Bianca Owens is “feeling on top of the world” after her incredible eight-goal salvo fired Middlesbrough into the next round of the SSE Women’s FA Cup.
The prolific forward will have been the cause of nightmares for the Lowick United defenders after her role in the Teessiders' 11-0 victory in the third qualifying round on Sunday.
But despite her sensational display in front of goal, Owens was denied the souvenir her efforts deserved.
Middlesbrough 11-0 Lowick United
The SSE Women's FA Cup
Third Qualifying Round
Sunday 11 October 2015
Winning clubs receive £200 from FA prize fund
“I wish they had let me have the matchball, but they never. I’m going to have to have a word at training on Tuesday,” she said with a smile when speaking to TheFA.com.
“I’ve bad on a bit of a bad patch recently so it was nice to get a few goals and the win.
“For some reason I just don’t feel like that I’ve been myself as I’ve had loads of chances but they haven’t been going in so I was buzzing to get eight.
“It always feels nicer in The Cup as well – it’s the best competition you can play in. I’m just on top of the world now.”
The 18-year-old striker obviously sets herself high targets. Her recent “bad patch” before Sunday’s encounter had seen her record an impressive ratio of 13 goals in just seven games.
But it was her performances, rather than her finishing in front of goal, that she revealed she felt had been letting her down when quizzed on which of the her magnificent eight was her favourite.
Bianca Owens struck eight past Lowick United
“Probably my first goal was my favourite because I never scored in the last game so it was nice to get off the mark again. I got slipped through and beat the centre-back in a race, then the keeper came out and I just knocked it past her.
“It was a massive confidence booster and then for some reason everything I touched after that seemed to go in.
“It's my performances not my goals that have been a bit down lately.
"But I couldn't have asked for more help from team-mates. They worked so hard to create so many chances for me so I was delighted to get the goals for the team."
With the draw for the Cup taking place on Monday, a confident Owens says she and her team-mates are ready for anyone as she targets a run in the competition in addition to winning promotion from The FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division 1.
“Everyone loves a Cup run and we want to go as far as we can in this, but promotion is definitely the aim.
“But as I say we would love a run and we would take anyone in the next round. We are really high on confidence at the moment and we wouldn’t fear anybody.”
