Women's Report: Sunderland 0-2 Saints

The scores were goalless at the break after a tight first half with chances for both sides.

Saints started the second half well and took the lead through an emphatic Katie Wilkinson finish.

Wilkinson doubled the lead and secured the victory two minutes from time with an impressive diving header.

Almost exactly a month on from their last outing, Saints made three changes with Megan Collett, Laura Rafferty, and Atlanta Primus handed starts, as Under-21s midfielder Kayla Nohasiarisoa was called up to the bench.

Youngster Kayla Nohasiarisoa was included in the squad. (Photos: Isabelle Field)

It was an even contest between the Barclays Women’s Championship rivals, as both sides traded spells of possession at Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground.

The hosts were first to threaten through Mary McAteer, whose shot across goal forced Beth Howard into early action with a strong hand to palm the ball away.

Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side took some time to grow into the game, but their first chance came when Molly Pike fired high and wide from just inside the area in the 14th minute.

Howard was called upon once more to make an important stop, denying McAteer again as she smothered the ball from the forward’s feet.

Sunderland’s Katie Kitching headed wide before Pike had a shot from the other end comfortably saved, as the tide turned in Saints’ favour.

Pike had her best opportunity just after the half hour mark when she raced in behind the defence, but was denied by Claudia Moan’s smart save.

Two minutes later, Moan was on hand to thwart Saints again; Pike looked to turn provider this time with a cut back to Rianna Dean, who was denied from six yards out.

The hosts ended the half back on top with two chances of their own, as Howard was alert to save Kitching’s strike and a looping cross from Mollie Rouse that was deflected goalwards.

After the break, Saints came out the livelier side and had a penalty shout when Molly Pike went down under the challenge of Moan, but the referee waved the appeals away.

The complaints were short lived though, as Saints went one better and found the opener in the 55th minute.

Megan Collett won the ball and drove forward with intent down the right wing, picking out Wilkinson with a pinpoint early cross that allowed Saints’ forward to control and power into the far corner.

Wilkinson broke the deadlock.

Another Saints penalty appeal was dismissed moments after the opener, this time when Dean went down in the area, before another period of finely balanced action followed.

With just over ten minutes to play, the hosts missed a gilt-edged chance to level the scores when Elizabeta Ejupi broke through one-on-one but slipped and rolled her shot wide of the target.

That opportunity was punished two minutes from time when Saints, and Wilkinson, found the second goal that sealed the victory.

Substitute Megan Wynne battled her way down the right wing before the ball reached Lucia Kendall, who delivered a cross that was met by an instinctive diving header from Saints’ number nine.

Saints comfortably saw out the eight minutes of stoppage time that followed, earning themselves a place in the fifth round for just the second time.

Sunderland: Moan, Griffiths, McAteer (Watson 72), Kitching, Brown (Scarr 72), Fenton, Goddard, Rouse, Dear, Westrup (captain), Ejupi.

Subs not used: Borthwick, McCatty, McInness, Beer, Jones, Casap.

Yellow Cards: Dear 90+2.

Saints: Howard, Collet, Mott, Parnell. Rafferty, Purfield, Kendall, Primus (Peake 86), Pike, Wilkinson, Dean (Wynne 86).

Subs not used: Milne, Nohasiarisoa, Pharoah.

Goals: Wilkinson 55, 88.

Attendance: 300