Off the back of a thumping 4-0 win at home to Sherborne the week before, Portishead Ladies headed up to Gloucester for the first round of their League Cup campaign.

Sitting at the top of the table with no games drawn or lost, the Posset girls were on a much better run of form than their hosts.

Gloucester have been struggling to get the results they were likely expecting at the start of the season, at which point they were even touted as favourites by last year's champions Torquay on the League’s Instagram account.

Their previous match against Royal Wootton Bassett saw the Tigresses lose 5-1, with their only goal being scored by a Bassett defender to boot.

Despite the differences in how each side had been performing going into the match on Sunday, November 8, it would actually be quite a cagey affair.

Portishead looked the most likely to score in the opening minutes, with debutant Cerys Jones coming close against her old side from close range.

Gloucester held on, however, recovering possession fairly consistently and causing enough problems to keep the game level.

Their efforts wouldn't be rewarded, though, as about 20 minutes in their captain went down injured and ultimately had to be substituted off.

While Portishead still looked the most likely to find an opener, the game remained goalless at half-time.

Coming out for the next 45, Portishead were grateful to now have the lowering sun behind them, particularly given the cold haze creating glare for anyone looking in its direction.

The improved visibility made little difference to the game itself, though, as it would continue to be a frustrating back-and-forth of attempts from both teams.

Portishead were able to attack Gloucester’s penalty box quite consistently, but even though they’d managed to score 11 goals in their past three games alone, it was finishing that remained the problem.

In the dying minutes of the game, Gloucester put the pressure on with set pieces.

While their free kick attempt from the side of the box was swiftly dealt with, a corner kick sent both sides into a frenzy as neither team could get control of the ball.

An initial great parry from debutant goalkeeper Barbara Domsa had cleared the cross away, but a scramble between attackers and defenders brought the ball closer and closer to the goal.

Somewhere amidst the chaos, a Portishead defender got the opportunity to boot the ball away, and the visitors let out a sigh of relief.

Penalties almost seemed a certainty by this point, but on a counterattack in the 92nd minute, Portishead substitute Chloe Harris would catch the Gloucester keeper off her line, lobbing her and putting the ball in at the far post to win it.

The away bench erupted while white shirts engulfed Harris, who herself looked in disbelief after scoring her first ever goal both for the club and at senior level.

Between the late heroics at one end and the clean sheet at the other, it would be the youngsters of the team who stepped up when needed for Portishead Town, and as a result they had booked their place in a cup semi-final.

Next up for Portishead is a big trip to London, where they will be facing Dulwich Hamlet in the second round proper of the women's FA Cup.

Already a big game for the Posset, the match has also been selected for TV coverage by TNT Sports, so it will be shown live on Saturday, November 14, from 3pm.