Arsenal Ladies v Gillingham LFC
Birmingham City LFC v Doncaster Rovers Belles
Notts County Ladies v Conventy City Ladies
Manchester City WFC v Reading FC Women
Portsmouth Ladies v Durham WFC
Sunderland Ladies v Liverpool Ladies
Cardiff City Ladies v Everton Ladies
Chelsea Ladies v Bristol Academy
Truth was I really didn't know whch tie to chose to go watch all of them were appealing each for their own different reasons. It's the Cup you can never predict what will happen on the day. Pick one though I had to do and bearing in mind I'm off to watch Oxford and London Bees take their bow in WSL 2 tomorrow I decided on a closer game and what looked to be a cracking encounter Birmingham City LFC v Doncaster Rovers Belles.
Having seen Doncaster Rovers Belles beat Aston Villa Ladies 2-0 in the 3rd round I knew momentum for a WSL 2 side coming into the new season with a good cup run would be a great advantage. Would be for the WSL 1 side their1st competitive game of the season. Of course not so in Birmingham City LFC's case having beaten Arsenal Ladies over two legs of their Champions League Quarter Final... so both teams were going into the game with confidence.
This to was Birmingham's 1st competitive match at their new home ground for the WSL campaign Solihull Moors FC. Not a bad journey from Norfolk the ground is unlike their old ground in Stratford much closer to the city. A nice ground in many ways similar to Stratford a stand behind one goal and run running along side the pitch it will create quite an atomosphere for the team and it's fans for sure. I was going to abstain from cheeseburgers for the coming season... but that lasted 6 minutes before I caved in a had one and again like Stratford.. Birmingham are already a front runner for my unofficial cheeseburger award.. I'm going to a lot of games this season so I might have to draft in some cheeseburger judges to help me out.
To the match action, the pitch looked in good nick considering it'd been played on the day before. The weather was fantastic for a football match bright and sunny, not too hot. It was Birmingham who got the match under way in their blue shirts with white trim, blue shorts and socks against Doncaster kitted out in their new away strip, red shirts and socks with black shorts. Meaghan Sargeant and Christina Torkilsen lined up in the Birmingham back line with Jess Carter and Aoife Mannion on the bench otherwise it was the same team that I'd seen play Arsenal at St Andrews.
Doncaster were lined up in a similar formation both team with a single striker with wide players in support. It was the home side that started the brighter looking to attack Doncasters fullbacks work the ball down the channels particulary Karen Carney on the right, she had an early cross that striker Kirsty Linnett just brushed with her head sending it wide of Nicola Hobbs goal.
Doncaster in comparison where looking to play their lone striker Jessica Sigsworth in through the middle their 1st chance coming as midfielder Millie Bright played her in she was in on goal into the box however Birmingham keeper Becky Spencer was out quickly to smother the ball at the attackers feet.
Kirsty Linnett was dropping deep to collect the ball then with nothing in front of her looked to run at the Doncaster defence, dinks in a shot towards the near post no power behind the shot Nicola Hobbs is quick to collect.
When the support did come from midfield it was in the form of midfielder Remi Allen (pictured below) obviously enjoying the new role she has in being able to bomb forwards. It was Kirsty Linnett this time down the right channel to the by line swings a cross in lifting it over the defence to find Remi Allen unmarked to bundle the ball into the net and make it 1-0 to the home side.
In the early stages of the game with Doncaster pinned back a little trying to defend they were leaving Allen unmarked free to influence play higher up the pitch as with the ball at her feet she looked to play in either Carney or Mellissa Lawley on the flanks. In comparison the one player who can really influence play for Doncaster Sue Smith was being marked very closely by left back Meaghan Sargeant, as the half progressed Smith would switch to the opposite flank.
Doncaster were getting some joy through the middle Millie Bright was battling very hard to win the ball her aim to get striker Sigsworth in on goal it just wouldn't come off. Smith to trying to play the ball into the striker this time Birmingham's Kerys Harrop holding Sigsworth off well to get the goal kick.
