Despite leading by two goals at the break, it was the attacking surge early on in the second half of the game that ultimately sealed the fate of the tie.
Autumn Housley earnt herself a brace despite featuring as a central defender for a majority of the fixture, with further standout performances from Charlotte Stuart and Rebecca Beresford enough to overcome the Cheshire Women’s Premier Division side.
It was somewhat of a highly anticipated contest for the Dabbers side, featuring in the first round of the Women’s FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history since their inauguration in 2020, following their wins over Fleetwood Town, Mossley Hill and Solihull Moors in the preliminary and qualifying rounds.
It would prove to be a struggle however for the sixth-tier side, visiting a Town outfit exceeding them by two divisions, with their presence in the tie a result of Barnsley’s unavailability in the round previous.
It was the Terriers to establish themselves on the front-foot early on, with Molly Firth presented with a chance as early as the fourth minute as her slight mis-control hindered her effort towards goal.
Preston reinstated his seemingly developed system as seen in recent weeks, approaching the contest with a more fluid-based defensive line, featuring more attacking players amongst the deeper units in the side to create a more progressive whole-eleven, with Yasmon Mason and Beresford amongst the wide coverage, whilst Beth Stanfield would alternatively provide stability from the midfield region.
Firth struck first in the 14th minute as she met Beresford’s low-ball into the area, slotting well with the instep out of the goalkeeper’s reach will a drilled strike into the far-left corner.
The advantage was soon doubled in accordance with the momentum of play, with Ashley Tiripike finding Stuart with an incisive pass from within the area, having her first effort denied before responding first to the rebound and slotting into the empty net.
There was a slight reluctancy from Nantwich to commit offensively, with their number nine often isolated and therefore well contained by Housley and Serena Fletcher. This lack of opposition attacking weightage was soon recognised, as Fletcher later drifted into a wider role to allow Mason more freedoms higher up the field.
Further chances for Stuart striding into the second-striker role that could not be capitalised on saw the hosts enter the break two-to-the-good.
Half Time: Huddersfield Town 2-0 Nantwich Town
The Terriers started the second period quick out the traps as they meant to finish the first, with Tiripke coming close on a number of occasions once again following her two disallowed efforts in the first half, picked out by Beresford who became a primary attacking outlet from the right flank.
The side soon earnt their much deserved third and fourth of the fixture, with two goals in less than two minutes courtesy of Housley, scoring in quick succession with both strikes from inside the area as the hosts grew closer to a placement in the hat for the second round.
The floodgates soon opened as Tiripke made it five just short of the hour mark, and three in four minutes for Town, conveying her poacher role as Mason’s effort deflected from the woodwork as the striker met it first to slot into the open net.
Preston later enforced a quadruple change, with features of Ria Montgomery and Kate Mallin, as well as debutants Lucy Grice and Liv Dawson.
Stuart doubled her personal tally as Town reached the six mark in the 86th minute, before substitute Kate Mallin finalised the contest in stoppage time to secure a seventh and the home side’s progression into the ensuing stage of the cup.
Full Time: Huddersfield Town 7-0 Nantwich Town
Town have been drawn Accrington Stanley in the second round of the FA Cup, whilst continuing their league campaign against Manchester-based side in Cheadle Town Singers as they continue their hopes for a return back into the third tier of the Women’s football pyramid.
Goals:
14′ Firth (Beresford)
23′ Stuart
56′ Housley (Tiripke)
57′ Housley (Beresford)
59′ Tiripke (Embley)
86′ Stuart (Mason)
90′ Mallin (Stuart)
Substitutions:
68′ Mallin, Grice, Dawson, Montgomery (Mason, Duffield, Stanfield, Embley)
Match Report: Harry Walsh
Photo Credits: Joe Cooper
