A 2-1 win away at Southport, and FC Community are into the semi-finals of the League Cup.
From the first whistle the football was sharp, the movement was good and we took the game to Southport in a way that suggested the gap between the divisions wasn’t as wide as the league tables might tell you.
The first half should have brought more goals than it did, with chances coming and going before Kishaya Stewart got the one the performance deserved on 35 minutes.
Southport found their leveller shortly after the break, which left a fair chunk of the second half still to play and the tie genuinely in the balance. The response from the team was to keep doing what had worked in the first half.
The ball kept moving, the chances kept coming, and the patience eventually paid off four minutes from time when Nicola Murphy got on the end of one to put us back in front. The closing minutes were managed well and the result was seen out.
Grace Donaghey took player of the match with a composed and assured display.
The football was the part to take home. Possession against higher-division opposition, real intent on the ball and a result earned through the way the team played rather than anything else. Credit to everyone involved.
The Cup semi-final will be against either FC Northern or Tranmere Rovers, with date, time and venue to follow.
Next up for FCC is the University of Liverpool in the league on Sunday 10th May, with a chance to improve on the 4-4 draw between the sides earlier in the season.
