Semi-Final Spot secured with Williams' hat-trick

Herne Bay FC Ladies (3) 5
Lauren Williams 3, 45, 48
Kate Foster 40 (pen)
Lauren Harris 47

Phoenix Sports (0) 1

Kent Women's FA Cup, Quarter-Final
Sunday 18th November 2018
at Winch's Field

attendance: 63

(photo: Kate Foster scores from the spot)

A Lauren Williams hat-trick, her second triple of the season, both of them in the Kent Women's FA Cup, helped fire Herne Bay FC Ladies into the sem-final stage. Phoenix Sports looked an accomplished outfit with neat passing and spatial play but they were undone by a hot temperement and periods of sparkling play by the Division One (East) leaders, writes Peter Guise. Lauren Williams pounced on an error as early as the third minute to slot passed Ciara Tighe in the Phoenix goal then added her second, Bay's third, on the stroke of half-time. Sandwiched in between was an unsavoury incident that left Bay's Jemma Barton needing prolonged treatment after being crunched in the penalty area with the referee instantly pointing to the spot. This sparked a tirade of protests from the visitors but Kate Foster calmly slotted the ball home.

The opening ten minutes of the second period saw Bay turn on the magic playing some of their best football of the season. It was rewarded with two goals in the space of as many minutes. Lauren Harris produced a perfect cushioned header and Lauren Williams completed her hat-trick to put the game out of sight. If anything Bay were a little guilty of taking the collective foot off the pedal and Phoenix picked up what turned out to be a consolation goal in the 54th minute to remind the home side that the game was not quite over.

This will be Herne Bay's third appearance in the sem-finals of the Kent Women's FA Cup having reached the final once. The draw and date are expected to be announced next Friday.

"That period after half-time showed exactly what we can do when it clicks, it was football of the highest quality", said manager Peter Whittaker, "but the cup run is a bonus for us, we have set the league as a priority and next Sunday's game is a crucial one for us at Tonbridge Angels, we will need to have our 'A' game with us".

Herne Bay FC Ladies: Sarah Cooper, Lucy Page, Kayleigh Mount, Jemma Barton, Kerry Grant, Kate Foster (capt), Megan Pearce (Alice Phillips 67), Lauren Williams (Katie Reeves 77), Saraya Phillips, Lauren Harris, Abigail Duff (Asmaa Hatim 67).

Player of the Match: Lauren Williams