FA WNL Cup Group Stage Round One Results

An expanded FA WNL Cup got underway this week. The inclusion of Professional Game Academy teams from WSL 1 & WSL 2, a decision for universally welcomed by fans of tier 3 and tier 4 teams, takes the total number of entrants up to 88 from last season's 72.

A new format for the competition this season sees the determining round replaced by a group stage. From the 22 groups of four, the 22 group winners and 10 best runners up will advance to the knockout stages whilst  the other 12 runners up and 20 best third placed sides will contest the FA WNL Plate. Both competitions will have two knockout stages prior to the quarter finals. 

Defending Cup Champions Nottingham Forest are not in this year's tournament due to winning promotion to WSL 2. The first round of group stage matches took place across 3 nights this week.

Tuesday 19th August

Group A
Bristol Rovers vs Bridgwater United*

Group E
Ascot United 0 - 0 Moneyfields

Group G
AFC Sudbury 3 - 1 Billericay Town

Group L

Norwich City 2 - 0 Peterborough United

Group O
Sutton Coldfield Town 0 - 6 Aston Villa PGA 

Group P
Notts County 1 - 4 Derby County

Group S

Hull City 5 - 1 Doncaster Rovers Belles

* The Bristol Rovers match was postponed due to insufficient lighting, a rescheduled fixture has yet to be confirmed. 

A comfortable win for Aston Villa PGA against Sutton Coldfield Town who currently sit 3rd in Division One Midlands (Tier 4). A respectable 0-2 half time score, the difference in fitness standards from being attached to a WSL 1 side showed with a further 4 goals in the second half. With Sporting Khalsa (Tier 3) and Boldmere St Michaels (Tier 4) making up the rest of Group O it would take some strange results for Villa PGA not to win the group. 

After a winning start to their league campaign, Andy Cook's Norwich City sit top of Group L following a 2-0 win against Division One Midlands leaders Peterborough United. Cook made 7 changes from the team who beat Actonians on Sunday, City's high pressing play was rewarded with a 25th minute opening goal from Issy Moore. 

Peterborough had a better start to the second half, enjoying more periods of possession that they had in the first half but a pivotal moment in the match saw Peterborough defender Kayleigh Hines receive a straight red on 55 minutes for an off the ball altercation. With 10 mins remaining, 65th minute substitute Keir Perkins was sin-binned for complaining to the referee leaving the visitors with 9 players. 

Sophie Haywood retained her starting 11 place for Hull City as the Tier 3 side eased to a 5-1 win over Tier 4's Doncaster Rovers Belles. A hat trick for Hope Knight in addition to a goal 1 minute into the second half from Ellie Tanser made it 4-0 after 64 minutes. A consolation goal from second half substitute Laila Moradi Amid Abadi on 75 minutes was cancelled out 10 minutes later by Hull's 5th via second half substitute Maiya Akrill.

Wednesday 20th August

Group B
Abingdon United 0 - 2 Southampton PGA

Group C

Swindon Town 4 - 3 Bristol City PGA 

Group D

Fulham 1 - 2 Lewes
Worthing 0 - 7 Brighton Hove Albion PGA 

Group E
AFC Bournemouth 3 - 0 Bournemouth Sports

Group G
Chatham Towns 6 - 4 London City Lionesses PGA 

Group H
AFC Wimbledon 2 - 3 Chelsea PGA
Maidenhead United 0 - 1 Actonians

Group I
Hashtag United 6 - 1 Crystal Palace PGA 

Group J
Watford 7 - 0 Charlton Athletic PGA 

Group L

Cambridge United 1 - 2 Real Bedford

Group M
Luton Town 4 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur PGA
MK Dons 0 - 5 Oxford United

Group N

Stourbridge 0 - 4 West Bromwich Albion

Group O

Sporting Khalsa 0 - 1 Boldmere St Michaels

Group Q
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 - 1 Stoke City

Group R

Cheadle Town Stingers vs Liverpool PGA*
Stockport County 1 - 1 Liverpool Feds

Group T

Blackburn Rovers 2 - 3 Huddersfield Town

Group U
Leeds United 1 - 0 Halifax

Many notable results on night two. 

Tier 4's Swindon Town scoring in the first minute against WSL 2's Bristol City's PGA side. The visitors were level 3 minutes later then went 1-2 up on 18 minutes before Swindon once again levelled on 37 minutes. Macy Walby, no relation as far as I know, once again put the PGA side ahead 20 minutes into the second half before 2 goals in 4 minutes (70 and 74) ultimately won it for the Tier 4 side. 

