Lancashire Girls U14s 4 Cheshire Girls U14s 0

ESFA National Cup, round two

LANCASHIRE Girls Under 14s are safely through to third round of the English Schools FA National Cup with a fine all-round team performance to see off a sprited Cheshire side.

While the scoreline suggests a one-sided affair, it was anything but as the visitors made the Red Rose girls work for their victory.

But in the end a hat-trick from South Ribble’s Hannah Walsh and a goal for Blackburn and Darwen’s Kaya-Lilly Pottinger sealed a safe passage in to the next round.

Cheshire started brightly. They kept the ball better than Lancashire, with lots of pace and caused the host county plenty of problems.

It was the defence of Lancashire that set the tone for the win with a debutant Naomi Hartley from Burnley and Ellie Spooner putting in excellent performances.

Lancashire took the lead in the 25th minute when Walsh slotted past the keeper.

They doubled their lead soon after the break when Walsh hammered home her second with a sweet 20-yard strike.

Lancashire’s determination was summed up by Pottinger.

After making three challenges out of the left wing, the ball broke to her and she coolly slotted home.

Walsh then sealed her hat-trick, skipping around the keeper before rolling the ball into an empty net.

Lancashire Under 14s: Melia Size (Captain) (West Lancashire), Kimberley Sykes (Burnley), Courtney Willis (West Lancashire), Caitlin Gerrard (Pendle), Ellie Spooner (Blackpool), Naomi Hartley (Burnley), Sadie Mitchell (Pendle), Hannah Walsh (South Ribble), Maddison Hadley (Blackpool), Kaya-Lilly Pottinger (Blackburn with Dsarwen), Eve Clarkson (Blackburn With Darwen), Courthey Woodhead (Preston), Emily Yeoman (Hyndburn and Ribble Valley), Ebony Stinson (Blackburn With Darwen), Olivia Powell (West Lancashire), Maddison Mckenna (Hyndburn and Ribble Valley).