Women's football news
Written by: Shrey
Lewes FC Women booked their place in the Third Round of the FA Women’s Cup with a commanding 4–0 victory away at Cheltenham Town on Sunday, rounding off their trip with a performance full of maturity, control and purpose.
The win earns the club £8,000 in prize money. By contrast, the winners of the Men’s Second Round receive £79,500 — a stark reminder of the significant disparity the club continues to campaign against. The squad warmed up in their Equal FA Cup shirts, reinforcing a message shared widely in the football community, and you can read Lewes FC Director Ben Hall’s BBC Sport opinion piece on the subject here.
From the opening whistle, Lewes set the tone. Sharp in possession, disciplined out of it, and confident across the pitch, the Rooks quickly established control of the game.
The breakthrough came in the 21st minute when Leah Lane finished off a flowing move, rounding the keeper and guiding the ball home. The advantage doubled on 36 minutes as Sarah Harvey reacted quickest to a loose ball from a corner, striking cleanly from 12 yards.
Cheltenham pressed harder after the break, but Lewes remained composed defensively. Goalkeeper Emily Moore was largely untroubled, forced into few saves in the second half as the visitors’ game management came to the fore. They circulated the ball intelligently, chose their moments to push, and waited for the right moments.
Their patience paid off in the 82nd minute when Chelsea Ferguson reached a cross by Leah Lane into the box and powered home the third. Deep into stoppage time, Lane added her second, lifting the ball beyond the onrushing keeper from the edge of the box with a wonderfully composed finish to seal the win.
Manager Emma Byrne was full of praise afterwards, especially about Lane’s standout display: “She was in a different class.”
The result was a real statement from a Lewes side who had fallen to a 2–1 defeat at Cheltenham in the league only weeks earlier. Four clinical goals, a clean sheet, and progression to the next round — a performance full of confidence and momentum for the weeks ahead.