Ishbel Zuurmond scored a spectacular equaliser in the 98th minute to earn Exeter City Women a point on the road, as they twice came from behind to draw 4-4 with Cheltenham Town. The Grecians trailed 3-0 inside the opening 30 minutes, but responded with three goals in six minutes before half-time. Cheltenham went ahead again midway through the second half, but Zuurmond’s late rocket from 30 yards flew into the top corner to secure a share of the spoils.
Abbie Britton made one change to her starting lineup from the side that beat Lewes 3-1 two weeks ago, with Beth McGowan coming into central midfield. Darcey Maxted stayed on the bench after strong showings in the WNL Cup, while Ffion Llewellyn returned to face her former club.
Cheltenham started with the initiative, pressing City and forcing several risky moments. Erin Foley had to be quick to clear a back pass, while Fearne Slocombe made a perfectly timed last-ditch tackle to deny a striker a shooting chance. The pressure told when a corner was cleared but returned into the box, and Emily Owen headed in unmarked at the back post to make it 1-0.
City almost responded immediately when a deflected Slocombe shot fell to Zuurmond, but her angled drive from inside the six-yard box was pushed out for a corner. After Foley kept out a low curling free-kick, Cheltenham doubled their lead in the 23rd minute. Leo Joyce found space on the edge of the box and picked out the top corner of Exeter’s net.
The Grecians continued to create chances, with the goalkeeper denying both Sara and Zuurmond, but Joyce made it 3-0 just before the half-hour mark, latching onto a long ball and slotting across goal.
Britton made an early double change in the 30th minute, bringing on Giota Papaiouannou and Nia Lewis. Papaiouannou almost scored immediately from Lewis’s free-kick, but the keeper smothered the ball.
City kept pushing and were rewarded with a frantic five-minute spell at the end of the first half. Tia Asker raced down the left and cut the ball back for Charlotte Whitmore, who curled a shot into the far corner. Zuurmond then cut in from the left and looped an effort into the top corner to make it 3-2. Before half-time, Zuurmond played the ball inside to Ellie Sara, who slammed it into the roof of the net from close range to level the game.
After a 15-minute breather that many in Kayte Lane were thankful for, City began the second half as they had ended the first, attacking the Robins’ goal. Zuurmond beat two defenders but shot wide, then glided past three in midfield but couldn’t find space. Nia Lewis had a shot from distance that flew just over. Whitmore twice found joy down the wings but couldn’t convert. Papaiouannou and Amber Pollock both had efforts, one narrowly off target and one saved.
Cheltenham retook the lead in the 68th minute when a long clearance was not dealt with by the City backline. Joyce latched onto it, cut in from the left, and poked the ball past Foley to complete her hat-trick.
From then on, the hosts sat back and invited pressure. Llewellyn, back in her former home, had two chances from a wide free-kick after Pollock was fouled, but both were blocked by brave defenders.
City kept pressing, and in the eighth minute of added time the ball found its way to Zuurmond 30 yards from goal. She sent a rocket into the top corner to ensure Exeter returned to Devon with a point.
Exeter City Women Earn Dramatic 4-4 Draw at Cheltenham