“We dominated the game”, exclaims WBA Women’s head coach Siobhan Hodgetts-Still following their 7-1 victory over Sutton Coldfield on Sunday helping them progress in the cup.
The result means Hodgetts-Still’s side progressed to the next round of the Birmingham FA Challenge Cup, a competition the Albion hopes to progress far in.
Ali Miller and Ellie May were heavily influential throughout the game, scoring the first two goals for the Albion in the first half with Miller adding a second after halftime and May assisting a second-half goal.
Hodgetts-Still said, “In and around the box, we created some very good opportunities. Especially in the second half, once that third goal went in, I thought it could’ve been more!”
Miller has her brace! Ash Brown and Simran Jhamat play intricately between each other, before Ali Miller slams into the bottom-left corner.
— West Bromwich Albion Women (@WBAWomen) November 17, 2024
💙🤍 3-1 🌹 | (58')
After half-time, Miller added her second of the afternoon before Simran Jhamat, Fran Orthodoxou, Rhianne Oakley and an unfortunate own goal completed the rout.
The second-year head coach gave credit to the entire attacking group for their work in the week leading up to the game, “we’ve been working on that [being more clinical] in training.
“Today I thought we scored some good goals, we could’ve had a few more but we scored seven and that’s an improvement on previous performances.”
Hodgetts-Still was complimentary of Miller following her move across the Black Country from Wolverhampton Wanderers Women in the summer.
Morning all, especially Rubie and Ali. 💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/7uk9qIKfJa
— West Bromwich Albion Women (@WBAWomen) July 27, 2024
“Ali’s a player that I’ve been keen on for a couple of seasons now and she’s a very good player. The last few weeks she knows she could’ve done better with some chances she’s had and created for herself.
“I’m glad she got those two really good finishes, she’s a key player for us. We want to improve those moments for her so she can continue to add goals to her tally.”
It was a day for the summer signings as Miller and May stole the show but Oakley who joined from Cardiff also netted her third goal in three games.
Oakley’s former Cardiff teammate, Seren Watkins (another summer addition) battled hard in the middle of the park, but it was her midfield partner Fran Orthodoxou who returned from injury off the bench and stole the show.
🔙 in the matchday squad today.
— West Bromwich Albion Women (@WBAWomen) November 17, 2024
Great to see you again, @FranOrthodoxou4! 👋 pic.twitter.com/0Pkr25BO2e
“Fran’s been out for a while and she’s worked hard behind the scenes and at training to get herself fit. Today she came on and showed her class, that she’s good in the box and got herself a goal as well.”
The Baggies’ attention now turns to their second-round Adobe Women’s FA Cup game at home against Worcester City Women next Sunday.
Hodgetts-Still gave her thoughts on next week’s matchup, “In all cups, we want to progress. There were times that Sutton caused us problems and Worcester will be the same.
We have to be professional in our standards, to get back to training, work out our plan and execute it. We want to progress into the next round of the FA Cup and go as far as we can.”
