A crowd of 3,994 were treated to Women’s FA Cup action at the City Ground this afternoon as Nottingham Forest welcomed WSL side Manchester City. The visitors ran out 8-0 winners in the game but it was a performance to be proud of from the third tier home side.
City enjoyed large amounts of possession from early in the game, with Caroline Weir opening the scoring after just 90 seconds. Despite going ahead early they were unable to capitalise on the chances they had in the next 30 minutes, with Forest keeper Emily Batty called into action on a number of occasions.
With 35 minutes gone, Bunny Shaw connected her head to a Lauren Hemp corner doubling their lead, before they had a third goal ruled offside just a minute later. Despite having little attacking threat, Forest began to grow into the game as the half went on.
Just before half-time Filippa Angeldahl picked up a long ball and found the bottom corner past keeper Batty. This saw City head into the break with a three goal advantage.
During the break Georgia Stanway entered the game and within five minutes had added her name to the cover sheet. Her goal meant she equalled City Women’s all time goal scoring record, set by Nikita Parris.
Three minutes later Hemp slotted her shot into the back of the net from left of the post to shore the fifth of the afternoon before Forest captain Lyndsey Harkin’s goal-line clearance denied Shaw from close range.
The Forest fans, already full of voice, were given something to cheer about on the hour mark as their team were inches away from scoring a goal of their own. Hayley James was picked out by Becky Anderson but her shot couldn’t evade the gloves of Ellie Roebuck, who returned to the City squad after injury.
With 20 minutes to play City scored twice in quick succession. First, Shaw got her second of the game when she picked up a loose pass in the Forest defence and sent her shot flying past Batty; before Stanway added her second of the game, breaking the record to become City’s top goal scorer.
In the last minute of added time Stanway secured her hat-trick and added the final goal to the tally.
It was the visitors who will now progress to the fifth round despite a commendable performance from Forest.
Forest: Emily Batty; Hayley James (Grace Walters 74′), Lyndsey Harkin, Charlotte Steggles (Alice Higginbottom 89′), Olivia Cook, Charlotte Greengrass (Jade Arber 59′); Rachel Brown (Mai Moncaster 74′), Becky Anderson, Amy West, Georgia Hewitt; Naomi Powell (Rosie Axten 59′)
Substitutes not used: Aja Aguirre, Katie Middleton, Niamh Reynolds, Sophia Bonser
Manchester City: Ellie Roebuck; Lucy Bronze, Ruby Mace, Alex Greenwood (Georgia Stanway 46′), Demi Stokes; Laura Coombs (Vicky Losada 60′), Filippa Angeldahl, Caroline Weir (Ginny Lackey 74′); Janine Beckie, Bunny Shaw (Jemima Dahou 74′) Lauren Hemp (Jess Park 59′)
Substitute not used: Khaira Keating
Goals: Caroline Weir 2′, Bunny Shaw 34′, 69′, Filippa Angeldahl 43′, Georgia Stanway 50′, 71′ 90′, Lauren Hemp 53′
Photo: @NFFCWomen
