The home side started brightly from their kick off, working a shooting opportunity after a corner, which the Newbury defence did well to charge down and block. They had another shot over the bar not long after and were looking dangerous each time they entered Newbury’s final third. In the 14th minute, Taplow went ahead when an initial shot was blocked, but the rebound was converted, the ball smashed into the roof of the net for one nil. Within two minutes, Newbury found themselves two nil down, when a miskicked clearance in defence, led to the Taplow striker being through for a one-on-one shooting chance. The effort duly dispatched to double the home side’s lead.

Newbury then rallied, with captain, Kendall Gilmour playing in Alice Hill, but her shot was deflected wide. Newbury appeals for a corner were turned away. Keeping the pressure up, Maria Rodrigues then combined well with Gilmour, who again released Hill. This time the Taplow keeper was off her line early to sweep clear. A further chance to get back in the match came Newbury’s way, when a Molly Baker cross was just slightly too high for Imogen Gibbons at the back post. Soon after, the Referee blew the whistle for half time and Newbury were still facing a two goal deficit.

The second half re-started with the lively Rodrigues attacking down the right for Newbury. She had one shot of her own well saved and then she sent in a good cross, that sadly for Newbury, no other player could quite get on the end of. When she took up another good position inside the box, Hill sent in a cross that was just too close to the goalkeeper. Gilmour then had a shot and it was by now all Newbury, but still they were two goals down. Further chances came for Rodrigues and Gilmour, but to no avail. Against the run of play, Taplow had a dangerous break on the counter, which goalkeeper, Marie Prout needed to reach with an excellent one-handed save down to her left. This attack re-energised Taplow and the next period in the game, saw most of the play in the Newbury half. They were by now peppering the Newbury goal, but their finishing was wayward. It took until the 75th minute, but then the Newbury rear guard was breached again, after a Taplow surge through the middle and a high shot beat the keeper to give Taplow a three nil lead.

On 82 minutes, Taplow added a fourth when their player attempted a lob. Prout managed to get back and get a hand to the ball, but she could only agonisingly deflect the ball onto the post and then could only watch as it rebounded over the goal-line. And four nil was the final score-line, which saw Taplow United cruise through into the next round. Newbury will now return to league action when they host local rivals, Thatcham Flames at Donnington.

Newbury’s joint players of the match were Molly Baker, for her hard work in midfield and goalkeeper, Marie Prout, who did an excellent job despite the score-line.

Match report by Sue Hewett