didn't unduly trouble Hagger, but it was a token piece of resistance in all honesty and, two minutes later they found themselves a half dozen behind. A corner from the right wasn't cleared and there was centre-half Phoebe Williams to drill the ball into the corner of the net. 6-0
There was still enough time for Emily Murphy to make two very good stops from Tori Drew, before the referee blew foe the end of the half.
HT Penn & Tylers Green 6 Kidlington 0. A devastating half from the home side who were just way too pacy for the Kidlington back-line to handle. It was going to be a case of damage limitation for Kidlington in the second half. Penn were as good as in the hat for the next round.
Beth Hawtin pulls one back from the spot The Penn team and the officials were back out way before The Greens who, presumably, were having some frank discussions about their first half display and what they could do to counteract the threat in the second half.
However, if they thought that Penn may ease off a little, Tori Drew disproved that theory within the first couple of minutes after the restart, bursting down the left, leaving her marker in her wake and sending a curling effort around Murphy that only just went wide of the far post.
Kidlington, however, were clearly determined to put up more of a fight in the second half. Just over ten minutes in they were awarded a penalty after Amy Busby was tripped in the area. Beth Hawtin took the responsibility from the spot, coolly slotting past Hagger. 6-1
The response from Penn was almost immediate. Once again the pace of Tori Drew was pivotal as the winger latched onto a superb defence splitting pass before flashing a ball across the face of goal. Recently introduced substitute, Lexi Reid made contact but could only steer the ball off the outside of the post and out for a goal-kick. Reid almost made amends a few minutes later, receiving the ball on the edge of the area and driving across the area only to see her effort cleared off the line.
Another substitute, Kidlington's Eloise Beauchamp then fizzed a shot across the face of Hagger's goal as the visitors looked to make the score line more respectable.
However, with juts under 15 minutes remaining, it was third time lucky for Lexi Reid. Once again the goal was created by the pace and trickery of Tori Drew, this time breaking down the right flank. Her low, driven cross was met by Reid, and this time she made no mistake. 7-1
Drew was now running riot on the right flank for Penn. Two minutes after creating the seventh, she just about got to a through ball on the right before the onrushing Murphy, who was once again called into a sweeper role. Drew struck her effort first time and was unlucky to see it drift just wide of the far post. Two more minutes passed before Drew was causing more Mayhem, getting in on the right again and forcing a good save from Murphy from a tight angle. Kidlington must have been glad to see the back of her as she was substituted to rousing applause from the home crowd.
Credit to Kidlington that the final three attempts at goal all came from them, despite the fact that they were already well beaten. Abi Haynes, on as substitute, tried a long range volley that bounced in front of Hagger, causing the keeper to push the ball over with a little help from the woodwork. Beauchamp went close again, sending another effort narrowly wide and then, in the final minute, Liv Ward sent an absolute screamer whizzing inches over Hagger's bar from 30 yards out.
FT Penn & Tylers Green 7 Kidlington 1. A much better performance form Kidlington in the second half, but the damage had been done inside the opening half an hour or so. Penn's new look team certainly laid down a marker for their forthcoming season. On this showing, their pace and skill, especially on the wings, is going to cause a lot of problems for teams this season.
Next up for both teams is an opening league game next Saturday. Penn welcome local rivals Chesham United Development to French School Meadow whilst Kidlington host newcomers Finchampstead at Yarnton Road.
Penn's reward for their victory is an away tie at Oxford City on Sunday September 20th. See you there.
However, if they thought that Penn may ease off a little, Tori Drew disproved that theory within the first couple of minutes after the restart, bursting down the left, leaving her marker in her wake and sending a curling effort around Murphy that only just went wide of the far post.
Kidlington, however, were clearly determined to put up more of a fight in the second half. Just over ten minutes in they were awarded a penalty after Amy Busby was tripped in the area. Beth Hawtin took the responsibility from the spot, coolly slotting past Hagger. 6-1
The response from Penn was almost immediate. Once again the pace of Tori Drew was pivotal as the winger latched onto a superb defence splitting pass before flashing a ball across the face of goal. Recently introduced substitute, Lexi Reid made contact but could only steer the ball off the outside of the post and out for a goal-kick. Reid almost made amends a few minutes later, receiving the ball on the edge of the area and driving across the area only to see her effort cleared off the line.
Another substitute, Kidlington's Eloise Beauchamp then fizzed a shot across the face of Hagger's goal as the visitors looked to make the score line more respectable.
However, with juts under 15 minutes remaining, it was third time lucky for Lexi Reid. Once again the goal was created by the pace and trickery of Tori Drew, this time breaking down the right flank. Her low, driven cross was met by Reid, and this time she made no mistake. 7-1
Drew was now running riot on the right flank for Penn. Two minutes after creating the seventh, she just about got to a through ball on the right before the onrushing Murphy, who was once again called into a sweeper role. Drew struck her effort first time and was unlucky to see it drift just wide of the far post. Two more minutes passed before Drew was causing more Mayhem, getting in on the right again and forcing a good save from Murphy from a tight angle. Kidlington must have been glad to see the back of her as she was substituted to rousing applause from the home crowd.
Credit to Kidlington that the final three attempts at goal all came from them, despite the fact that they were already well beaten. Abi Haynes, on as substitute, tried a long range volley that bounced in front of Hagger, causing the keeper to push the ball over with a little help from the woodwork. Beauchamp went close again, sending another effort narrowly wide and then, in the final minute, Liv Ward sent an absolute screamer whizzing inches over Hagger's bar from 30 yards out.
FT Penn & Tylers Green 7 Kidlington 1. A much better performance form Kidlington in the second half, but the damage had been done inside the opening half an hour or so. Penn's new look team certainly laid down a marker for their forthcoming season. On this showing, their pace and skill, especially on the wings, is going to cause a lot of problems for teams this season.
Next up for both teams is an opening league game next Saturday. Penn welcome local rivals Chesham United Development to French School Meadow whilst Kidlington host newcomers Finchampstead at Yarnton Road.
Penn's reward for their victory is an away tie at Oxford City on Sunday September 20th. See you there.
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