Albion Women secured their passage into the FAWNL Cup round of 16 with a dominant win over Norton & Stockton Ancients at Norton Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon.
Ella Haughey’s pearler of a left-footed strike had the visitors ahead at the halfway mark after being in the ascendancy throughout the first ’45.
Forward Milly Round scored her first for the club just after the half-time break, while Haughey drilled another past the Ancients in quick succession to seal a comprehensive victory.
The Baggies’ fourth-tier opponents began the encounter the strongest, with early sighters of goal through Sacha Millward and skipper Bianca Owens, who both fired wide of the mark.
Tara Kirk watched a header creep off-target in response, while Hannah George and Round saw consecutive efforts cannon off the crossbar - leaving the visitors wondering how they hadn’t taken the lead.
But it eventually took a sparkling long-ranger from Haughey to spark Charlie Fripp’s side into life. The left-back struck from 25 yards out and found the top corner, leaving Laura Wareham no chance of saving the opener.
Quick out of the traps, Round was key to doubling the visiting advantage. The forward leapt above her marker to nod into the roof of the net after pinball in the Norton penalty area.
Just as fast as they began the second period, Albion and Haughey had another. This time the Northern Ireland-born defender latched onto a loose home clearance to drill beyond Wareham for three, with Liv Rabjohn’s goal ruled out for offside seconds later.
The visitors could’ve added to their tally later in the day through the likes of Monique Robinson, Abbey Jones and Round again, who all went close.
But aside from a late Harriet Grimshaw save to maintain their clean sheet - the Baggies were untroubled in their efforts on Teesside and secured their place in the last-16 of the competition.
Albion: Grimshaw; Sharp, Day, George, Haughey (Reynolds 56’); Rabjohn, Powell; Hollin (Robinson 56’), Jones, Round; Kirk.
Substitutes: Clarke, Rush, Mannu, Lane, Collyer.
