The Adobe Women’s FA Cup is well underway and another weekend of breathless action has gone by in a heartbeat. The sides were fighting for a place in the fourth round where Barclays Women’s Championship sides like Birmingham City, Charlton and Sunderland are set to enter the draw so there was plenty on the line.
Here at The Halfway Line we have rounded up all the action and everything you need to know with round four just around the corner.
The Halfway Line tie of the round: Hashtag United 2-2 Ipswich Town AET (Ipswich win 1-4 on penalties)
All the talk going into this one surrounded former Ipswich Town forward Holly Turner who swapped Hashtag United last year for Portman Road but boomeranged back to the Tags this Summer. Her golden boot rival remains at Portman Road Sophie Peskett, the pair are best friends off the pitch but on Sunday rivalry had to take centre stage and the ever growing feeling was the game would unfold like a tale of two goal scorers.
While both these teams are in leagues at the same level but in different regions the fortunes of the partnered men’s team’s are so drastically different. Ipswich now in the Premier League while the Tags are in non-league. The social media inspired side were in the lead after only five minutes but were pegged back shortly after. It wasn’t until late in the second half that Hashtag found themselves ahead again and this time through Holly Turner, of course it was, sighed many an onlooking Ipswich fan no doubt. However with just seconds remaining the tie was level and wouldn’t you know it, played through on goal Sophie Peskett ensured she found the scoresheet, 2-2. Penalties.
Natalia Negri was the hero for Ipswich in the shootout, saving two penalties and sending the Tractor Girls through. Ipswich will face AFC Bournemouth in the next round as part of a double header with the men’s sides who just so happen to be facing each other in the Premier League on the same day.
West London winners: History for the Bees and comeback delight for the Cottagers
Brentford’s men’s side may be in the Premier League but their women’s side lie in the sixth tier of the footballing pyramid, so when they travelled to London Seaward they arrived at a side two divisions above them. But the Bees were able to manage the occasion. Nikki Woods’ stunning chipped goal was enough for Brenford to put themselves into the third round proper of the FA Cup for the very first time. Brentford’s reward for victory? A chance to welcome West London rivals Fulham to the G-Tech Stadium on December 8th in the third round of the FA Cup.
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Fulham, meanwhile, played out an epic tie at Motspur park on Sunday, 2-0 down with 39 minutes gone to Royston Town, Megalie Mendes pulled one back for the hosts on the stroke of half-time. Seemingly undeterred Royston restored their two goal cushion early in the second half, Laura Millls had her second of the day toe-poking the ball into the back of the net after a lovely through ball. Royston were 3-1 up.
However with 15 minutes to play Fulham were level with goals from two Ellas: Tagliavini and Newman with the latter’s being her first goal for the club making it 3-3. Dramatically with just two minutes left on the clock Fulham had the lead after a melee in the box the ball was tapped home by Ellie Olds and Fulham had punched their ticket for the third round.
Fulham have now won twelve on the bounce while despite this set-back this is just Royston’s second defeat of the season and they remain firmly in the promotion fight with plenty to play for until May as both sides seek promotion from English football’s fifth tier.
Abandonments and Postponements
Storm Bert did much to put a dampener on this weekends action with postponements a feature of the day. QPR’s tie with Saltdean United was abandoned with the side from the lower tier leading Rangers in the 63rd minute. However Saltdean noted the dugout as a safety issue due to adverse weather conditions. Stevenage’s game against Luton Town was postponed.
Certainly the sides from the North section of the draw were hit harder by the weather with Hull City’s tie with Middlesbrough and Burnley’s tie with Bradford as well as Itchington Town’s match against Nottingham Forest, FC St Helens’ match against Cheadle Town Stingers and Stoke City’s game against Loughborough Lightning were all postponed.
Special mention goes to Shrewsbury Town who after Shawbury pitch was deemed unplayable due to the weather switched the venue to ensure the match went ahead.
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Massive disparity
The FA Cup is famed for being the wild west of tournaments, where anyone can play anyone and while we love it for that, it is the same reason it can come with its fair share of crushing defeats with this round being no different. West Bromwich Albion put six past Worcester City with Rhianne Oakley nabbing three on the day. Bristol Rovers, AFC Bournemouth and Manchurian Unity were all 4-0 victors. Rugby Borough put in a stunning display to beat Peterborough United 7-1, Yasmin Mosby led the charge with a hat trick while Jess Camwell’s rocket from a tight angle was the pick of the bunch.
South Shields welcomed Liverpool Feds for a second round tie at Mariners Park and were level at the break, but by the end of the next 45 they had conceded 11, yes eleven. Katie Anderson netted a second half hat-trick in 11, yes eleven second half minutes.
The Halfway Line player of the round: Eva Stanley (Shrewsbury Town)
Just 16 years old, Stanley scored a vital brace against Sheffield FC in Shrewsbury’s 3-3 draw on Sunday as the Shrews were penalty shootout winners on the night. Georgia Carr cooly slotted home the vital spot kick to secure a place in the next round and ensure the celebrations began prior to her birthday the following day. Shrewsbury were rewarded with a third round tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers who swept aside Sporting Khalsa 8-1.
Special mentions must go to Bristol Rovers’ Meg Jarvis who nabbed all four of Bristol Rovers goals against Marine Academy Plymouth and Cori Williams Mills of Gwalia United, who completed a her hat-trick with a spectacular strike from outside the box before hitting the robot celebration. For Gwalia, Michele Kang’s London City Lionesses await in the fourth round.
Photo Credit: James Baylis @snapperjames
Rest of the round up
Exeter City took home the Devonshire derby day bragging rights from Home Park putting Plymouth Argyle to the sword in a 5-1 victory. Huddersfield Town rallied after an early scare thanks to a late double from Charlotte Stuart and sent Accrington Stanley out of the competition. Welsh representation in the next round is confirmed with Gwalia United and Cardiff City running out 4-0 winners.
Paris Sercombe was the hero for Oxford United as her late penalty save denied Watford a late equaliser. While Norwich City progressed with a 1-0 win over Leafed Athletic, London Bees also saw off a stern challenge from Chatham Town with a 3-2 win.
Chester-El-Street Town knocked out Durham Cesura on penalties. While Lewes beat AFC Sudbury 3-0 to set up a tie against Championship side Charlton Athletic meaning a swift reunion for Sophie Whitehouse with her former team-mates after her Summer transfer. Finally Aylesford were knocked out on penalties by Worthing, while Moneyfields fell to Cheltenham Town.
Kidderminster Harries and Stourbridge face each other on Wednesday night with the winner rewarded with a home tie against Blackburn Rovers.
The Third Round Draw
North
Chester-le-Street v Stoke City or Loughborough Lightning
Kidderminster Harriers or Stourbridge v Blackburn Rovers
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town
Liverpool Feds v Sheffield United
Newcastle United v Hull City or Middlesbrough
West Bromwich Albion v FC St Helens or Cheadle Town Stingers
Birmingham City v Durham Women
Sunderland v Huddersfield Town
Rugby Borough v Mancunian Unity
Long Itchington or Nottingham Forest v Burnley or Bradford City
South
Portsmouth v Stevenage or Luton Town
Ipswich Town v AFC Bournemouth
London City Lionesses v Gwalia United
Brentford v Fulham
Oxford United v Bristol Rovers
Charlton Athletic v Lewes
Southampton FC Women v Bristol City
Cheltenham Town v Norwich City
Exeter City v Worthing
London Bees v Queens Park Rangers or Saltdean United
Ties to be played on the weekend of 6th, 7th & 8th December 2024.