Moors Ladies stormed through to the next round of the Durham County Cup after producing a powerful performance to brush Gateshead aside at The Brewery Field.
The result was rarely in doubt throughout a dominant showing from Billy Shackleton’s side who were backed by a noisy crowd of 269 as they ran out 4-1 winners against their Tyneside visitors.
Feeding off the atmosphere, Moors got on the front foot quickly and almost went in front on five minutes when a hanging cross from Olivia Mole was pushed against the bar by Gateshead keeper Carly Salmon.
The breakthrough wasn’t long in arriving though and Moors were celebrating on eight minutes when a teasing ball in from the right was cleverly nodded home at the front post by Kira Whittle.
Autumn Colledge was proving a handful and could have doubled the lead shortly afterwards as Gateshead threatened to crumble but her powerful shot flashed wide of the target.
It was 2-0 on 15 minutes when a corner was whipped in from the left and Autumn Colledge met it with a thunderous close-range header which gave the keeper absolutely no chance.
The visitors were struggling to get a foothold but did have a sniff of a chance when Jessica Richardson almost got on the end of a ball in from the right, but Moors keeper Nicole Scott took control of the situation.
There was a let-off for Moors just before the half hour when Georgia England ran through on goal and let fly with a low shot which just went past the far post.
Holly Middleton was a threat for Moors down the right and her marauding run almost created a third goal. The youngster stormed down the flank and sent a teasing cross into the area which was turned against the post by a stretching Gateshead defender before Whittle fired the rebound wide.
The pressure told on 31 minutes when Autumn Colledge was again on target as she found space on the left of the area and sent an unerring low finish across the keeper and into the bottom corner of the net.
Gateshead grabbed a lifeline right on half time to put the tie back in the balance when Hannah Coatham produced a moment of magic to send a long-range free kick past Scott and into the net for 3-1.
Moors got back on the front foot at the start of the second half and had a header cleared off the line before Middleton just couldn’t squeeze home a shot from a tight angle after some good play down the left.
Autumn Colledge slipped Middleton through on goal, but Gateshead keeper Salmon came off her line quickly to clear only as far as half time substitute Katy Hemmingway who attempted a lob into the empty net only for it to drop just wide.
Courtney Mole had a go from range midway through the second half, but the keeper held it well before launching a huge clearance upfield for Richardson to run on to only for the Gateshead striker to strike a volley wide.
Some lovely football on the halfway line set Loren Salkeld away down the left wing and she drove into the box before striking a shot across goal which Salmon did well to get down and hold.
Moors did make the game safe five minutes from time and the fourth goal arrived in spectacular fashion as Farrugia smashed a wonderful long-range shot from the right wing which looped into the far corner of the net.
Emma Lumsdon could have added extra gloss to the win late on when she ran on to a loose ball on the edge of the area, but her well-struck shot flew just wide of the target.
And Farrugia could have had the final say when Salmon’s clearance dropped at the feet of the substitute but this time her left-footed effort fell just the wrong side of the post.
Full Time: Moors Ladies 4 Gateshead Ladies 1
Moors: Scott, O Mole, C Colledge, Welch-Davison, C Mole, Middleton, Saunders, A Colledge, Knox, Seymour, Whittle.
Subs: Doonan, Salkeld, Wymer, Farrugia, Hemmingway, Foster, Lumsdon.
Attendance: 269
