Match Report: Dunstable Town Women 5-0 St Margaretsbury

Photo: Bailey Plumbridge in action.

Written by James Smith

Photos by James Smith

Dunstable Town Women cruised into the next round of the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday with a convincing win over St Margaretsbury at Creasey Park.

Town dominated from start to finish but credit must go to the visitors who never gave up and almost scored a spectacular goal near the end of the tie.

The Blues created 22 shots on goal in all but only had a 1-0 lead at half time thanks to a goal from Cerys Rees.

Photo: Cerys Rees celebrates her first goal.

In the opening minutes Rees went through on goal but her shot was saved then Sanam Shahid’s follow up was cleared off the line.

Town opened the scoring in the 8th minute after latching on to a through ball and won a 50/50 tackle in the box before shooting home low at the near post.

Hayley Smith shot wide on 16 minutes before Ella Rothwell fired over a great opportunity after being set up by Shahid on the half hour mark.

Soon after Rees’ shot was saved with Shahid putting the follow up over the bar.

Shahid then hit another two efforts over the woodwork and was unlucky not to connect with cross from Rees in the 44th minute.

More strikes reigned in before half time as Rothwell was unlucky to miss the target by a foot with a great shot then Ruby Powell hit a fine shot just wide.

Four minutes after the break Powell shot wide before the visitors’ keeper did well to save from Dionne Manning then Lola Cook headed over from the resulting corner.

Shahid shot over again before her luck finally turned when she fired home on 62 minutes to double the lead.

Photo: Sanam Shahid shoots home.

A minute later Kirsty Walker had a shot well saved before Monet Grace-Wille capitalised on a mistake to make it 3-0.

In the 69th minute AJ Hebborn had to be alert to save an effort from St Margaretsbury.

Town increased their lead further with a superb goal from Bailey Plumbridge who hit a great strike into the opposite top corner of the net on 77 minutes.

Photo: Bailey Plumbridge scores.

Four minutes later Rees added her second of the game with a finish into the bottom corner before two under 18 players made their senior debuts when Liz Champ and Adriana Tobares came off the bench.

Also in the squad was another under 18 player Keris Monger but due to substitution rules in the FA Cup she was unable to make her debut.

Photo: Rees fires home her second goal.

With five minutes left the visitors were unlucky not to score when a swirling long range effort came back off the post.

It was a comfortable win in the end for Dunstable who will now play Watford Ladies away in next round.

Team: Hebborn; Larch; Cook; Darvill; Smith; Rothwell; Foster; Rees; Shahid; Manning.

Subs: Plumbridge; Grace-Wille; Walker; Champ; Tobares and Monger (not used).

Dunstable Man of the Match: Cerys Reee.

Attendance: 101

Photo: Shahid celebrates with her team mates.