Darlington Women in FA Cup action on Sunday
By Ray Simpson
Third qualifying round place at stake
The Quaker Women are back in Adobe Womens FA Cup action this weekend when they welcome Ponteland United Women F.C to the Eastbourne Community Stadium in the Second Round Qualifying.
Ponteland play in the North East Regional Premier Division (tier 5) where they finished third last season after three successive promotions from the regional Northumberland League. So far this season, Ponteland have only played one competitive game which finished in a 2-2 draw with Spennymoor Town Ladies. Frustratingly their last two games have been cancelled due to the opposition pulling out. Ponteland enter the FA Cup at this stage of the competition.
Darlington have already had to play in two previous rounds, beating Heaton Hawks 4-0 in the Prelim round and Hebburn Town 2-0 in the previous round. In past seasons, Darlington have a good record in the Second Round Qualifying, beating Pools Youth, Whitehaven AFC Ladies and Blyth Town Women. The only time they’ve gone out in the Second Round Qualifying was in September 2023 when Gary Bennett’s Sunderland West End side won 4-1 at Eastbourne.
The Quaker Women should be high in confidence after putting 10 past Hebburn last weekend in the league but know Ponteland will be a much bigger test. Let’s get as many people down to Eastbourne as possible to see if Darlington can knock out higher league opposition once again in the FA Cup.
