Loughborough Foxes crash out of the FA Cup
SSE WOMEN’S FA CUP 4TH ROUND LOUGHBOROUGH FOXES WOMEN 0 SHEFFIELD UNITED WOMEN 2
SHEFFIELD United Women progress to the 5th round of the SSE Women’s FA Cup following a 2-0 victory over Loughborough Foxes Women.
The match started at a high intensity and Foxes could have opened the deadlock as Charlotte Cooper raced through but Nikki Davis stood firm to prevent the hosts from opening the scoring.
Alethea Paul had her sights set on a goal with two efforts from range narrowly missing the target before breaking the deadlock with a curling effort from 25 yards.
The visitors could have been two up minutes later but struck the crossbar during a medley in the penalty area and Amy Burle gathered the ball on the goal line.
Foxes were pegged back in the first half and struggled to get out of their own half. This led to a plethora of chances for Sheffield, which kept Foxes’ number one busy between the sticks.
Ebony Salmon, on loan from Manchester United, was busy all afternoon but was denied on three separate occasions by a determined Burle in the first half, with two last ditch saves and another superb out stretched arm.
Foxes came out of the blocks better in the second half and should have equalised through Eva Rogers. Rogers ghosted past the full back but her effort clipped the top of the bar.
Bartle then met a Steele corner but it was comfortable enough for Davis to hold.
Sheffield then added a second 10 minutes after the restart. The ball found its way across the box to Veatriki Sarri who doubled Sheffield’s advantage.
Foxes pushed for a goal back straight away but Rebecca Knight was unable to keep her header down.
Rogers latched onto an exquisite through pass from Skipper Chambers but Davis stood firm to deny Rogers from halving the deficit.
Salmon should have put the tie to bed with 10 minutes to go as she rounded Burle, but the angle was tight and she struck the ball into the side netting.
Sheffield were fairly comfortable in the end and progress into the 5th round of the FA Cup where they face Aston Villa Ladies.
Foxes are back in action Thursday evening as they take on Coventry United Ladies under the lights at the Loughborough University Stadium. Foxes will be looking to put a dent in Coventry’s title challenge and seek revenge on their last midweek outing at Coventry.