Izzy Christiansen’s 12th goal of the season and a second half Claire Emslie strike separated the sides at Culver Road, as the holders visited Hope Powell’s WSL 2 outfit in our third game in a week.
What happened…
Thursday night’s goalless draw at Chelsea.
It would be the hosts though who would create the game’s first chance, as Danielle Buet tried her luck from range but drove over the bar.
City gained a foothold after ten minutes and laid siege to the Brighton goal.
Lucy Gillett produced three fine saves to deny Jen Beattie, Christiansen and Emslie, before the latter struck the crossbar with a superb curling effort and Christiansen and Jane Ross both saw efforts cleared off the line by Beth Roe and Fern Whelan.
Buet proved Brighton’s biggest threat but fired over once more and City finally made their pressure count on the stroke of half-time, as Christiansen rifled past Gillett to break the deadlock.
Inspired by their half-time team talk and desperate to keep their FA Cup hopes alive, Brighton rallied after the restart but found – the star of the midweek trip to London – impenetrable.
The young shot-stopper repeated her midweek heroics by thwarting Ini Umotong, who bore down on goal, and then Kirsty Barton.
Brighton were punished on 66 minutes as Emslie doubled City’s lead, bagging her seventh of the campaign in the process, tricking her way past her marker before firing into the near post.
From then on, the Blues’ passage into Round Five rarely looked in doubt.
Substitute Georgia Stanway almost added a third but fired at Gillett, while Ross snatched a shot from Nadia Nadim’s knock-down but skewed wide.
How we lined up…
Cushing made three changes to the side that started at Kingsmeadow on Thursday – two enforced through injuries to Karen Bardsley and captain Steph Houghton.
In came Roebuck and Mie Jans, while Mel Lawley also replaced Nikita Parris.
Roebuck was shielded by a backline of Demi Stokes, Beattie, Jans and Abbie McManus, who were in turn protected by defensive midfielder .
Stand-in skipper Jill Scott and Christiansen took their spots in the middle, while Emslie and Lawley operated on the wings. Ross led the line upfront.
What it means…
City remain alive in all four competitions. In addition to our FA Cup exploits, Cushing’s side also top the Super League table and have booked spots in the Continental Tyres Cup final and Champions League last eight.
What’s next…
The draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup takes place at 9am on Monday 5 February.
City are next in action on Sunday 11 February at 12:30pm, hosting Liverpool in the Blues’ first home encounter of 2018.
