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<h2 style="text-align:center;">Stockport County Ladies v Birmingham City</h2>
<p><FONT  color="666666">
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<!---Write after brackets--->
<b>Monday, January 30</b>

</p><p><b>Womens FA Cup 5th Round. Sunday, January 29, 2006.</b>

</p><p><h5>Stockport County Ladies 0 Birmingham City Ladies 2</h5>

</p><p>Birmingham City Ladies came into this fixture propping up the National Premier League but would have been confident of overcoming their mid table Premier League North hosts, Stockport County Ladies.

</p><p>Birmingham's squad and results have improved significantly of late and they could also look back on a 4-0 victory over the same opposition in this seasons' League Cup for added belief.

</p><p>Stockport's manager Matt Johnson was equally confident of the improvement in his squad since that game, however, and would be looking for confirmation in the performance here.

</p><p>The early exchanges were somewhat tentative and brought little sign of a goal.

</p><p>Birmingham Ladies looked to work their way forward with a series of close, intricate passing moves through midfield whereas Stockport Ladies, with significantly less possession, sought to get the ball forward without delay.

</p><p>Neither approach brought much in the way of chances, however.

</p><p>The failure of Birmingham's wingers, Karen Carney and Danni Bird, to dominate the home full backs Kim Hines and Louise Belcher was a major stumbling block to their early attacks with Hines looking particularly solid, initially against Bird and then Carney as the wingers swapped flanks in search of some joy.

</p><p>At the other end Laura Bassett and Steph Samuels looked to have far too much pace to be under serious threat from the passes played beyond the Stockport strikers Suzanne Hunt and Jane Fox.

</p><p>In midfield, however, the contest was hard fought and fairly even. Charlotte Higginson was looking to probe for Stockport with Nicky Doig a willing assistant while Heather Scheuber looked to support the Birmingham attack with Sally Lacey protecting her back four.

</p><p>Almost 20 minutes had passed before a clear opening arrived. Chelsea Weston, the Birmingham right back, created the chance with an incisive pass for Maz Ballard who, in the clear, managed only a weak finish which Andrea Worrall dropped onto comfortably.

</p><p>Stockport almost forced a chance when Fox won possession and tried to release her partner Hunt but again the Birmingham defence had the pace to recover, Chelsea Weston getting the timely block on this occassion.

</p><p>Lucy Lutton then launched a long throw into the Birmingham penalty area which was only half cleared but Hines was well off target with her drive.

</p><p>Just before the half hour the intricate approach play of the visitors suddenly gained a real purpose and the home defence suffered an uncomfortable couple of minutes.

</p><p>An outstanding move down the left wing orchestrated by Scheuber and also involving Karen Carney left Michelle Archer free to centre. The full backs delivery was perfect, the ball skimming across the six yard line, but there was nobody in a white shirt looking to profit, much to the annoyance of City manager Michael Moore.

</p><p>Then Danni Bird chipped a dangerous ball through the centre of the Stockport defence which Ballard was unable to collect on her thigh in front of goal.

</p><p>Stockport Ladies retaliated with a fine surging run from midfield by the impressive Higginson but again Fox was unable to get on the end of the resulting pass.

</p><p>Angela Ashioti was looking sound at the heart of the Stockport defence and produced an excellent interception from Sally Lacey's through ball to deny Ballard an opportunity before a subtle pass by Ellen Maggs did release the striker who was wide of the near post with her left footed drive.

</p><p>Amid the constant tinkering of the Birmingham front line Maggs was becoming an increasing threat but by half time the efforts of Doig and Higginson in midfield were giving the home side some genuine cause for optimism.

</p><p><b>Half Time: Stockport County Ladies 0 Birmingham City Ladies 0</b>

</p><p>Karen Carney, the waif like winger, emerged for the second half deep in conversation with her manager and the impression was that the England star was carrying a knock. For the moment she would continue but her mood was hardly helped when Louise Belcher immediately caught her again as Carney worked a promising give and go down the right wing.

</p><p>Clearing the free kick, Stockport moved straight to the other end and created a glorious opening.

</p><p>The Birmingham defence fell asleep as a throw in from the right sent Higginson striding towards the goalline, deep inside the box. In keeping with her general performance Higginson cut back a perfect ball to Amanda Goodwin whose first time effort was marginally off target.

</p><p>Stockport had struggled to create chances but this had been a big one and it was impossible not to feel that the miss would be regretted.

</p><p>The incident certainly seemed to inject more urgency into the visitors who realised now, if not before, how precarious the scoreline remained and Birmingham now proceded to really take command of the game for the first time.

</p><p>Laura Bassett went forward to send another inviting ball across the face of goal but again nobody was taking a chance in the middle and then Worrall was forced into a splendid diving save by Heather Scheuber after another good move involving Carney, Weston and Ballard.

