Middlesbrough 4-0 Wem Town
By Graham Falk
Middlesbrough Women eased into round four of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup with a 4-0 win over Wem Town Ladies at Bedford Terrace this afternoon.
A goal in each half from Katie Wilson coupled with strikes from Libby Dixon and Armani Maxwell fired the Teessiders into the next round as Steph Fairless’ side made it two wins in a week.
Fairless made only two changes from the team that beat Hull City last week, as captain Rebekah Bass returned for the injured Emily Marsh, while Eve Marshall was preferred to Jasmine McQuade.
An even first half saw a speculative effort from Wilson fool the Wem Town goalkeeper on 24 minutes to put Boro in the driving seat.
However, Wem Town found themselves with a glorious opportunity to level only seconds later, but found Rosie Todd in fine form.
Whilst the first half was an even affair, Middlesbrough Women showed their quality in the second period, and Dixon doubled the lead with a well taken finish from Rebecca Olley’s superb through ball to engineer the pathway to the next round on 49 minutes.
Dixon, Millie Bell and Dale would see chances come and go with Boro firmly in the ascendancy, but it would be Wilson who would add gloss to the win, smashing home her second, rifling into the top corner from 20 yards out on 66 minutes.
Substitute Armani Maxwell’s 76th minute strike cemented a dominant Boro second half when she placed home an excellent left footed shot.
Wem Town, who battled until the very end, almost got a consolation with the final kick of the game but, once again, Todd refused to allow the Boro net to bulge.
Middlesbrough’s win puts them into round four, as they face Women’s Championship side Sheffield United at Bedford Terrace.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Todd, Robson, Wilson, Bass, Cassidy, Morrison, Bell, Marshall, Dixon, Dale, Olley. Substitutes: Newton, Hebb, Maxwell, Boyle.
Scorers: Wilson 24, 66. Dixon 49. Maxwell 76.
impetusfootball.org 