Rianna Dean scored a hat-trick in a commanding 5-0 win over Coventry as Spurs Women secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s FA Cup for the first time in our history on Monday night (17 February).
Our number nine scored two penalties in the first half after Siri Worm opened the scoring. Lucia Leon made it 4-0 after the interval before Dean completed her hat-trick shortly before the final whistle to seal our place in the next round of the Cup.
Following the quarter-final draw on Monday evening, we will face Arsenal or Lewes away with ties scheduled to be played on Sunday 15 March.
Karen Hills and Juan Amoros made four changes to the team who earned a draw against Everton in the league last Wednesday (12 February) as captain Jenna Schillaci, Leon, Worm and Angela Addison were introduced into the starting line-up at Butts Park Arena.
We dominated from the off and Ria Percival should have fired us ahead with a powerful header from close range, but her attempt was saved well by Sue Wood in United’s goal, following a sublime ball in from their former player Ashleigh Neville.
Moments later, Worm played a short corner to Gemma Davison, before curling it into the top left corner to give us a warranted lead in the 19th minute.
Dean doubled our advantage just under 10 minutes later after she was fouled in the box by Hayley Crackle before she fired home a well-taken penalty past Wood.
The forward scored once again on the brink of half-time from another penalty, this time she placed it into the bottom left corner after Addison was clipped in the box by Maz Gauntlett.
After the break, Leon bagged our fourth of the game in the 78th minute with a tap-in at the back post following an exquisite delivery from substitute Lucy Quinn.
Quinn registered another assist 12 minutes later as Dean headed in her cross for her hat-trick and sealed a comfortable win against the Championship side to guarantee our place in the quarter-finals next month.
At full-time, Head Coach Karen Hills said: “I couldn’t be happier, the first time we’ve managed to get into the quarter-finals of the Cup, I’m really proud of all the girls. They went out and executed everything we asked of them. Rianna Dean scoring a hat-trick was fantastic, Lucia Leon scoring as well and Siri Worm with another set piece and we kept a clean sheet so all in all, it was a good night’s work. We made changes again tonight, we have a fantastic squad and we believe in every single player and want to give them as many opportunities to play as possible and they took their chance tonight. I thought Angela Addison did well, Lucia (Leon) was fantastic and the subs who came on were outstanding too. Arsenal or Lewes next in the FA Cup is an exciting draw and we’re really looking forward to it. Whoever we play, we’re just pleased we’ve got ourselves into a fantastic position in the Cup and it’s a momentous moment for us to get into the quarter-finals.”
