Aston Villa and Birmingham are drawn at home in FA Cup quarter-finals
Second City rivals Villa and Birmingham City have been rewarded for wins on the road with a pair of home ties in the Women’s FA Cup quarter-finals.
Villa will take on three-times winners Manchester City, while Championship outfit Blues will host Super League strugglers Brighton & Hove Albion, who have already knocked Albion out of this season’s competition.
Villa – who beat City on the opening day of the season – triumphed 7-6 in a dramatic penalty shootout at West Ham in the last round, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton hammering her spot-kick into the net to hand Villa the advantage in sudden death and counterpart Mackenzie Arnold firing over the crossbar. Blues’ game at Charlton also went into extra-time, with Ashley Hodson’s goal in the 101st minute giving them victory.
Hannah George, Lucy Newell and Shannon Stamps were on target for West Bromwich Albion, who beat Liverpool Feds 3-1 away in the National League Northern Premier Division.
In the same division, Wolves beat Loughborough Lightning 6-0 away. They were 4-0 up at half-time through goals from Helen Dermody, Katie Johnson, Destiny Toussaint and Jade Cross. After the break they added two more through Anna Morphet and Amy Dicken. Wolves are five points behind Nottingham Forest in second place, with a game in hand. Meanwhile, Stourbridge are through to the National League Plate final after a 3-0 win over Crawley Wasps. Mil Rogers and Amber Lawrence put them 2-0 up within six minutes and Niamh Deasey added the third midway through the second half to continue Stourbridge’s excellent season.
In Division One Midlands, Sporting Khalsa kept in touch with leaders Stourbridge with a 4-2 win at Leafield Athletic Ladies. Khalsa’s goals came from Olivia Woolston, Steph Weston, Molly Wright and Skye Owen.
West Midlands Premier League action saw Kidderminster Harriers draw 0-0 at Burton Albion but Lye Town won 2-1 at Coundon Court. In Division One North, a thrilling nine-goal local derby saw Lichfield City Reserves beat Tamworth 6-3, Karen Clough and substitute Kyrie Ball both getting two goals.
Walsall Wood got an excellent 2-0 win at Shifnal with goals from Tayler Davies and Rosie Hargreaves but Walsall lost 3-1 at home to Coventry City.
Wyrley were thrashed 6-0 at Port Vale. Bewdley Town beat Rugby Borough 5-1 in the South division with two goals each from Sarah Lojko and Chelsea Mudge and one from Lauren Thompson.
Sedgley & Gornal also had a good 4-0 win at Leamington Lions, with Amy Botfish, Bethany Male, Abi Young and Ashlea Follows on target.
