Women's FA Cup Report: Saints 10-0 Royston Town

A first half Atlanta Primus hat-trick and goals from Jess Simpson, Mary Bashford, Michaela McAlonie, Ellie Brazil, Ellie Hack and Aimee Palmer secured Saints' place in the next round in a professional display against their tier five opponents.

Royston's closest chance of the game came from a powerful strike from Laura Mills outside the box, but their impressive cup run came to an end at the hands of Simon Parker's side.

The Crows played the majority of the game with ten players, after Dilly Haslehurst was unfortunately shown a straight red card for a handball in the box during Saints' clinical first half display.

Saints' third round line-up at the Silverlake. (Photos: Stuart Martin)

Saints started strongly from kick-off, with Simpson opening the scoring with a sliding tap-in after just three minutes; the full back had pounced on a spilled ball from Brazil's initial parried shot.

Saints' second saw Bashford add to her tally for the season in style, with a top-corner finish from long range in the 10th minute.

Captain Primus soon added a third, and the first of her three-goal day, finishing with composure at the back post after Simpson's pinpoint cross.

Royston was forced to continue with ten players after Haslehurst's straight red card for a close-range handball in the box, as Primus scored from the resulting penalty to make it four.

McAlonie was keen to join the scoring action, but her first strike of the afternoon arrowed just wide of the top corner as a signal of things to come for the Scot.

In the 40th minute, she found herself in the right place to head home the rebound from a Simpson free-kick that had struck the post.

The visitors' first shot of the game was a strong one as Mills struck the ball hard across the face of goal from outside the box, but in truth it never troubled Fran Stenson in goal.

On the stroke of half-time, two more goals came for Saints as Brazil slotted the ball calmly past the goalkeeper, followed up by Primus completing her hat-trick from inside the area.

Primus celebrates scoring an FA Cup hat-trick.

In the second half, substitute Hack scored her first goal for the club when she tapped the ball in from close range after it dropped to her feet from a flick-on in the box.

Fellow substitute Palmer also scored her first goal of the season since returning from injury, as she fired the ball into the net from long range to rival Bashford for the goal of the game.

In the latter stages of the game, McAlonie returned to the scoresheet with a first-time finish to complete her brace, after following up well after Royston substitute goalkeeper Amy Martin parried the ball forwards.

The plucky visitors still pushed forwards as Emma Slater made a solo run across the eighteen-yard line, but Primus nullified her chances of a late goal.

Royston Town's impressive FA Cup run came to an end as Saints marched on into the fourth round with a much needed confidence-boosting display, in what ended as their second-largest win in the competition.

Saints: Stenson, Watts (Mott 46'), Goddard (Hack 46'), Bourne, Simpson, Akpan (Palmer 46'), Bashford, Primus (c), Edwards (Ferguson 46'), Brazil (Roberts 65'), McAlonie.

Subs not used: Pettit, Peplow.

Goals: Simpson (3'), Bashford (10'), Primus (20', 28', 45+2'), McAlonie (40', 78'), Brazil (45'), Hack (53'), Palmer (70').

Yellow cards: Bourne (50').

Royston Town: Carter (Martin 77'), Haslehurst, Payne, Donley (Roper 77'), Houghton, Morley (Sillitce 46'), Giddens, Bodily, Slater (Cantini 87'), Reed, Mills (Heal 87').

Subs not used: Sillitce, Cooper, Nacca, Georgiou.

Red cards: Haslehurst (27').

Attendance: 459.