Accrington Stanley are now just eight wins from the Vitality Women’s FA Cup final following a 3-0 defeat of Mossley AFC at Padiham.
A double from Sadie Mitchell following Sanah Mehdi’s opener means Stanley are now into the third qualifying round of this season’s Vitality Women’s FA Cup, the final qualifier before the first round proper.
The game was overshadowed however by a serious injury to Mitchell, who will now miss the rest of the season with a fractured fibula and tibia. Stanley ‘s star striker and ex-Scotland, Manchester City and Everton player, who has netted fives times in her first three games, picked up the injury in a 50/50 challenge, which resulted in the match being abandoned after 71 minutes.
Accrington Stanley Women Head Coach, Bryn Tracey, said: “It’s a bittersweet day for us. Of course we are delighted to have progressed in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup but we as a club want to wish our warmest well wishes to Sadie and hope that she is back playing football soon.
“We would like to thank everyone who tended to Sadie on the pitch including everyone at Mossley AFC Women for their fantastic professionalism.
In the build-up to the game Accrington Stanley Women showcased their support for Ukrainian guests and their host families from across Hyndburn by inviting them to the match, which included free transport, entry and refreshments. Before kick-off, the visitors were welcomed onto the pitch for a photocall with both sets of players, as well as members of the club’s junior teams.
With Stanley unbeaten in the league this season, they were determined to take that form into the FA Cup and made a positive start to the game, going close on a number of occasions, before player of the match Mehdi scrambled home after a free-kick from Millie Jardine was spilled by the Mossley goalkeeper.
Buoyed by that goal, Accrington Stanley kept pushing and after a shot from Jordan Harding crashed back off the crossbar, Mitchell was on hand to head home and secure a 2-0 half-time lead.
The second-half started much as the first had ended, with Stanley on top, and after Ellie Stuart hit the bar, it did not take long for the home side to increase their lead, with Mehdi supplying a fantastic ball to Mitchell who fired home her second to make it 3-0.
Unfortunately that would be Mitchell’s final involvement in the game, the referee abandoning the game on 71 minutes with Accrington Stanley progressing to the next round, at home to Tranmere Rovers on Sunday 23 October.
