Halifax FC switched the home ground for this Sunday’s FA WNL Plate second round match against Birmingham City Academy to the YoungGuns FC Arena, Tadcaster, due to damage to the playing surface at Myra Shay. This charming historical town proved to bring good luck for the Eagles, as we qualified for the next round with a convincing 3-1 win.
The Eagles’ early pressure
Halifax FC started pressing high from the first minute of the game, setting the tone for this intense knock-out match. In the 8th minute, Dolcie O’Connor shook off the defender on the left wing and delivered a teasing cross, which found Meg Shaw at the far post, who took a quick touch, spun away from the defender, before her shot was saved by the opponent’s goalkeeper. The 18th minute saw Farah Crompton break through from the left, following which her outside-of-the-boot attempt hit the side net. One minute later, Dolcie O’Connor also burst through the defence after receiving a long ball from the midfield, but her powerful strike from a narrow angle was wide.
After enduring nearly half an hour of stormy attacking waves from the Eagles, the away team started to find their rhythm in the game to some extent, managing to build up some threatening counterattacks. In the 33rd minute, their long-range effort was saved by Maddie Crosbie, before their even more promising counter nine minutes later was halted by a crucial interception by Summer Horner.
Breaking the deadlock before the half-time whistle
Before the end of the first half, the Eagles launched an even fiercer attacking push, trying to break the ice. Farah Crompton found Meg Shaw during a counterattack, whose shot was blocked by Birmingham’s defender. At the 4th minute of the added time, the Eagles finally broke the deadlock. Farah Crompton seized the opportunity of the opponent’s back pass error and had a 1v1 opportunity with the goalkeeper. The YoungGuns FC Arena witnessed her dribbling past the goalkeeper and sending the ball calmly into the back of the net. The Eagles managed to take a 1-0 advantage into the second half.
Half-time: Halifax FC 1-0 Birmingham City Academy
Sealing our win in the second half
Entering the second half, Birmingham City Academy adopted a more offensive strategy, attempting to equalise, but Halifax FC’s defence stayed compact and absorbed the pressure well.
In the 63rd minute, Anna Phillips played a long ball from the back, which travelled across the whole pitch to find Farah Crompton, who cut in from the left and managed to beat the keeper again with a precise side-foot finish, scoring her second of the game while doubling the lead for the Eagles.
That wasn’t the end of the game. The 82nd minute witnessed the Eagles switching the attack to the right. Phoebe Hollin made a forward run and delivered a dangerous cross that flashed across the box before being touched by the away team’s player, leading to a corner for us. After several rounds of Halifax corners from left to right, Anna Phillips rose the highest, met the cross, and headed it home, expanding the lead to three goals.
Birmingham City Academy still managed to take a goal away from the game on this cold afternoon at Tadcaster, as their long-range shot pulled one back for them in the injury time.
Full time: Halifax FC 3-1 Birmingham City Academy
After qualifying for the quarter-final of the FA WNL Plate, the Eagles’ next action will be next Sunday, hosting Liverpool Feds at home in a league fixture.
Written by Dai Xingzhi