How they got there: Magpies overcame tough looking hurdles to reach cup final

Maidenhead United's Women celebrated lifting the Combined Counties League Cup trophy on Wednesday evening after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Fulham's Women.

However, they overcame some serious sides and negotiated some tough looking hurdles to book their place alongside Fulham at the 1878 Stadium.

They opened their cup campaign at Penn & Tylers Green fielding a side which was a mixture of Development players and First Team experience. They had the sinking feeling of going a goal behind to the Tier 6 Southern Regional Women’s Football League Division 1 North outfit but eventually won through comfortably by seven goals to three, Macey-Nikiah Walters scoring a double, with Sarah Thompson, Emily Norfolk, Gemma Luke, Aleasha Lunn and debutant Charlie Potter scoring the goals.

The last16 tie provided an opportunity for revenge against an Abbey Rangers side from Tier 6 who had ended United’s progress last season. A last gasp goal gave Abbey the win that time but there was no messing around on this occasion, Maidenhead strolling to what is thought to be a club-record 16-0 victory, with four goals on debut for Development player Molly McKeever. Nat Cowell also hit four, there was a debut brace for RJ Jauad-Taborda and goals for Anne-Marie Pejcic, Vicky Carvill, Luke, Thompson, Potter and an own goal.

The Combined Counties League Cup is open for entry to sides playing outside the top two tiers of women’s football and the quarter-final draw gave United a tough looking test against a QPR side who – like the Magpies – ply their trade in Tier 4.

They swiftly cancelled out Natasha Rasmussen’s early opener in a much-delayed tie played at Arbour Park, Slough at the start of May.

United however went into the break with a buffer of a 3-1 lead thanks to a Simone O’Brien brace and a wonderful team performance was consolidated by second half goals from Walters, Rasmussen and Jauad-Taborda.

The semi-final played last week sent Maidenhead to the Watford FC Training Ground to face the hugely talented youngsters of the Development team of a Watford side who have played at Championship level this season. Maidenhead were behind at the break but fought back to win with a coolly taken penalty from O'Brien before Freya Meadows-Tuson scored with a skillful looping header to win the game.

It was therefore apt that on the night of the final, United came from behind in the competition for the third time to clinch ultimate glory and secure a first trophy for the team since the 2016 North Hampshire FA Cup final.