Words Ben Edwards | Pictures Maisy Green

After back-to-back league win in Merseyside, Altrincham FC Women are back on home territory at Partington Sports Village to face fellow league competitors Runcorn Linnets Ladies in the quarter-finals of the Cheshire FA Women’s Cup.

Due to the unique competition format, Altrincham did progress in the first quarter-final with a 9-1 victory over Sandbach United Ladies. The introduction of four higher ranked teams in Stockport County Ladies, Northwich Victoria Vixens, Tranmere Rovers Women and Crewe Alexandra Women mean a second quarter final is required.

Runcorn Linnets progressed to this stage with a 5-2 away win against Winsford Town
Ladies. In the North West Women’s Regional League Division One South, Runcorn Linnets sit one place and two points behind fourth-placed Altrincham, with a game in hand on the Robins.

Alty have shot up the table in recent weeks from eighth, thanks to victories on the road against Wirral Phoenix and Liverpool Feds Reserves. Francesca Boyle, recently promoted to the first team from the Elite U18s, netted a brace in both games, adding to her debut goal against Chorley Women Development in the Alliance Design and Print Plate.

The Robins have been further boosted by the folding of AFC Crewe, whose two remaining games were against Altrincham, resulting in six points being awarded to Daryll Abrahams’ side.

For the Yellows, it’s a case of bouncing back from an 11-0 defeat in the second round of the Alliance Design and Print Cup against an AFC Fylde Women side second and unbeaten in the North West Women’s Regional League Premier Division.

Elite U18

Spencer O’Connor’s side for a third week in a row, but this one will be the toughest of the lot. It’s a trip to table-toppers Wythenshawe FC U18 Girls, who have won all 13 Cheshire Women and Youth Football League U18 Premier Division games this season.

The Robins faced the Ammies at Partington last month, Wythenshawe leaving with a 3-0 victory. Given how freely Wythenshawe have been scoring this season, including scoring 19 in a game on two occasions, restricting them to just the three was very respectable and will give Altrincham confidence that they can be the first team to steal points off the league-leaders on Sunday.

Last week’s match against Northwich Victoria U18 was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and rescheduled for 15 th March, meaning the most recent game was the against Stockport County Ladies in the Cheshire FA Girls U18 Youth Cup.

Despite Mae Winchcombe opening the scoring after 32 seconds, it ended in a 3-1 defeat.
The Robins did pick up three points in their last league game with a 2-0 win over Nantwich Town U18 Girls.

With Alty boosted by the addition of attacker Tia Unwin, who has progressed from
the club’s junior setup, it should make for an exciting encounter at St Thomas More
RC College.