The FA Cup journey for Needham Market Women is off to a great start with an Emphatic 6-1 win away at lower league Histon Ladies in Cambridgeshire.
The Eastern Regional side were 5-0 going into the break thanks to a brace from Molly Hall and Eva Hubbard with Lois Balfour also getting on the scoresheet.
Histon grabbed a consolation thanks to Carla Penny curling in, but Needham continued to be ruthless in front of goal with Mia Etheridge tapping home.
It was a perfect start for the away side as hall scored another goal in as many matches as she reacted quickest to knock home a rebound after Charlotte McGrath’s shot was parried by the keeper.
Balfour then finished the goal of the game with a neat half volley but the pass from Laura Bloomfield had shades of Franz Beckenbauer as her pinpoint ball sailed over the defenders and perfectly into Balfour’s path.
Hall then added a second from a corner before Hubbard scored two in two minutes to add more gloss to the half time score.
Histon to their credit came out strong in the second half looking to make Needham work for the win.
Although it was 5-0 the home side had rattled the woodwork three times coming close on numerous occasions before finally getting on the scoresheet thanks to Penny, who curled home a neat finish from the right-hand side of the box.
Histon continued to press trying to force a collapse from Needham, but they showed their class to kill the game as Etheridge tapped home from a Hubbard cross to kill any notion of a comeback.
It petered out after that with Needham comfortably seeing out the final quarter and having chances to add more to the tally.
A professional performance on the road and we know look forward to the draw for the 3rd qualifying round as we get closer to the first round proper and go on a lucrative cup run this season.
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