Fulham Women scored sixteen goals as they eased into the Women’s FA Cup third qualifying round with a ruthless display against Steyning Town at Motspur Park this afternoon.
Steve Jaye’s side took their fine league form – they had won their last four games – into their first Cup outing and needed just six minutes to break the deadlock against the Sussex side. After Lilly Lambird had seen a speculative shot deflected wide of goal, Megalie Mendes floated a fine cross in from the right and Sasha Adamson headed emphatically into the net at the back post. Adamson, who has made a fine start since signing from Hashtag United earlier this summer, doubled Fulham’s advantage three minutes later when she latched onto a lovely through ball from Georgia Heasman and lifted a deft finish over the goalkeeper.
Adamson could have completed a twenty minute hat trick but slotted just wide after a fine ball from Sophie Manzi before turning provider for the former Dulwich forward. Manzi powered a finish beyond the helpless Steyning keeper after being teed up by Adamson to make it 3-0 midway through the first period. Lambird’s persistence saw her get free down the right flank and the midfielder forced the ball past the keeper – although the last touch came off a visiting defender.
Adamson completed her hat-trick with a fierce drive three minutes later and the floodgates appeared to have well and truly opened. Heasman made it six seven minutes before the break when her cross from a short corner was deflected home and Fulham found a seventh before half time when Lambird lashed in Heasman’s near post cross.
Jaye made three substitutions at half time – sending on Ede Buchele, Ava Huntrods and Alex Hayman – but there was no respite for Steyning. Buchele took just five minutes to add her name to the scoresheet, spinning superbly in the penalty area after timing her run perfectly to sprint onto a marvellous Manzi pass. Manzi was left unattended at the back-post to head home Mendes’ corner four minutes later and needed just two more minutes to bring up her hat-trick from close range.
Buchele then laid on another goal for the unstoppable Manzi before the teenager showed just dexterity to fire home from seven yards despite being knocked to the floor. Manzi made it thirteen from the penalty spot before Buchele burst into the area and unselfishly squared for Manzi to score his sixth of the afternoon from five yards out. Manzi was only denied another by the crossbar when her dipping drive from distance rattled the woodwork – but the reprieve was shortlived for sorry Steyning.
The bright Buchele brought up her hat-trick with a clinical finish after fine approach play along the left wing by Hayman before Fulham rounded off the scoring from their very next attack. Adamson advanced into the area and struck the base of the near post with a powerful shot that cannoned back into the net off a luckless Steyning defender. This was a tough lesson for the London and South East Division One side who gamely kept going to the end – but Fulham’s superior class saw them ease into the hat for Monday’s draw. The third qualifying round will be played on Sunday 22 October.
FULHAM FC WOMEN (3-4-3): Parker; Dale, Tagliavini (Hayman 45), Southgate; Bird, Mendes, Barron-Clark, Lambird (Huntrods 45); Adamson, Heasman (Buchele 45), Manzi.
GOALS: Adamson (7, 10, 33), Manzi (23, 54, 56, 58, pen 65, 66) own goal (31), Heasman (38), Lambird (40), Buchele (50, 61, 75), own goal (78).
