WOMEN'S TEAM | Kit Graham hat-trick seals emphatic Valley victory for Addicks

David Brenchley reports from The Valley

The Charlton women’s team set up an SSE Women’s FA Cup third-round clash with Super League 2 side Sheffield Ladies after recording a commanding 5-0 victory over Portsmouth Ladies at The Valley on Sunday.

A hat-trick from Kit Graham and headers from Kim Dixson and Katie Bottom, the latter scoring her first goal for the club since signing from West Ham last month, won the day and sent the bumper crowd home happy.

The third-round match is due to be played at Sporting Club Thamesmead on Sunday, February 5th.

Manager Riteesh Mishra chose to make no changes to the starting XI from his side’s disappointing end to 2016, a 4-1 home loss to Cardiff City, but brought youngsters Giorgia Dunne and Ellie Jeffkins into the squad.

It was the hosts who started brightest. Charlotte Lee volleyed straight into keeper Courtney Trodd’s arms before Lee then laid back to tee up Dixson to fire an effort narrowly over from 20 yards out.

Graham was unlucky not to make it onto the scoresheet earlier than she did, lofting a shot towards the top corner that Trodd make an excellent flying stop from to deny her.

Charlton broke the deadlock on 36 minutes, and it was skipper and lifelong supporter Dixson who got it, glancing a header past Trodd from a whipped Lee cross from the right wing.

They doubled their advantage moments before the interval. Avilla Bergin’s corner found its way to Graham, who powered a header in at the near post.

And the home side made the perfect start to the second half when another Bergin flag-kick was aimed at the near post that Bottom nodded home.

Just before the hour mark, Bergin’s corner caused havoc in the Pompey penalty area, with the ball falling, after a few rebounds, to Graham to lift over Trodd to make it 4-0.

Graham completed the scoring and her hat-trick on 65 minutes, once again heading a Bergin corner home.

Pompey had a few moments late on and Alex Baker had to be alert to beat away a long-range Hillier effort. She also made a stunning stop to deny the south-coast side in the fifth minute of added-on time, clawing a curler around the post when she looked beaten.

Charlton: Baker, Flack, Dixson, Sullivan, Coombs, Clifford (Monaghan 75), Bergin, Lee (Okeowo 68), Graham (Nash 81), Bottom, Southgate.

Subs (not used): Dunne, Jeffkins.