249 fans at Maidstone Road Sports Ground saw Chatham Town come out on top in a 10 goal thriller against London City Lionesses PGA team. A 17th minute Amelia Woodgate goal and first half stoppage time Amy Russ goal saw Chatham Town 2-3 down at the break. A second half hat trick for Woodgate and a second for Russ secured a memorable win for the home side. A brace for Chloe Kabo and one each for Esme Johnson and Lucy Hope for the visitors. 

2023-24 Cup winners Hashtag United with a huge 6-1 over Crystal Palace PGA, three goal in each half for Hashtag and a second half consolation for Palace. Macey Nicholls hat trick and a brace for Aryanna Adesan.

Two straight reds for Spurs PGA in the 70th and 89th minutes. By that point they were already 4-0 down to Tier 4 Luton Town. 

84 minutes for Naomi Bedeau in a 0-5 win for Oxford United. A first Stoke City start for Sharna Wilkinson but not a first goal as they fall to a 2-1 loss to Wolves. 

Cheadle's match against Liverpool PGA was controversially postponed at the last minute, a number of Liverpool PGA players named on the bench in a Liverpool vs Man U pre-season friendly. This is the main reason for opposition from fans of PGA teams being entered into the Cup. 

Blackburn Rovers still looking for their first win of the season. 

Away from the Cup, a 3-2 win for Mancunian Unity over Crewe Alexandra on Wednesday night extended Unity's winning start to the season to two wins from two but, with the match being played at Emplas Commercial Stadium, it marks Unity's first 3 points at their new home ground. It sounded an entertaining evening in Oldham, Unity going 3-0 up but letting the visitors back in rather than killing the match off. Congratulations to all at Unity. 

Thursday 21st August

Group A
Marine Academy Plymouth A - A Plymouth Argyle*

Group B

Portishead Town 0 -3 Exeter City

Group F
Cheltenham Town 2 - 0 Worcester

Kidderminster Harriers 2 - 2 Birmingham City PGA

Group I

London Bees 1 -2 Dulwich Hamlet

Group J

Chesham United 1 - 7 Queens Park Rangers

Group K
Loughborough Lightening 1 -2 Rugby Borough

Northampton Town 3 - 1 Arsenal PGA

Group N

Leafield Athletic 1 - 1 Leicester City PGA

Group P

Lincoln United 0 - 1 Sheffield FC

Group Q

Wythenshawe 1 - 1 Manchester United PGA

Group S

Barnsley Women 0 -1 Sheffield United PGA

Group T

Chorley 0 - 2 Burnley

Group U

York City 0 -1 Norton & Stockton Ancients

Group V 

Durham Cestria 1 - 4 Middlesborough
Chester-le-Street Town 1 - 4 Sunderland PGA

*The Plymouth derby was abandoned with the visitors 0-3 up due to Argyle midfielder Lulu Jarvis suffering a serious leg injury. Jarvis was taken by ambulance to Derriford Hospital where she wasdue to undergo surgery for tibia and fibula fractures. Recovery is expected to take 6 months to a year. Best wishes to Lulu. 

Upset of the night, possibly of the round, has to go to Northampton Town with a 3-1 win over Arsenal PGA. Not quite an upset but a huge result also for Wythenshawe, holding neighbours Manchester United to a 1-1 draw. As well as being the primary filming location for Shameless and the hometown of guitar icon Johnny Marr, Wythenshawe is the home of Lioness legend Jill Scott's BOXX2BOXX Coffee. 

Two goals in two games now for Bianca Owens and a second successive clean sheet for Elen Valentine as Norton & Stockton Ancients overcome York City 0-1. No goal for Georgia Gibson in Chester-le-Street Town's 1-4 loss to Sunderland PGA but she was credited with the assist. Nice to see NUW legend Grace Donnelly return to football, coaching with Sunderland PGA. 

And finally, the "El Lassico" derby between Durham Cestria and Middlesbrough. Minimal changes for each side from their respective opening weekend losses, Faye Dale for Cestria replacing Grace Monkhouse. GK Ruby Cook & Sarah Burn for Megan Borthwick & Liv Watt for Boro, the armband returning to Grace Boyes. 

Boro in front inside 10 minutes, a Towers cross from the right wing picking out Lauren Robson at the edge of the box who, with a lovely one touch finish, lifted the ball over Yas Davies in the Cestria net for the opening goal. Robson turned provider on the half hour mark, her cross into the box setting up Ellen Turnbull who made it 0-2. They were an effective partnership last season. 

With half time approaching Sarah Burn made it 0-3 with a rocket of a shot from 30 yards out that flew into the top corner, suberp strike which she meant every bit of. A second for Robson in stoppage time essentially ended the match as a contest. 

Despite strong claims from the free kick taker, Mia Gibbons' free kick was judged to have come off the head of a Boro defender and was classed an own goal. Despite the loss, nothing to be ashamed of from Cestria and, to finish on a high, rumour has it Anna Soulsby is beginning to return to training.