City faced Stoke City (A) in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup on the 13th December. The Midland Combination side had a good run so far in the FA CUp leading up to this game so were fairly confident.

City started brightly with a neat move with Zira Handley and Natasha Meade who spread the ball out to Katie Lowder, her cross for Courtney Sweetman-Kirk was headed powerfully but the home keeper Alice Langstone made a fine save.

The Foxes opened their account on 14 minutes when Chloe Jones found skipper Rachel Stowell whose shot was parried out by keeper Langstone but Kirsty Linnett followed up to blast home.

The Stoke side were hitting City on the break with their strikers Kate Asher and Emma Sanders causing a few problems and City keeper Leanne Hall had to be alert on a couple of occasions. The Foxes continued their surge and increased their lead on 22 minutes when Linnett put Meade through who made a fantastic run and coolly finished past the oncoming keeper.

The game was fairly competitive for a cup-tie but the score remained the same until the break.

After the restart Stoke came out the blocks and gave themselves a lifeline on 50 minutes when Sanders fierce shot was deflected to give Hall in the City goal no chance.

The Foxes made the perfect response within a minute when a fine run by Linnett on the left, whipped the ball into the box for Sweetman-Kirk to slide home City’s third.

The flood gates opened Linnett grabbed her second on 57 minutes after good work by Lowder and Jones.
Then Hannah Smith, who had just come on, hit number five on 58 minutes from an acute angle that deceived keeper Langstone.

Skipper Stowell made it six as she powered home in the 68th minute but Stoke’s forward Asher slotted home their second in the 81st minute.

City now face Millwall (H) at Blaby Scout HQ 1pm ko on Sunday 10th January in the 4th Round. The two sides have met for the previous two years in the FA Cup and City have triumphed on both occasions. Since that point Millwall have been promoted into the National League ensuring this tie will be an even tougher test, something City will thrive on.