Birmingham had a shout for a penalty as 1st Jo Potter, then Remi Allen go down inside the box the referee waving their appeals away the ball has gone for a corner the resulting kick coming into the far post Harrop heads down into the ground bouncing up Hobbs parries it away, there is a scramble to clear the ball it breaks to Allen outside the box but her lob back in is collected by the Doncaster goalkeeper.
Birmingham right back Chelsea Weston is booked, a tug back the resulting free kick on the left sent over by Smith, before Doncaster have their best chance of the half Beth England on the left of the penalty box crosses a feirce ball in Becky Spencer diving can only parry it into the path of Millie Bright she shoots instinctively but somehow the Birmingham defenders running back to cover block the goal bound effort.
The late pressure is Birmingham's Carney running into the box almost finds a way through manages to smuggle the ball out to Melissa Lawley coming in from the left but the wide player can't get her shot away before Hobbs closes her down.
Half time Birmingham City LFC 1-0 Doncaster Rovers Belles
Birmingham had had the majority of the chances in the 1st half, but at 1-0 Doncaster were still very much in the tie, sure that is what their manager Gordon Staniforth would have told them at half time. They had sat back a little too deep allowed Birmingham's danger players too much time on the ball. It was a quiet opening as Doncaster kicked off the 2nd half. It was notable however that the visitors were doing their pressing higher up the pitch were for once pinning Birmingham back in their own half with out really creating anything.
It was Sue Smith and fellow wide player Naomi Chadwick that were looking to support striker Jessica Sigsworth as Millie Bright dropped deeper forcing Remi Allen back with her. For all the early pressure it was a break from midfield by Jo Potter that caused Doncaster a problem she was brought down looked like it was inside the box, must have been close as the referee gave a free kick practically on the white line. Potter drilled the resulting strike wide of goal.
Ashleigh Mills came on for Beth England in midfield. Tackles were flying in it was getting a bit heated in the midfield. For all Doncasters pressing they needed to create goal scoring opportunities to that end they brought on defender Victoria Williams for Naomi Chadwick and moved Leandra Little up front.
Seen the move before both whilst Leandra Little was playing for Lincoln and then when she was against them. Just 2 minutes later Doncaster equalised it was Jessica Sigsworth with a driving run down the right channel flashes the ball into the near post and there she is Little to put it into the back of the net and bring the tie level.
Doncaster had used their plan B and it worked for them. Birmingham were in need of a plan B now with Doncaster heads up it was all hands back to win the ball even striker Kirsty Linnett at times which left the home side with no outlet for anyone to spray the ball to. Breaks were limited and when they were the support was slow to arrive the home side were under pressure. It was midfielder Jade Moore that set off the relieve valve.
With a run bursting out of midfield towards goal on the right side of the box she was brought down by defender Victoria Williams. The Doncaster player was shown a yellow card and forced to leave the field as the referee had spotted an earring. Was off the pitch when the free kick was flung into the box headed down it was deflected of Kirsty Linnett to loop back up and over Nicola Hobbs into the net to restore the home sides lead 2-1 on the 88th minute.
2-1 soon became 3-1, no reflection on Doncasters efforts they had to get the ball forwards it was rolling out wide on the right for a corner Hobbs had to rush out and clear it forwards, the effort unfortunatley fell to the feet of Jo Potter 30 yards out quick thinking she took the shot Hobbs is running back but the curling effort is on target to seal the victory and ending 3-1 it is Birmingham who progress through to the quarter finals of the FA Cup.
In the other ties, Liverpool beat Sunderland 2-0. Arsenal over came a brave effort from Gillingham to seal a 2-0 victory. Portsmouth are the only non WSL team left after a late 2-1 win over Durham. Notts County secured a 2-1 win over Coventry. Manchester City beat Reading by the same scoreline as Cardiff were defeated 3-1 by Everton and in the only all WSL 1 tie it went to extra time Chelsea eventually overcoming Bristol 2-1.
No doubt the draw for the quarter finals of the FA Women's Cup will throw up 4 more intriguing ties.
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