EASTLEIGH CRUISED PAST AFC STONEHAM TO PROGRESS IN THE VITALITY WOMEN’S FA CUP WITH A 6-0 VICTORY.

Lucy Nightingale scored a hat-trick as Eastleigh cruised past AFC Stoneham to progress in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup with a 6-0 victory.
Kat Littleboy opened the scoring inside five minutes before Nightingale and Manuela Naprta added two more first half goals.
Nightingale scored either side of a bullet header from Littleboy to complete her hat-trick in the second half to seal the Spitfires place in the Second Round. 
The game burst into action straight from kick off as both sides looked to gain an early advantage in this FA Cup first round tie.
It was the Spitfires who took the lead on 4 minutes thanks to Littleboy.
She got on the end of a dangerous floated free-kick from captain Leah Shave at the back post to fire the visitors into an early lead. 
Stoneham were almost immediately back on level terms, as Payne struck the crossbar after they broke up field quickly from kick off.
On 15 minutes Eastleigh’s lead was doubled as Nightingale capitalised on a loose ball and fired into an empty net.
Naprta and Nightingale went close to adding a third inside the opening 20 minutes as Ashley Healey’s side continued to mount the pressure.
The third goal did eventually come on the half hour mark from the most unlikely of circumstances. 
Naprta had the ball on the by-line and options to cross to in the box, instead she opted to fire the ball at the near post and caught the Stoneham goalkeeper off guard.
Having already scored one spectacular goal, Naprta went close to scoring another. She took the ball down on her knee before volleying just wide of the post from inside the box.  
The Spitfires did have the ball on the back of the net for a fourth time in the first half through Gabrielle Ewing, but the flag was raised for offside. 
Having already been denied a fourth by an offside flag it was the crossbar’s turn to prevent the Spitfires from adding to their lead.
Ewing and Naprta linked up well down the right wing before Lauren Hill fired a dipping shot from distance towards the top corner only to hit the woodwork.  
Just after the hour mark Stoneham had a succession of chances to cut into Eastleigh’s lead that they didn’t take. 
Nightingale got her second of the afternoon on 71 minutes with a great strike from the edge of the box which flew over the goalkeeper’s head.
Minutes later the Spitfires had a fifth, Littleboy headed home from a corner to score her second of the afternoon. 
On 78 minutes Nightingale completed her hat-trick in style. 
The midfielder picked the ball up some way out from goal before working enough space to rifle the ball into the near top corner. 
Despite having very little to do between the sticks all afternoon Lucy Venables was alert to make a spectacular save on 80 minutes to deny the Purps a consolation goal.
Player of the Match
The whole team deserved this award, and there has to be a special mention to Freya Phillips-Foreman who was absolutely immense today at the back. But today’s Player of the Match is hat-trick hero, Lucy Nightingale. With three great strikes from outside the box, one with her left foot, Nightingale looked unstoppable as the Spitfires looked too much to handle. 
MattTsport Player of the Match: Lucy Nightingale
Report by George Rees-Julian
Eastleigh FC: Venables, Hill, Phillips-Foreman, Littleboy, Beeton, Shave (C), Nightingale, Ewing, Taylor, Browning, Naprta
Subs: Keefe, Bradshaw, Bates, Whalley, Peachey, Hide