Marianne Pettersen hit a hat-trick as Fulham Ladies, who sit second in the Southern Division, knocked top flight Charlton Athletic out of the Cup with an outstanding away display.
The Norwegian striker gave the visitors a perfect start when she headed in Rachel Yankey’s cross inside three minutes. Charlton hit back by equalising through a superb strike from England under-18 international Fara Williams but Fulham went into the interval ahead after Kim Jeray-Silver crashed home a venomous strike after she intercepted a dreadful ball out of their back.
The Whites made an ideal start to the second period when Margunn Haugenes lashed in a third five minutes after the interval. Haugenes broke her foot in a challenge but Fulham’s appetite for goals was undimmed. Sanchia Duncan made it four from close range before Petterson scored twice in the space of ten minutes to complete a commanding win on the road.
Frighteningly for the rest of the competition, Gaute Haugenes slammed his side’s sloppiness following the final whistle.
Kim Jerray-Silver sent the visitors into the break in front when she collected a poor clearance and blasted home on 27 and five minutes after half-time Margunn Haugenes, who was later taken off with a suspected broken foot, made it 3-1.
Sanchia Duncan added a fourth before Pettersen got two in 10 minutes to put Fulham into the next round.
Fulham boss Gaute Haugenes challenged his side to improve even further in the next round of the competition:
“It was a great result but a poor performance. The quality of our passing and movement was not particularly good and we lost a lot of possession.”
