Albion Women secured their passage into the last-16 of the FAWNL Cup with a 2-0 win over Stoke City on Sunday.
The Baggies set off quickly in the tie and scored twice inside the opening 20 minutes. Phoebe Warner continued her fine run of form with another goal, before Monique Robinson notched her first for the club to complete a sixth victory in-a-row.
Manager Siobhan Hodgetts-Still made three alterations to the side that sealed a late triumph over Derby County last weekend. Ella Haughey, Kate Evans and Ellie May were all restored to the starting line-up.
The hosts made a blistering start to the cup clash, with the in-form Warner at the heart of their positive charge. The midfielder firstly whipped in an inviting delivery towards Ellie May, whose glancing header gave goalkeeper Harriet Grimshaw a save to make in the first 10 minutes.
Warner then turned her duties to scoring rather than creating, stroking home the opener from the edge of the box - her fourth in as many games.
Albion doubled their advantage when some scintillating combination play between forward May and midfielder Robinson set the latter away for a shot on goal. The number 19 calmly rolled past the onrushing Grimshaw to make it 2-0.
The Baggies had the ball in the net again moments later through Taylor Reynolds, but Kate Evans was ruled offside in the build-up. Rhianne Oakley also saw an opportunity go begging, as she rolled the ball past Grimshaw, but couldn’t beat the backpedalling Sophie Tudor who slid in to block the effort on the line.
Stoke kicked into gear as the second half began and struck the post from close range, before an excellent block on the goal line from Izzy Green prevented the visitors from pulling one back.
There was little in the way of chances as the game ebbed away, and even a late Fran Orthodoxou red card couldn’t stop the Baggies from booking their place in the FAWNL Cup round of 16.
Albion: Clarke; Reynolds, Green, George, Haughey; Warner, Evans (Watkins 66’), Orthodoxou, Oakley; Robinson (Creaney 90’), May (Rhodes 74’).
Substitutes: Howard, Jhamat, Rabjohn, Pullen.
