Match report: Arsenal Women 5 Tottenham Hotspur Women 1

Tottenham Hotspur Women were thrashed by Arsenal Women in their Women’s FA Cup tie at Borehamwood.

Meadow Park (credit Kieran Clarke/Wikimedia Commons)

Tottenham Hotspur Women were dumped out of the Women’s FA Cup by local rivals Arsenal Women. Spurs took an early lead but were ultimately outclassed by the home side.

Tottenham took a shock lead just three minutes into the game. The ball fell to Rachel Williams just outside the area and she curled a superb strike into the far corner.

Nikita Parris was sent through on goal but delayed her shot and had the effort blocked.

In the 10th minute Tobin Heath went on an excellent run on the left flank before going over in the box. Heath got back up and chipped a ball to the far post which Parris inexplicably side-footed wide from a few yards out.

The home side responded well to going behind. An Arsenal cross hit Josie Green and almost went in for an own goal.

Arsenal equalised with 15 minutes on the clock. Heath received a long ball and cut it back to Mana Iwabuchi on the edge of the box who nutmegged Green before taking a touch and firing into the top corner.

Spurs dropped very deep and struggled to get out of their own half. This strategy caused them to invite pressure and meant that they didn’t have an out ball.

The home side’s dominance paid off and they took the lead in the 32nd minute. Heath sent a free-kick into the box which Lotte Wubben-Moy collected and hit a shot that Asmita Ale inadvertently chested into her own net.

Minutes later Arsenal scored their third. Parris played a one-two with Iwabuchi and beat Ashleigh Neville with ease before she fired a cross into the box that was finished from close range by Caitlin Foord.

In Tottenham’s first meaningful attack since their goal, Maeva Clemaron lashed over.

Arsenal were pulling Tottenham apart and added their fourth on the stroke of half-time. A corner was headed towards goal by Anna Patten to Parris, who beat Spurs goalkeeper Becky Spencer to head into the net.

Spurs had completely collapsed and should have conceded a fifth when Jordan Nobbs floated a pass across the area and found Parris in an ocean of space but she could only slice her shot wide.

With 56 minutes gone Williams delivered a cross in the box and Patten failed to clear, allowing Chioma Ubogagu to hit an effort that was saved.

Frida Maanum sent an effort narrowly wide at the far post.

With the game all but won after the first 45 minutes, Arsenal dropped the tempo of their play in the second half.

In the 72nd minute Shelina Zadorsky played a line-breaking pass into Kit Graham who released a shot that flew just wide.

Arsenal went up the other end and scored their fifth goal. Beth Mead ran at Ale and picked out Foord who poked the ball into the net on the stretch.

Arsenal are an outstanding side and have far more top-flight experience than Spurs but Rehanne Skinner will still be bitterly disappointed with the way her side collapsed after scoring so early.

Tottenham now turn their attention back to the Women’s Super League as they visit Leicester City Women on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur Women manager Rehanne Skinner speaking post-match to BBC Sport: “We worked as hard as we could in the first half. It was challenging once Arsenal got a foothold in the game.”

“We allowed them onto us a little bit much and didn’t get pressure on the ball well enough. I was disappointed with the first couple of goals to be honest because it was just a case of getting a bit of pressure on the ball.”