Stanway Hat-trick Helps Manchester City Chop Down Forest

Manchester City Women continued their impressive recent form by knocking eight without reply to cruise into the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup. The 23-year-old’s treble saw her become City Women’s all-time top goalscorer with 64 goals, surpassing Nikita Parris’ record of 62 as the blues crushed their National League Northern Premier opponents.

Stanway came on as a second half substitute for Alex Greenwood with the blues already 3-0 up thanks to goals from Caroline Weir, Bunny Shaw and Filippa Angeldahl and took just five minutes to score. Shaw scored a brace and Lauren Hemp also got on the scoresheet as the blues ran riot to book their place in the next round.

And the afternoon was made better for the travelling fans as goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck made her first appearance of the season after recovering from a calf injury that has kept her out of the side. The young England keeper returned to training earlier this week and was rarely troubled by the home side.

City have been known for going on the attack straight from kick-off and Saturday’s match was no different, with the blues finding the back of the net with just two minutes on the clock. Weir did well to wrestle the ball through the Forest defence before releasing Hemp down the left. The youngster charged into the box and cut the ball back for Weir, whose first time shot wrong-footed the keeper and City were 1-0 up.

The blues were not prepared to suffer an FA Cup shock and rallied around Gareth Taylor’s demand for a professional performance at the City Ground. Home keeper Emily Batty had to be alert to stop Shaw and Janine Beckie from adding to Weir’s opener as the blues threatened to overrun the home side in the first half.

On 34 minutes, City got the second goal their play deserved, and it came from the head of the Jamaican striker. Angeldahl’s corner was met by the head of Shaw, and the home side appeals for a foul on defender as the ball came in fell on deaf ears as the referee pointed to the centre circle.

With two minutes to go before half time, the blues made it 3-0 and ended any slim hopes of a Forest comeback. Greenwood’s ball forward eluded the Forest defence, and Angeldahl had the simplest of tasks to guide the ball past the keeper and send City into the interval 3-0 to the good.

Stanway came on at half-time and took on the goalscoring duties. Just five minutes into the second half, the striker was released by Shaw, before firing home from an impossible angle to make it 4-0. There seemed little chance of Stanway scoring, but her powerful shot beat the keeper at her near post and nestled into the back of the goal to draw level with Parris’ record.

Three minutes later, Hemp got in on the act, making it 5-0. Laura Coombs picked up the ball in midfield and drove at the Forest defence, before releasing Hemp, who fired home left footed into the far corner.

Shaw got her second with help from the home keeper on 69 minutes. Not expecting a back-pass, the keeper had to adjust to try and clear, but her first touch knocked the ball into the path of Shaw, and Bunny made no mistake, thumping home from close range.

All that was left to see City through was for Stanway to complete her treble and enter the record books, which she did two minutes later. Jess Park tricked her way to the by-line and crossed for Stanway, who nutmegged the keeper to make it 7-0 as she scored her 63^rd goal for City.

And Stanway started to build on her record straight away by adding City’s eight in injury time. Lucy Bronze charged forward and played in Park down the right. Her cross found Stanway in the box and the youngster’s first touch took her away from the defender, before curling a left foot shot beyond the keeper to make the match ball hers.

It was a professional performance from the blues, who barely gave their opponents any time on the ball, and City made it seven wins from eight unbeaten matches.

Final Score: Nottingham Forest Ladies 0-8 Manchester City Women