Georgia Vaccaro’s late goal condemned Gwalia United to defeat on the final day of the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division season, as Exeter City claimed a win 2-1 at a sun-drenched St James’s Park.
Tia Asker had pulled Gwalia level with a superb lob midway through the first half, cancelling out Sarah Stacey’s early opener, and the visitors side grew in confidence as the second half wore on. But Vaccaro, introduced as a substitute, broke Gwalia hearts with just two minutes remaining, lifting the ball coolly past goalkeeper Benedicte Haaland to seal the points for the hosts.
Stacey puts Exeter ahead
Exeter made their intentions clear from the opening whistle, going close through Leah Burridge and Ishbel Zuurmond before Stacey broke the deadlock on nine minutes. The striker tapped home from close range to give the Exeter fans exactly the start they had craved and put the Grecians firmly in the driving seat.
Gwalia threatened briefly through a corner routine, with Shurima Vine finding Daisy Ackerman, but the chance came to nothing as Abbi Bond gathered comfortably in the Exeter goal.
Asker stuns the hosts
It was Gwalia’s turn to celebrate on 34 minutes when Tia Asker produced a moment of genuine quality. Georgia Walters threaded a superb ball into the channel, and Asker – quick as a flash – looped a delicate lob over Bond to level the scores. The visitors had found their footing.
Gwalia’s goalkeeper Haaland was called upon to make an excellent close-range shoulder save before half-time to keep the scores level, and the sides went in all square at the break, with the visitors growing in intensity as the whistle blew.
Second half battle
Both managers made a flurry of changes after the interval. Exeter introduced Liv Giles in goal for Bond alongside Jess Sandland and Bow Jackson, while Gwalia brought on Imi Scourfield for Cerys Jones.
The visitors had the better of the chances. Walters was through one-on-one and attempted an audacious lob that cleared the bar, while Molly Kehoe peeled away from her marker to send a low shot goalwards, only for Giles to save. Kehoe was later replaced by Beth McGowan with 11 minutes to go.
Exeter also pressed for a winner, with Zuurmond forcing a save and the hosts winning a free-kick just outside the box, though they were unable to convert their opportunities.
Vaccaro breaks Gwalia hearts
With the clock ticking down and a draw looking increasingly likely, substitute Vaccaro produced the decisive moment. Sent through on goal in the 88th minute, she kept her composure to lift the ball past Haaland and hand Exeter the lead for the second time.
Gwalia pushed desperately for an equaliser in the closing moments. Haaland launched a free-kick deep into Exeter territory in the final minutes, but the ball fell to Giles. A Exeter effort was disallowed for offside in stoppage time, and Haaland herself was shown a yellow card in the frantic finale before the referee blew for full-time.
The result proved to be devastating in the cruellest of fashions. Gwalia finish the season level on points and goal difference with Wimbledon, but drop out of the Southern Premier Division – due to having scored just two goals less than the Dons over the entire 20-game campaign. For a club that had fought so hard throughout the season, it was a heartbreaking way to see it end.
