WHAT HAPPENED
We hit double figures in the in the fourth round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup on Sunday as we ran out 10-0 winners over Gillingham.
Vivianne Miedema marked her 100th appearance for the club with a goal, while Jill Roord hit a first-half hat-trick and Anna Patten scored her first in Arsenal colours.
Teyah Goldie also made her first-team debut as a second-half substitute.
Having named a strong starting XI, we wasted no time in asserting our dominance over the FA Women’s National League side, and after just seven minutes we found ourselves ahead.
Jill Roord opened the soring by firing home from close range, before Beth Mead doubled our advantage with one of her signature ‘crot’ finishes, breaking free down the right wing and firing in off the woodwork.
Kim Little then went on to make it three by brushing into the bottom left corner, before Miedema capitalised on good left-wing play by Caitlin Foord and Roord to coolly finish past Cara Davies.
Roord then registered her second of the afternoon with another impressive finish, peeling off the shoulder of her marker, before completing her hat-trick in the 42nd minute from a similar attacking move.
Following the restart, Gillingham managed to keep us at bay for 15 minutes, but it was worth the wait for our seventh, as Patten scored her first goal for the club.
Miedema found space on the left side of the box and delivered an inch-perfect pass into the path of Patten, who was left with the simple task of firing home.
Danielle van de Donk followed this up with an outstanding header for our eighth of the afternoon, courtesy of a floated Leah Williamson cross, before substitute Jordan Nobbs stormed into the area and fizzed a low effort into the bottom corner.
For a moment, it looked like we would fall short of double figures as Gillingham’s defence continued to put their bodies on the line, but with less than a minute remaining, Mead made it 10 as she pounced on a loose ball and powered home from close range.
WHAT’S NEXT
Next up, we will face Crystal Palace at home in the fifth round of the competition.
It is set to be Joe Montemurro’s final game in charge, with the tie due to take place on the weekend of May 16.
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