AFC Fylde Women made a successful start to this season’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup with a 7-1 victory over Darlington Women in the Third Round Qualifying.
As a fourth-tier club, AFC Fylde Women entered the competition at the final qualifying stage as they welcomed seventh-tier Darlington Women to Kellamergh Park.
Shaun Mackenzie’s Darlington side, who compete in the Durham County Women’s League, looked to cause an upset when they travelled to the Fylde coast on Sunday afternoon. However, the Coasters put paid to that ambition by racing into a commanding first-half lead before adding another goal just after the interval.
Much to their credit, the Quaker Women never gave up and defended resolutely in the second half to prevent any further goals. Overall, the higher-ranked Coasters turned in a professional performance to seal the win and book their place in the First Round Proper.
While AFC Fylde Women continue their search for a new head coach, goalkeeper coach Justin Mcleod remained in temporary charge for this important cup tie.
Mcleod made several changes to the starting eleven, which included a first start for Grace Osvath. Minnie Rogers captained the team as Holly Kelsh-Ridge dropped to the bench.
The Quaker Women’s early resistance was broken in the ninth minute when Fylde took the lead directly from a corner kick. Millie Tindall’s pinpoint cross picked out Mia Hyland, who headed home to make it 1-0.
It only took the visitors a couple of minutes to draw level when they also scored directly from a corner kick. A dangerous delivery into the box was inadvertently turned into the back of the net by a Fylde defender to make it 1-1 in the 11th minute.
The frenetic start continued as the Coasters restored their lead two minutes later. Karri Chan raced clear and found herself one-on-one with Darlington goalkeeper Evie Whitaker. Despite calls for offside from the visiting bench, Chan appeared to have timed her run perfectly as she coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Fylde ramped up the pressure with a series of corner kicks. As the Darlington defence struggled to clear the ball to safety, Ylenia Carabott picked up the loose ball and fired into the bottom corner in the 18th minute.
The Coasters pressed home their advantage several minutes later when Osvath bagged her first goal for the club. After a free-kick attempt was blocked, Osvath retrieved the loose ball, dribbled forward, and unleashed a crisp strike past Whitaker to make it 4-1.
With the tie approaching the half-hour mark, Katie Bowers Folan added her name to the scoresheet after she regained possession high up the pitch before finding the far corner with a sublime finish.
The hosts did not let up as Imogen Borrowdale flashed a shot narrowly wide of the post, before Ella Holt advanced from deep and saw her effort rattle the crossbar.
To cap a dominant first-half display, there was still time for Fylde to score a sixth from another well-worked corner in the 43rd minute. Tindall’s cross picked out Hyland, who steered her header into the back of the net.
Half-Time: AFC Fylde Women 6-1 Darlington Women
The Coasters raced out of the blocks as Chan scored straight from the restart with a confident finish past Whitaker to register her second goal of the game.
With Fylde’s first change of the afternoon, Alexandra Sanchez replaced Hyland in the midfield. Shortly after, Chan also made way for Abi Duffell, who was quickly involved in the action when she found the back of the net from close range, but her strike was disallowed for offside.
The Quaker Women worked hard to restrict their hosts to limited opportunities. Tindall tried her luck from range, but Whitaker was equal to it. Teal Dunion carved out the next chance a few minutes later, but her attempt was safely gathered by Whitaker.
Tamara Hamer was introduced into the action in place of Bowers Folan as the game entered the final quarter of an hour.
In the dying embers of the contest, Duffell almost netted an eighth goal when she fired towards the roof of the net, only to see Whitaker make a superb fingertip save to push the shot over the crossbar.
Full-Time: AFC Fylde Women 7-1 Darlington Women
The Coasters return to league action at the end of October when Doncaster Rovers Belles are the visitors to Kellamergh Park. Meanwhile, the Coasters have been drawn away to Cheadle Town Stingers in the First Round Proper of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, which is scheduled for Sunday 3rd November. Further details will be announced in due course.
AFC Fylde Women: Kirkham, Dunion, Holt, Rogers, Tindall, Hyland (53’ Sanchez), Osvath, Borrowdale, Chan (61’ Duffell), Carabott, Bowers Folan (75’ Hamer)
Unused substitutes: Binks, Kelsh-Ridge
Darlington Women: Whitaker, Bright, Brown, Soderman, Garnett, Carter, Graham, Williams, Ryan, Raine, Wilkinson
Substitutes: Pearson, Scott, E. Taylor, G. Taylor, Bragg
Report by Scott Jones
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