The Clapton CFC Women’s First Team agonisingly lost to an injury time penalty after a fiercely contested clash with ambitious Camden Town.
Despite the seemingly endless rain, the Old Spotted Dog Ground pitch held firm with postponement never a threat.
After a frenetic start, the first goal came on just seven minutes, but sadly it was the visitors who scored it. A ball over the top released their striker, who slotted it into the corner beyond the reach of CCFC keeper Ella Bowles.
Just two minutes later, however, Clapton were level. Captain Emily Link, drifting into space on the right edge of the box, lifted a high, looping effort toward goal. Was it a cross or a shot? Either way it sailed just under the bar and above the keeper’s leap.
Camden looked the more likely to get their noses ahead again before half-time, but Bowles made some key saves. Clapton meanwhile were mainly relying on Bradding-Butler’s pace on the counter and set-piece deliveries from Marta Boiro and Egle Trezzi.
On 59 minutes, Camden went close again as they rattled the bar while at the other end Bradding-Butler flashed a cross wide and Maria Mendonca shot over. There were some great individual bits of skill from Li Steiner and Mendonca too.
As the second half wore on, it seemed like Clapton were taking charge of the game, with the introduction of subs Marta Casanovas and Aimee Shaw injecting some more pace up front.
In the 79th minute, CCFC were inches away from taking the lead. Casanovas beat her defender to the byline and pulled it back for Mendonca, whose improvised flick bounced off the post and seemingly in. As Clapton players and fans celebrated, however, the referee waved play on. The right call, as it later turned out, as the video shows the ball trickled along the goal line but never over it.
As the clock ticked down, it felt someone would win it, and Camden were denied when late sub Lenny Holmes swatted the ball off the line.
In the 92nd minute, home heartbreak as Camden were awarded a penalty for a challenge in the area. Bowles was agonisingly close to saving the spot-kick but the ball was well placed and it nestled in the corner.
Adding to the disappointment of the late defeat, the CCFC players felt the Camden celebrations left a sour taste too, when the penalty scorer ran to our teenage goalkeeper and celebrated in her face.
The result leaves CCFC still in third place at the halfway mark though Camden are likely to leapfrog us given their games in hand.
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