</p><p>Birmingham were certainly trying to play football for the purists and when they got it right were very impressive and it appeared as though the interesting artificial surface was quite to their liking.

</p><p>This pitch looked okay and certainly did not appear to remove vast quantities of skin every time someone went to ground like the ones in the 1980's used to.

</p><p>The visitors still had nothing to show for their nice football, however, and it now looked as though Danni Bird was carrying a knock as well as Carney.

</p><p>Just before the hour mark Birmingham Ladies opened the scoring after a quick piece of thinking by Michelle Archer.

</p><p>Stockport conceded a free kick way out on the left touchline and before they had even begun to organise themselves Archer slipped Danni Bird away down the wing.

</p><p>Bird moved the ball inside and Maz Ballard was able to skip through a startled defence before beating Worrall from point blank range. Ballard's shot was either badly scuffed or took a deflection but left the exposed keeper with no chance of saving in any case.

</p><p>Immediately afterwards Higginson, no doubt frustrated, was booked for a wild challenge on Sally Lacey who responded with excellent composure to diffuse a potentially volatile situation.

</p><p>It was easy to sympathise with Higginson, however, as her prompting from midfield continued to go to waste.

</p><p>Birmingham Ladies now felt safe to withdraw Karen Carney and continued to carry the greater threat.

</p><p>Scheuber and Ballard linked well to feed Danni Bird whose whipped inswinging centre from the right wing only just missed creeping in at the far post and Ballard then sent Scheuber through to test Andrea Worrall as the visitors pressure intensified.

</p><p>Charlotte Higginson was still able to slip a couple of dangerous balls inside the left back Archer but whenever she looked to unpick the visitors defence the lack of pace up front defeated her.

</p><p>The fact that Higginson was fighting an increasingly lone battle was emphasised when Nicky Doig was replaced, along with Suzanne Hunt, midway through the half.

</p><p>Doig had shown up well in the first half but had struggled to impose herself on the second period. The substitutions livened up the Stockport attack a little with Chantel Daniels, in particular, looking capable of feeding off Higginson's service.

</p><p>The visitors had already extended their lead, however, before this fact had become apparent.

</p><p>Restarting play smartly with a throw in down the left the ball was quickly slipped inside to Ellen Maggs who exchanged sharp passes with Ballard twice before stroking home a wonderful first time finish into the far corner from just outside the box to leave Worrall completely helpless.

</p><p>It was a special goal.

</p><p>From here on in the visitors began to ask some real questions of the Stockport defence and it began to look possible that the scoreline might take on an ugly look for the home side. One way or another, however, Stockport survived further damage which was probably fair given their efforts throughout.

</p><p>Ashioti made another last ditch intervention after good work between Scheuber and Weston then Maggs burst from midfield to supply Bird whose inviting centre to the far post somehow evaded three white shirted attackers.

</p><p>A neat lay off by Jane Fox at the other end gave Rachel Davies a half chance but Sue Wood collected her low shot with some comfort and the visitors swept straight back onto the attack with Scheuber playing a lovely ball into Bird whose low drive was saved at the foot of her post by Worrall.

</p><p>From the resulting corner Ellen Maggs had a good chance at the far post but volleyed wide of the target.

</p><p>Maggs was really calling the tune now, linking up well all over the pitch and helping to create another presentable chance for Laura Bassett who shot too high when well placed.

</p><p>Then, with eight minutes remaining, Stockport's last chance of getting back into the game came and went.

</p><p>Inevitably it was Higginson who made the opening, completely splitting the Birmingham defence with a magnificent ball for Amanda Goodwin to run onto.

</p><p>Goodwin's shot was fierce but found only the side netting at the near post with Wood beaten.

</p><p>A few minutes later Goodwin's afternoon suffered a wretched end when she was stretchered off the pitch after a jarring, but perfectly honest, challenge with the Birmingham substitute Jemma Buttler.

</p><p>After that the remaining few minutes had an incidental feel about them although Danni Bird sent a rasping drive against the crossbar and forced one final save out of Andrea Worrall after more good work on both occassions by Ellen Maggs.

</p><p>There could be no doubt that the better side had won on the day and it is just possible that Birmingham Ladies' traumatic season could have a surprisingly happy ending.

</p><p><b>Full Time: Stockport County Ladies 0 Birmingham City Ladies 2</b>

</p><p><b>Star Player: Ellen Maggs</b>

</p><p>She took her time to get into the game but showed genuine quality when she did so and ended up dominating proceedings, scoring a real goal of the month contender into the bargain.

</p><p>An honourable mention in defeat goes to Charlotte Higginson who was also excellent. 

</p><p>
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