Sunday afternoon saw Hampshire-based football team AFC Portchester progress to the Third Round of the Women’s FA Cup qualifying stages after a 4–1 win against Worthing, setting up a match against WSL2 side Ipswich Town.
Portchester initially went behind 1–0 in the first half before 16-year-old Layla Morgan equalised on her first FA Cup start, opening the scoring for her team. Morgan, an ex-Southampton Under-16s player, joined AFC Portchester this season, making her debut in women’s football and now featuring — and scoring — in the FA Cup.
As one of the newest and youngest players in the squad, Morgan reflected on her achievement, stating that “I felt so proud to have scored a goal on my first FA Cup start as I’m only 16 years old. I’m really grateful for my team and my manager for believing in me to start that game and hopefully now I can keep moving forward to bigger things.”
Looking ahead, Ipswich Town Women currently sit 12th in the WSL2 and are involved in a relegation battle, while AFC Portchester sit mid-table in the Southern Region Women’s Football League. The tie between the two teams is scheduled for next Sunday, the 14th of September, and will be held at Portchester’s On Site Stadium.
The Women’s FA Cup Fourth Round marks the beginning of the First Round Proper, where more National League and WSL2 teams enter the competition to face smaller clubs. For a team competing in the SRWFL, this represents a huge opportunity and, as Morgan expressed, a “great experience for everyone, as we’re playing a team that is in a higher tier.”
Although still a new addition to Portchester’s women’s first team, Morgan has already made a significant impact in her opening games. Reflecting on the upcoming fixture, she said, “some of us have never had a chance to play a big team like Ipswich” — a sentiment that highlights the importance of multi-league competitions, giving lower-tier teams a rare chance to face opponents they might never otherwise play.
Morgan also voiced her optimism about the team’s future in the tournament: “I’m really confident we can push further in the FA Cup. We’ve shown we’ve got the quality, the work-rate, and the togetherness to compete with anyone. If we keep our standards high and stick to the way we play, there’s no reason we can’t keep progressing.”
Portchester have enjoyed similar runs in recent years, reaching the FA Cup Second Round Proper last season before falling 0–4 to AFC Bournemouth, and making the First Round Proper in 2023, where they narrowly lost 3–2 to Bromley Football Club.
If AFC Portchester secure a win against Ipswich Town next Sunday, they will advance through the qualifying stages and into the proper rounds for the third consecutive year.
