As Hemel Hempstead began to assert themselves, they scored the game’s opening goal on 21 minutes, after Newbury’s defence were exposed on the right. A good shot beating goalkeeper Chloe Hunt for one nil. It took Newbury just six minutes to equalise however, after Rachel Panting found herself with space in a more central position and her shot from distance cleared the keeper and dipped just under the cross bar.

Unfortunately for Newbury they conceded again within a minute, with the Hemel striker pouncing on a defensive error to bare down on goal unopposed. She coolly finished to reinstate her side’s lead at 2-1. As the half neared its conclusion, it was clear that the visitors needed to reorganise and change their team shape, but before they could do so, Hemel scored again to take a 3-1 lead at the break.

The second half saw Newbury re-emerge with a change in personnel and tactics. Beesley slotted in at left back and with O’Leary withdrawn, Lauren Sheldon took to the field on the left wing. Within two minutes of the restart and with her first touch of the ball, Sheldon had steamed in at the back post to force the ball over the line. This was after good work by Leanne Crease on the far right. The score line was now 3-2 and Newbury felt they were right back in the tie.

Two further chances came Newbury’s way, with both Ellie Reed and Caroline Harkness unlucky with their efforts. But then the momentum swung back in favour of the hosts, with a close offside call not given and the central striker firing Hemel Ladies back into a 2 goal lead, at 4-2 on 59 minutes.

With plenty of time remaining on the clock, Newbury were still willing to press forward, earning a free kick in a good position and then a corner. The cross came in to the Hemel penalty area, but Harkness could only put her header agonisingly onto the cross bar.

Newbury had to make a change in central defence on 65 minutes when Sophie Self pulled up with a tight hamstring, to be replaced by Lorna Parr.

Harkness for Newbury was now pushing further forward and she saw another long range effort drop the wrong side of the bar and onto the roof of the net. The visitors’ fortunes took an upturn when Creese sent a shot from distance to the near post. The goalkeeper looked to have it well covered, but she could only palm the ball backwards and into her own net. 4-3 now the score and the game was proving to be an enthralling Cup-tie.

But it was to be the Hemel Ladies who had the final reserves to push on to the finish and secure their passage into the next round, with two further goals scored in the game’s final period to see Newbury sadly defeated 6-3.