Match Report: UCFB Advance in Cup After Dismantling Leeds Trinity

UCFB Etihad Women’s put eleven goals past Leeds Trinity in a Northern Conference Cup showcase at Belle Vue.

Wingers Lucy Cross and Mia Wildin celebrate their link-up goal.

James Bickley-Parton’s side won by double-digits thanks to a hat-trick of hat-tricks from Mia Wildin, Esme Critchley and Ellie Richardson, whilst a brace from Lucy Cross secured their side's place in the next round of the tournament.

UCFB started the game on the front foot, with their high-intensity press seeming to be too much for the Leeds defence to handle. This allowed Wildin to find the space on the edge of the box from which to fire a shot, with her powerful strike flying past the keeper into the left-hand side of the netting, handing UCFB the early lead.

Coach Bickley-Parton was delighted with the team's performance.

Lucy Cross, Esme Critchley and Erin Smith continued to pile the pressure onto the visitors, however, they were ultimately unable to convert their chances as the home side missed the opportunity to double their lead.

The second came through the hard work of Cross, who robbed the ball off of the Trinity defence inside the box before her great footwork got the better of the opposition, earning her the chance to slot the ball home which with a calm right-footed finish inside the 6-yard box. This, along with a strong defensive showing and dominant midfield performance, meant that UCFB deservedly entered the break with a comfortable two-nil lead.

Lucy Cross refuels after firing UCFB into the next round.

After half-time, when Ellie Richardson was moved from goalkeeper to defensive midfielder, it wasn’t long until the home side added a third. Critchley grabbed her first of the day with a powerful effort from close range, a strike which the goalkeeper had little chance of preventing.

Soon, UCFB added a fourth to the tally. A low through ball down the left wing found Cross who, upon meeting the pass, travelled into the box and curled her effort into the right side of the goal as she bagged her brace.

Esme Critchley sits down, finally giving Trinity's defence a rest.

However, the day would not get any better for Leeds Trinity as a corner from the left side found the head of an unmarked Ellie Richardson, who prompted to calmly nod the ball into the roof of the net for the home side’s fifth of the day.

UCFB’s sixth goal, and Esme Critchley’s second, came through her brilliant ball-control before she spun her marker and, with just the ‘keeper to beat, poked it home with a clinical finish.

The captain's motivation magic lead to 9 second-half goals.

The undisputed goal of the game, and what may prove to be a very strong contender for goal of the season, came from Richardson. A clearance from the Trinity goalkeeper found the maverick midfielder within her own half, with Richardson seizing the opportunity to swerve her way through four opposition players as she dribbled up the pitch and took herself one-on-one with the shot-stopper, over whom she smoothly dinked the ball and into the back of the net.

Strike number eight came through some impressive link-up play between the front three. Starting with a through ball from Critchley to Cross, who calmly squared the ball to her opposite winger, Wildin, who finished the movement with a bolt into the roof of the net for her second goal of the afternoon.

Super Ellie Richardson managed a hat-trick despite playing in goal for the first 45 minutes.

Wildin completed her hat-trick just minutes later with an attempt, which only she knows was supposed to be a cross or shot, floated over the ‘keeper into the left-hand side of the goal. UCFB were undeterred from continuing their attack, despite having scored their ninth, with Critchley achieving her own hat-trick and bringing the scoreline into double-digits as she tidily finished her effort, placing it underneath the opposition goalkeeper, much to the dismay of Leeds Trinity.

Bickley-Parton’s side finally put the icing on the cake as Richardson completed her hat-trick after some intricate play from the home team found her through on goal. The holding midfielder hit the ball past the ‘keeper for UCFB’s eleventh of the afternoon, progressing to the next round of the cup in emphatic fashion.