COVENTRY United Ladies were edged out 3-2 by Women’s Super League side Tottenham Hotspur to exit the Continental League Cup.
The Red and Greens produced a memorable fightback in the second half thanks to goals from Destiney Toussaint and Rio Hardy only for Rachel Williams to score an 88th minute winner for Spurs.
Goals from Esther Morgan and Angela Addison put the WSL side two-nil up at half-time before Jay Bradford’s side mounted a comeback at Butts Park Arena.
The result means Coventry finish the group in third place behind both Spurs and Charlton Athletic having won one of their three matches.
And Tottenham started well when Isabella Lane picked out Morgan whose first-time effort flew past Olivia Clarke to give Spurs the lead after 10 minutes.
The WSL side wasted a host of chances before Addison doubled the visitors lead on 30 minutes when she headed down and past Clarke from 10-yards out from Morgan’s pinpoint cross.
Tottenham came close to a third when Jiali Tang’s cross came back off the crossbar before Hardy tested Rebecca Spencer in the Spurs goal with a curling effort.
Bradford’s side responded after the break when Toussaint robbed Spencer of possession before finishing into an empty net from 25-yards out on 49 minutes.
Olivia Fergusson then tested the Spurs keeper with an effort from 25-yards out before Josie Green rattled the bar at the other end and Clarke made a superb save to keep out Rosella Ayane when one-on-one.
However, the Red and Greens drew level on 77 minutes when Hardy smashed a stunning effort into the top corner from 25-yards out after some excellent pressing from Toussaint.
Despite pressing for a late winner it was Tottenham who snatched the points and coveted quarter-finals spot.
After Maéva Clemaron’s effort beat Clarke and rebounded off the underside of the bar Williams headed home with just two minutes left to play from Green’s cross to knock Coventry out of the competition.
The Red and Greens return to Women’s Championship action at home to Watford on Saturday, December 18 with kick-off at 2pm at Butts Park Arena.
