Sunderland Ladies came out well on top in this FA cup 3rd round tie at Leeds City Vixens. The home side’s physical approach
to the game was more than matched by the Wearsiders incisive attacking play as they ran out 6-1 winners.
The first real chance fell to Sunderland after just 4 mins when Gemma Wilson broke up a home attack and released Sophie Williams to go clear and drive just over the bar. Moments later Vicky Greenwell fed Williams who crossed for Lucy Staniforth to head narrowly over. As the visitors pressed forward they were awarded a penalty in the 13th min when Robinson appeared to handle in the area. Kelly McDougall calmly stepped up to slot home and give Sunderland a deserved lead. In the 17th min Leeds were awarded a penalty following a challenge by keeper Helen Alderson. The kick was firmly struck and Alderson saved well but to her astonishment the kick was ordered to be re-taken. Again Alderson saved well getting across smartly to block before Steph Bannon completed the clearance.
Further efforts from Wiliams and Natalie Gutteridge were scrambled away before Sunderland increased their lead on 28 mins. Abby Holmes played the ball through for Williams to chase and she cleverly lobbed the advancing Mallison. Staniforth saw her header go wide and a Nicola Devine effort was charged down. The visitors were awarded a second penalty when Williams, whose pace was causing all sorts of problems, was brought down in the box. Again McDougall calmly slotted home to leave Sunderland in complete control. The fourth goal arrived after 42 mins when Wilson brought the ball out of defence and hit a long ball forward. The bounce deceived keeper Mallison and struck the post and Williams followed in to guide the ball home. In stoppage time the Wearsiders killed the game with a fifth goal. As Leeds stopped, hoping for a free kick, the ball broke to Staniforth who curled the ball into the net from the edge of the box.
HT...Leeds City Vixens 0 vs 5 Sunderland Ladies
The Vixens began the second half strongly but it was the visitors who continued to threaten in front of goal. Good work by Jordan Nobbs and Staniforth led to Sarah Danby shooting narrowly wide. Leeds scored out of the blue in the 56th min when Ruth Cockerill unleashed a wonder strike from 25 yards which went in off the underside of the bar. Four mins later Williams completed her hat trick when she chased a through ball from Holmes to slide the ball past Mallison. A Wilson header from a corner went just wide before Danby and McDougall went close. The home side were very physical but they could not out muscle a well organised Sunderland defence who skilfully moved the ball around and linked well with the midfield. McDougall, Williams, Holmes and Danby all had efforts beaten away as the Wearsiders finished the game comfortably and now face Cardiff City Ladies at home in the next round in January.
FT...Leeds City Vixens 1
vs 6 Sunderland Ladies
Sunderland... Alderson, Holmes, Bannon, Wilson(Clark), Greenwell, Staniforth,
Nobbs, McDougall, Devine(Halliday), Gutteridge(Danby), Williams. Subs not used...Laws, O’Brien.
Manager Mick Mulhern
said after the game... “It would be nice to have a cup run and this is an ideal start. Credit must go to our players who were
subjected to some strong physical treatment and they got the job done. Perhaps it wasn’t our best footballing display, but you can’t
argue with six goals away from home.”
