City set standards in statement win

Fuelled by the atmosphere inside the Easy Buy stadium, Hull City Ladies scored three to pass Tier 3 Halifax in the First Round of the FA Cup

Goals from Hope Knight, Katie Thompson and Ruby Dawson (this was her first ever senior goal) secured a place comfortably in the second round hat

City started brightly but had to adjust quickly to the tempo, speed and quality of high league opposition as Halifax had the best of the early chances 

Georgia Stevens, who had an imperious game throughout for the visitors, had the best of the early chances 

Survived and alive, City then grew in to it. Knight and Lynskey had good half chances. Thompson and Dawson combined to deliver a deadly ball across, that just evaded everyone 

Then the goal came. From a corner Knight delivered, the initial ball in was well cleared by the Halifax ‘keeper but Knight collected and this time curled a 30 yarder out into the top corner

Halifax equalised 10 minutes later. A wicked delivery from a freekick found Stevens at the back post to prod home 

Then the second half arrived. 

City started the brightest and capitalised when Kirstie Hunt was the coolest cat in the fridge (when is she not…) to play a first time ball though the back line and Katie Thompson finished calmly for her first of the season

Then it was three. City probed and won a free kick on the edge of the area. Lynskey lined it up and struck well, the rebound fell in to the path of the onrushing… Dawson? 

RUBY DAWSON SCORED A GOAL

As the game wore on City again and the best of the chances. Knight hit the bar and was denied by a leaping save from Flaherty. Ackroyd (x2) and Eve Harriott then forced the Northern Ireland keeper into a triple save before the ball was cleared off the line 

Halifax probed and should have had one back. A dangerous cross was well met and as it crashed off the bar and down you could hear the cries of Frank Lampard in 2010. Goal wasn’t given. 

Final score Hull City Ladies 3, Halifax 1

Wattam; Dawson, Wilson, Watters, Brierley (Symington); Hunt (Copsey), Lynskey, Tanser; Ackroyd, Thompson (Harriott), Knight