Birmingham City Women 2-1 SAFC Ladies (AET)
Sunderland Ladies suffered a narrow defeat in extra-time in the FA Cup Fourth Round against Birmingham City Women at St. Andrew’s.
Veatriki Sarri scored the opener for the Blues in the 27th minute.
Keira Ramshaw equalised in the 85th minute, taking the game into extra-time, but Lucy Whipp scored Birmingham’s second 10 minutes into the first half to eliminate Mel Reay’s valiant side having taken their WSL opponents the distance.
The Lasses’ first chance fell to Maria Farrugia, who cut inside from the left wing and fired towards goal, but her shot was gathered by Emily Ramsey.
Birmingham found a breakthrough in the first half as Sarri unleashed a great strike from outside the box into the top corner.
Sarri almost replicated her goal in the second half as she powered another long-ranged effort towards goal, but this time her shot struck the crossbar.
Claudia Moan was called into action in the 61st minute as a cross was met by the head of Emily Whelan, and her header looked destined for the far corner, but Moan did brilliantly to palm it onto the post.
The Lasses got themselves back into the game as a mix-up at the back for Birmingham led to the ‘keeper giving away an indirect free-kick in the box, and Ramshaw was laid off from the set piece and smashed a shot into the bottom corner.
The home side scored their second in the first half of extra-time as Gemma Lawley’s cross was headed by Whipp into the far corner.
Following a performance that is bound to raise crucial confidence amongst the young squad – with an average age of just 20 in the starting line-up – the Lasses’ focus returns to the league as they prepare for their FA Women’s Championship game against Sheffield United at Eppleton next week.
SAFC LADIES: Moan, Brown (Blakey 106’), Beer, Herron, Griffiths, Mullen (Boyes 91’), McInnes (Ede 79’), Ramshaw ©, Joice, Manders (Watson 91’), Farrugia.
Subs not used: Cowling, Scarr, Burt.