BURTON Albion hit eight past Sutton United Ladies on Sunday to advance to the quarter-finals of the Birmingham FA County Cup.
Two goals each from Millie Drinkhall and Emily Gillott, along with strikes from Danni Oxley, Charlotte Jarvis, Mo Smith and Milly Wortley sealed a comprehensive victory for the Brewers.
Only an inspired goalkeeping performance from the home side’s keeper prevented Burton from hitting double figures – but it was nevertheless a satisfying performance.
Despite dominating the early exchanges, it did take the Brewers 13 minutes to break the deadlock.
GILLOTT was a constant menace down the left-hand side, as she used her pace to good effect, and it was her that was on-hand to strike the opener as she finished off Ella Ritchie’s brilliant delivery into the box.
The winger was also involved in the second goal which came on 22 minutes. After exchanging passes with the overlapping SMITH who took the ball into her stride, took a touch and smashed the ball past the keeper for her first goal in a Burton shirt.
WORTLEY netted on 27 minutes, which seemed to kill the match as a contest as she poked home a poorly-defended corner to give the Brewers a commanding advantage.
OXLEY then made it three goals in the space of just six first half minutes for Albion as she simply finished at the back post following more good work from Ritchie on the wing.
Yet for the remainder of the half Sutton defended doggedly to ensure they didn’t go into the break trailing by any more than four goals, with the goalkeeper making one particularly inspired save at the back post to deny Oxley from yards out.
With the game resuming, it didn’t take long for the Brewers to add a fifth. After an impressive first half performance, DRINKHALL was rewarded with a goal as she found space in behind to smash the ball into the net.
Ritchie also came close to adding her name to the scoresheet, but with time and space inside the area, she could only fire straight into the arms of the goalkeeper.
DRINKHALL grabbed her second of the game in the 62nd minute as she showed a cool head to slide the ball under the advancing ‘keeper and make it 6-0 to the Brewers.
With eight minutes to go and Sutton legs tiring Burton notched a seventh when GILLOTT came back from off the bench to slot into the bottom corner after being put through by Ritchie.
Despite the scoreline, the Sutton goalkeeper was unphased and continued to make some remarkable stops. After initially blocking Ritchie’s route to goal, the keeper managed to get back to her feet to parry away Jarvis’ effort with her fingertips.
JARVIS, from centre-back, would not be denied her goal though, as deep into injury time she showed a striker’s instinct to thump the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the box.
The Brewers now face Boldmere St Michaels away from home in the quarter-finals on Sunday.