Preston North End WFC 3 Sunderland WFC 4

Preston went into this league cup tie with confidence following a fine midweek victory in the league over Manchester City. Two goals apiece from Sarah McCrea and Hannah Bailey had given the Whites a deserved 4-0 win.

The cup encounter against fellow Northern Division side Sunderland proved to be a game of two halves. Preston got off to a fine start and were 1-0 up after only two minutes, Sarah McCrea finishing after the Sunderland defence failed to clear a corner effectively. North End's defence were then themselves guilty of a poor clearance but fortunately the crossbar prevented the visitors from equalising.

In the 13th minute Sarah McCrea's shot on target was spilled by the keeper but nobody in the Preston forward line was on hand to follow up. Striker for the Whites Fiona Dransfield then forced an excellent save from the Black Cats keeper. The keeper then proved her worth again saving a penalty from Sarah McCrea awarded as a result of a Sunderland player stopping the ball from crossing the line with her arm, an offence she received a yellow card for. The score remained at 1-0 at the half time interval despite North End having further chances to extend the lead in a half that they had in the main dominated.

In the first minute of the second half North End keeper Jenny Horrocks was called into action tipping over the bar following a defensive error. The action switched immediately to the other end and good link up play between strikers Sam Cadwallader and Dransfield made the score 2-0.

Sunderland were not however disheartened and pulled a goal back when a back pass to the North End keeper allowed their striker to finish and reduce the deficit to 2-1. North End then had other opportunities Vicky Eastwood heading over the bar and Sam Cadwallader finding the back of the net only for it to be rightly ruled offside.

The Sunderland equaliser came on 57 minutes the wide left player going past the full back and playing a ball across the box for the incoming player to finish. At the other end only brave goalkeeping by Sunderland prevented Cadwallader from finishing a one on one.

Fifteen minutes into the second half North End manager Gerrard altered his midfield replacing Angela Willoughby with Louise Cafferkey. This did not prevent Sunderland taking the lead when their striker was not closed down resulting in the ball finding the back of the net. An equaliser came with Sarah McCrea getting her second of the game beating the offside trap to then produce a cool finish.

Just before the 70th minute Sunderland made a substitution and in an attempt to win the game Gerrard replaced his strike partnership of Cadwallader and Dransfield with Gemma Watson and Hannah Bailey. The decisive goal in Sunderland's favour came however in the 81st minute, a mix up between keeper and centre half allowing them to score, full back Bateman's attempted clearance of the shot was in vain as it was judged that the ball had already crossed the line. Further chances fell to the visitors, in the 83rd minute North End keeper Horrocks pushed a shot wide and a minute later the underside of the crossbar prevented a further increase.

A 4-3 victory to the North East on a day when North End were left to rue missed chances and where mistakes cost them dearly.

By Jenny Jones