Manchester City Women 3, Watford Ladies 0 (SSE Women’s FA Cup 4th Round)
Two second half goals from Nikita Parris and a late goal by Pauline Bremer sent Manchester City Women through to the fifth round of the SSE Women’s FA Cup against a stubborn Watford side.
Manchester City needed super-sub Nikita Parris to break the deadlock after they had spent over an hour trying to beat Watford Ladies’ goalkeeper Weronika Baranowska.
City found it hard to break down Watford Ladies with several of their stars rested.
The third tier club frustrated the home side who hit the woodwork and had a goal ruled out for offside and a certain goal blocked on the line.
There was an early long range chance by Helen Ward easily collected by Karen Bardsley even with the low sun in her eyes after just 2 minutes.
Weronika Baranowska proves hard to beat for Watford Ladies
Keira Walsh forced Weronica Baranowska into a more acrobatic save to tip her 20 yard drive over the bar within 8 minutes while City’s captain Steph Houghton’s free kick was comfortably caught by Baranowska.
City were laying siege to the Watford goal, but taking one pass too many but Jess Park forced a corner from which Claire Emslie found Pauline Bremer whose shot was saved low by Baranowska.
Claire Emslie’s free kick was diverted onto the Watford crossbar by Bremer after half an hour as City struggled to raise their intensity.
Melissa Lawley put a great cross by Bremer wide while another Walsh long range shot was dealt with by Baranowska as Watford comfortably kept the Blues at bay.
Bremer thought she had broken the deadlock after 39 minutes but she was offside when her shot beat Baranowska, the German also laid on a chance to for Lawley who blazed over while Park also had a couple of chances.
The one way traffic continued in the second half with Georgia Stanway firing over the bar from outside the area and Park keeping Baranowska’s gloves warm with yet another low shot.
Bremer crossed again for Park but her shot was cleared off the line by Emily Hill with Baranowska wrong-footed.
The intensity was missing so City head coach Nick Cushing made a double change with Lawley and Hemp coming off for Tessa Wullaert and Nikita Parris after 57 minutes.
City went on the front foot with Parris’ firepower back on the pitch.
Emslie’s shot curled wide after Parris slid the ball to her.
Nikita Parris comes off the bench to open the scoring for Manchester City Women
It wasn’t long before Parris was in a shooting position, though, and she beat Baranowska after breaking free of the Watford defence onto a through ball.
There was an even bigger cheer after Megan Campbell was reintroduced to City fans as Nick Cushing immediately brought off makeshift right wing back Emslie and replaced her with the more defensively minded Irish international – back from injury for the first time in 15months.
Wullaert sent the ball wide with a fierce shot from the edge of the area and Parris screwed a shot wide as City immediately sought a second goal.
And they got it after 69 minutes when Parris found herself free again with the ball after a lay off and duly doubled the lead.
Watford were reeling at this point and Houghton headed wide from a corner after Baranowska had brilliantly saved from Wullaert.
Baranowska denied Parris a deserved hat trick in the 77th minute after she raced off her line to block three successive attempts on goal by the quick striker who was clean through yet again.
Long balls were beating Watford with ease and Parris was clean through again a minute later but chose to pass to Bremer who sent her shot wide.
Morgan won a corner off Baranowska while Park teed up Parris but she was denied the goal by a Watford defender’s last ditch tackle and Stanway sent another shot wide.
Park and Parris spurned late chances to score City’s third of the day while Wullaert’s shot was blocked on the line by Adekite Fatuga-Dada as the Hornets remained stubborn.
City finally scored their third of the day in the 86th minute with Pauline Bremer netting with a low shot across the face of the goal after Jess Park put her clean through.
The German also hit the bar with a rising shot a minute later with the game already won.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 3, Watford Ladies 0 (SSE Women’s FA Cup 4th Round)
Man City Women 1, Watford Ladies 0: 63. Nikita Parris broke free of the Watford defence and slotted the ball past Baranowska to open the scoring.
Man City Women 2, Watford Ladies 0: 69. Nikita Parris doubles the lead from range after a lay-off.
Man City Women 3, Watford Ladies 0: 86. Pauline Bremer shot across the goal and inside the far post from close range after Jess Park put her clean through.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 3, Watford Ladies 0 (SSE Women’s FA Cup)
Man City Women: Bardsley, Houghton (C), Bonner, Morgan, Emslie (Campbell 64), Walsh, Stanway, Lawley (Parris 57), Park, Hemp (Wullaert 57), Bremer
Man City Women Subs not used: Stenson, Stokes, Weir, Bissell
Goals: Parris 63, 69; Bremer 86
Watford Ladies: Baranowska, Huggins (Baker 82), Hill, Hallsworth, Bell (Afuakwah 68), Stojko-Down, Ward (C), Fatuga-Dada, Carid (O’Leary 56), Kettle, Scanlon
Watford Ladies Subs not used: Martin, Edwards, Harney, Akerman
Booked: Carid 29 (Foul on Stanway)
Attendance: 883