Hat-trick hero Pauline Bremer is determined to help Manchester City defend their Women’s FA Cup title after they cruised to a 10-0 win over Ipswich Town in the last 16.
City continued their quest to make it back-to-back successes in the competition with a resounding display which saw three separate hattrick scorers in the double-figure victory.
Bremer was first to notch a treble before Jess Park and Georgia Stanway also found the net three times in the contest.
The German striker knew the Sky Blues couldn’t take anything for granted against the fourth-tier Tractor Girls.
“We were in the final last year, which was amazing, and of course we want to defend our trophy,” Bremer said.
“There’s a long way to go. We have to take each game at a time, especially the games where on paper you should be dominant, sometimes these are the hardest.
“You have to be professional and hopefully we can make it to the final again.”
Laura Coombs opened the scoring for the hosts 20 minutes in, as she made the most of a quick break from a corner before Bremer grabbed her first of the game with a cool finish.
Park made it three on the half-hour, but it wasn’t until after the break that the goals really started flowing as City’s quality began to shine through.
Bremer completed her hat-trick just after the hour mark with two goals either side of Stanway’s first, before the England international and Park shared the last four goals to complete the rout.
Job done, into the next round of the #FACup ...
— Steph Houghton MBE (@stephhoughton2) February 16, 2020
10 goals + a clean sheet!
Well done hat trick queens @pauline_bremer Jess + @StanwayGeorgia + of course @lauracoombs91 💙 @ManCity pic.twitter.com/59lTZh7vyR
On another weekend hit by weather, it was an eventful day in the only other tie to survive as Lucy Staniforth’s delightful free kick ensured Birmingham City claimed a 1-0 win over Sunderland only for the striker to see red moments later.
The third-tier side were more than a match for the Blues, as they repelled both Staniforth and Rachel Williams throughout – before the former’s piece of magic to break the deadlock five minutes from time.
But the 27-year-old was then promptly given her marching orders, and a supporter was also ejected from the stands, to leave the visitors to see the game out with ten players on the pitch.
Despite the defeat, Sunderland manager Melanie Copeland was proud of her team’s performance, which showed their potential to compete on the highest stage.
“We had a game plan and the girls carried it out brilliantly,” said Copeland. “They have held their own against a WSL team and I couldn’t have asked for anymore.
“We are on a terrific run of form and the club is heading in the right direction again after a difficult couple of years.
“We’ve got some good players, it might be League One, but we have talent coming through and we believe in what we are doing.”
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