Swindon Spitfires eased into the semi-finals of the Wiltshire FA Cup with a 6-0 victory over Swindon Town’s Development side who had keeper Catia Cordeiro to thank for keeping the score down.

Cordeiro was quick off her line to deny Ria Salleh twice in the first couple of minutes, and Salleh was then denied by the offside flag in the 9th minute after Sammie Smith and Beth Turner combined to create the chance.

Spitfires finally took the lead in the 21st minute when Hayley Huckin waited for the onrushing Cordeiro to commit before calmly slotting past her. And the lead was doubled three minutes later when Salleh’s shot was too hot to handle and Suze Berry pounced on the rebound.

With Cordeiro playing off her line Berry then went close to a second goal with a long-range lob than just went wide on 27 minutes, but sustained Spitfires pressure saw them add the third just past the half hour. Some good interplay between Turner, Skinner and Salleh sees Huckin’s shot turned away for a corner, which although initially cleared Skinner won the ball back before firing over  the keeper.

With Town struggling to contain Turner’s pace Huckin forced another good save from her cross, and then chased the ball down to win another corner that Cordeiro does well to claw away Debbie Rose’s goal-bound header on 34 minutes.

A rare Town break saw them almost profit after keeper Julia Caton’s clearance hit the oncoming striker, but the referee deemed it to have been controlled by the arm and awarded Spitfires the free-kick.

Morgan Whitaker, Karyn Coombs, Salleah and Berry were all then denied by some more good saves before the teams changed ends.

Spitfires added their fourth four minutes into the second half when Huckin’s shot from a Berry cross won them another corner; Smith floated the delivery in and Huckin’s header found the far corner.

With Town pinned back in their own half Coombs fired just over the bar on 52 minutes before sub Katie Wadey marked her return from injury with the first of her brace, playing a nice one-two with Huckin before slotting home in the 53rd minute.

Another good move from Spitfires saw Laura Stallard find Berry to set Turner free again, Wadey just missed the resultant cross but lands at Coombs’ feet who again fires over on the hour mark.

A minute later Spitfires added the sixth, Rose slotting a through ball for Huckin who laid it off perfectly for Wadey to notch her second.

A rare forage forward saw Town win a free-kick wide left on 63 minutes, but it was an easy collect for Caton and Spitfires resumed their siege of the Town half.

Further chances for Whitaker, Huckin and Wadey were all denied by the athletic Cordeiro before Town’s strike on goal in the 82nd minutes was again comfortable for Caton. A quick break saw Turner run the length of the pitch only for the cross to be bravely gathered in the area.

Rose then saw her header well saved from a Smith corner before shooting just wide in the final minute as Spitfires completed a comfortable win against a young, spirited Town side.

Copy from Mike Skinner Swindon Spitfires with thanks.

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