Match Report
Sheffield FC Ladies recorded their biggest ever win in an embarrassingly easy quarter-final victory which sees the team through the last four of the competition for the first time ever. With Steel City's regular pitch under water, and the Bright Finance Stadium off limits too, the sides agreed to play the tie on the neutral territory of the all-weather 3G pitch at Sheffield United's Academy. It was the ideal surface to showcase Sheffield's quick passing game, and this they did superbly, totally overwhelming their opponent's with ten different players from the 14-strong squad making it onto the score sheet.
The tie was just five minutes old when Sheffield first breached the Steel City defence: Lisa Giampalma battled to win the ball, played in Gemma Gale whose first time pass to Nell Taylor was effortlessly collected and dispatched into the back of the net. A great double save from the Steel City keeper denied Jodie Crofts just a minute later, but on 10 minutes, the striker did convert when she hit a super first time shot from Lisa Bailey's pass after a great interception and through ball from Christina Wright. The young forward added a second moments later when Helen Wakefield's flick on was collected by Giampalma up the left wing and some quick footwork enabled her to beat her marker and play the ball into Jodie Crofts' feet who shot right into the corner. A short corner between Gale and Bailey provided the cross for Taylor to grab her second, before Bailey opened her account after good work up the right from Natalie Crofts and Rachel Charles, putting Sheffield 5-0 up after 16 minutes.
Bailey and Giampalma added two more goals before an excellent pass from Charles into Giampalma produced a fantastic save from the Steel City keeper to deny the midfielder a second goal...for the moment at least. Just before the half hour mark, Bailey volleyed in from Gale's corner to make it 8-0, and then a break from Steel City Wanderers saw Whiteman come trotting way out of her area in a desperate attempt to be involved in the game, missing her clearance and allowing a first threat on the Sheffield goal, but thankfully the striker shot wide of the target.
The first half scoring was completed thanks to another goal from Jodie Crofts, scoring her very first hatrick for the Club, Wakefield with a super goal from wide on the left, an unfortunate own goal, and Taylor courtesy of a Giampalma and Gale combination to give the captain her hatrick too. Lauren Davids almost helped herself to a goal just before the break but her header from a Charles corner looped up and over the crossbar, and the half finished at 12-0 to Sheffield.
The pattern of the second half was to match that of the first as Sheffield added a further eleven goals. With the half just two minutes old, Bailey got her fourth when she lashed the ball in after some clever side steps had fooled the defenders. Gale then set up Giampalma a minute later for her second, before a great run from Bailey ended when she was hauled down in the box and up stepped Whiteman to convert from the spot as clinically as ever. Bailey then scored her fifth with a great header, and was immediately replaced by Katrina Brett allowing Charles to push up front. The young player provided Taylor with Sheffield's 16th of the afternoon when the skipper converted from a corner with her head, before Nat Crofts scored a rare goal with shot from the edge of the box which beat the keeper with ease.
With still 30 minutes to go, Davids made way for Michelle Fletcher and soon after, Charles ended her frustrations by getting on the score sheet with a good finish from wide right. Jodie Crofts converted after a great run from Wakefield up the left just before a Gale free kick was placed perfectly into the corner for 21-0. Sarah Wilson came on for her first competitive appearance, and there was still time for Fletcher to score on her debut as the ball broke out from a corner, and Charles to finish things off with a fierce shot from the edge of the area.
It had been an exemplary performance from Sheffield as the team kept focused, kept their passing game going, and kept pressing for goals throughout the game. It could have been more too but for some heroic saves by the Steel City keepers (the starting keeper had to be substituted just before half-time due to injury), at least four shots hitting the frame of the goal, and even a disallowed goal as Jodie Crofts was judged to have been offside.
Teams:
Steel City Wanderers LFC: Scott (L Smith), C Williams, Atherton, Aikman, R Williams, Ezzard, Hemming, Salmon (Sorrel), Murdoch, H Smith, Gregory
Sheffield FC Ladies: Whiteman, N Crofts, Davids (Fletcher 62), Wright, Gale, Charles, Giampalma, Taylor*, Wakefield (Wilson 73), Bailey (Brett 56), J Crofts
Goals: Taylor 5, 14, 45 & 59, J Crofts 11, 12, 36 & 71, Bailey 16, 23, 28, 47 & 55, Lisa Giampalma 24 & 49, o.g. 37, Wakefield 39, Whiteman 54(pen), N Crofts 61, Charles 69 & 86, Gale 78, Fletcher 82
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