Women's football news
Written by: Jack
Six stunning goals secure The Rooks their place in the quarter-finals of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup for the first time in our history. Reports Maycee Rogers.
The Dripping Pan was in full voice as Scott Booth’s side were on fire and showed that they meant business.
Five minutes in and Ellie Mason and Rebecca McKenna kicked off proceedings by playing the ball down the right hand-side, and setting up a beautiful ball for Mason to thump in an absolute firecracker of a ball into the back of the net.
Lewes dominated Cardiff early on causing real trouble and running rings around them from the first whistle.
The Rooks looked comfortable as they settled into the rhythm of the game and controlled the tempo.
Chances from Paula Howells, Nat Johnsons and Emma Thompson all looked promising, just unable to convert them.
Mason continued her reign of fire as she grabbed her second goal of the game by finding space and weaving her way through the midfield to slam the ball home.
Cardiff managed to take advantage of an open Lewes backline and Ardland managed to claw one back for the visitors on the brink of half time with a great goal from the 25-yard spot.
Scott Booth’s side kicked off the second half the same as the first, continuing to pile the pressure onto Cardiff and looking dangerous to the Welsh visitors.
The Rooks continued to press Cardiff hard creating a flurry of chances for McKenna whose efforts just saw the ball go over the net.
A free kick awarded to Lewes saw Amelia Hazard take the ball which found Mason in the space, but was denied the chance as it was ruled offside.
Mason was a force to be reckoned with in the 61st minute as she found the ball again and smashed in a low and hard shot which secured her the hat-trick.
Three goals was not enough for the unstoppable Mason, as a deep ball which got trapped on her chest saw her then leather the ball home to make it four goals.
A massive save for keeper Sophie Whitehouse came in the 80th minute as Cardiff got lucky and lobbed in a wide shot as they tried to fight their way back into the game.
Thompson and Izzy Dalton kept on pressing Cardiff and causing serious issues for their backline with another flurry of chances.
Substitution Kenzie Weir wanted a slice of the action as she back-heeled the ball and looped it into the net to give the Rooks the fifth goal of the game, but also her first goal for Lewes.
The goal scoring floodgates were fully open at this stage, with Aqsa Mushtaq bagging her first goal for Lewes by firing in a fierce ball after a storming run from McKenna, to make it six goals.
A massive team effort and six superb goals ensures The Rooks have their well-deserved spot in the quarter-finals of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup.
Come on you Rooks!