Hull City fight back to deny Halifax FC Women in FA Cup
Halifax FC Women led at half time in their Adobe Women’s FA Cup tie on Sunday, only for Hull City to fight back and secure a place in the next round with a 4-1 win.
Winger Meg Shaw gave hosts Halifax a flying start, when she pounced on a mistake from Hull goalkeeper Georgia Wattan, to open the scoring with only five minutes played.
Halifax continued to press high, using long balls over the Hull defence to great effect and keeping the Tigresses pinned back for much of the opening stages.
Halifax skipper Phoebe Hollin came close to extending the lead before the break with a well-struck free kick that was whipped into the danger zone, but no one was able to turn it home.
Hull’s persistence in possession began to show promise but Halifax keeper Maddie Crosbie made a string of solid saves to preserve the first-half clean sheet and give her team the advantage going into the interval.
Fax manager Rob Mitchell made an attacking change at half-time, bringing on Bonnie Davies for Farah Crompton, looking to maintain pressure and add to Halifax’s lead.
Davies immediately made an impact, holding up the ball well and driving the attack forward.
However, a foul by Emily Burke on Sophie Hayward in the box gave Hull City the lifeline they were looking for and Hope Knight stepped up and converted the penalty in the 70th minute, sending Crosbie the wrong way to level the scores.
The equaliser lifted Hull’s confidence and soon after, they turned the game on its head.
From a scrappy corner, Sophie Hayward reacted quickest to slot the ball home, giving the Tigresses a 2-1 lead.
Halifax continued to push for an equaliser but Hull struck again from another corner.
The delivery to the back post was initially met by Hayward, whose effort was blocked but Catherine Hamill was on hand to finish from close range to make it 3-1.
Mitchell’s side kept fighting, with chances for Hollin and substitute Bonnie Davies, but it wasn’t to be and in the closing stages, Hull’s Maiya Akrill slipped through the Halifax defence to seal the 4-1 victory and secure the Tigresses’ place in the next round.
Speaking after the game, Halifax manager Rob Mitchell reflected on the missed chances from his team in the first half, saying: “I think it’s been a problem all season; a combination of composure and control in front of goal. It’s something we’re trying to address.”
Halifax showed promising moments and were hoping for better fortunes from the trip to Middlesbrough last night, Wednesday, when they returned to their National League Northern Premier campaign.
Halifax are in action again on Sunday when they entertain Wolves.