Laura Holden’s goal sent Bridgwater United into round four of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup as they stunned FA Women’s Championship high-flyers Crystal Palace 1-0.
The FA Women’s National League South side were outstanding as they got the better of a team currently sitting third in the division above them with Holden’s fast reaction on the stroke of half-time to a spilled ball proving the difference.
Palace threatened in the second half but could not find a way past Beth Howard in the Bridgwater goal.
Elsewhere Emily Scarr’s second-half strike was enough for Sunderland to edge past Brighouse Town 1-0 in a tense encounter.
In the first round to feature FA Women’s Championship sides, Sunderland were made to work hard away to opposition from the division below, but in the end Scarr’s goal saw them through.
In the two all-Championship encounters, there were comfortable victories for Bristol City and Coventry United, the former running out 5-0 winners at home to Lewes and the latter through 4-0 away to Watford.
Skipper Katie Wilkinson was the star for Coventry, scoring two, while there was also a captain’s display from Abi Harrison who got two for City.
It took extra-time to split rivals Southampton and Portsmouth, Caitlin Morris the matchwinner after 112 minutes for Saints as they went through 2-1 against their FA Women’s National League South opponents.
Extra-time was also needed to separate Lincoln City and Northampton Town with Division One Midlands side Lincoln eventually getting the better of their step five opposition 4-2.
Into the third round for the first time, the Cobblers looked like they would cause another upset as they led 2-1 heading into the final seconds, but Jessica Rousseau’s late strike forced extra-time.
And the East Midlands Women’s Regional Premier Division side ran out of steam as Rousseau added two more in extra-time to complete her hat-trick and earn a spot in the next round.
Becky Anderson helped Nottingham Forest come from behind to beat Stoke City 2-1, while Plymouth Argyle scored four times in the second half to beat Clapton, the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, 5-0.
Championship trio Liverpool, London City Lionesses and Durham were all convincing winners. Liverpool beat Burnley 4-0, the Lionesses won 6-1 at Ashford Town and Durham beat Leeds United 6-0.
And the biggest win of the round came for Billericay Town, 10-0 over Chesham United.
There were 3-0 wins for Newcastle United away to Chorley and Sheffield United on the road at Stourbridge.
Also victorious on the road were Ipswich Town, winning 2-0 at AFC Wimbledon and Blackburn Rovers, who edged out Liverpool Feds 1-0 thanks to Saffron Jordan’s second-half goal.
Finally, Huddersfield Town beat Loughborough Lightning 3-1 and West Bromwich Albion ran out 5-1 winners over Long Eaton.
