Ipswich Town Women to face AFC Bournemouth in Adobe Women’s FA Cup third round after beating Hashtag United on penalties but AFC Sudbury Women defeated at Lewes

Ipswich Town Women are set to host lower-level AFC Bournemouth at home in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup third round after beating Hashtag United on penalties – but it was the end of a record-breaking journey in the competition for AFC Sudbury Women.

At the same time as Kieran McKenna’s side were hosting Manchester United at Portman Road, Ipswich Town Women travelled to Parkside in Aveley and overcame Hashtag 4-1 in the shootout with Natalia Negri producing two big penalty saves following a 2-2 draw in normal time.

The hosts took an early lead when a throw-in on the left came to Wiktoria Fronc who struck a lofted effort across goal and into the top right corner.

Just before the half-time whistle, Joe Sheehan’s side levelled the score when Natasha Thomas’ initial effort at goal came to Summer Hughes whose off-target shot was nodded in by Maisy Barker at the back post.

Hashtag’s Holly Turner put her side back in front midway inside the second half when she latched on to a soft pass from Negri before charging towards goal and slotting past the goalie.

Town equalised in the 96th minute after Sophie Peskett picked up a long ball forward and slotted home to send the tie to penalties.

Goals from Issy Bryant, Issy Fisher, Maria Boswell, and Lucy O’Brien, as well as Negri’s two saves, saw Town win on penalties to go through to the next round.

The third round tie at the Martello Ground in Felixstowe, the home of Felixtowe & Walton United FC, will be played on Sunday, December 8.

The Cherries have won all nine of their games and are currently top of the FA Women’s National League (FANWL) Division One South West, a level below the Blues. The Dorset side won 4-0 away at Porchester in round two at the weekend.

The draw means Ipswich’s men’s and women’s teams will both face The Cherries in Suffolk on the same afternoon, with the men's fixture having recently been moved from the Saturday, due to Bournemouth now playing Brighton & Hove Albion on the Thursday evening.

AFC bow out in east Sussex

AFC Sudbury (Tier 4 )saw their record-breaking Women's FA Cup journey end in a 3-0 second round defeat away at higher-league Lewes, who had been a Championship (Tier 2) club last season before relegation, writes Russell Claydon.

The Yellows fell behind within two minutes to Lois Roche's volley and conceded again, to Olivia Carpenter, before the break to give the side an uphill battle in the second period.

There was another extended break shortly after the hour mark, with Lewes having been awarded a penalty, due to a serious injury to a home player which resulted in everyone else leaving the pitch.

Approximately an hour later, play resumed and Lewes saw the penalty saved by AFC keeper Millie Carter.

Moments later though, she was picking the ball out of the net after the conditions caused by Storm Bert played their part in gifting Lewes a telling third goal.

Carpenter's header got caught in the wind and looped over Carter before Muna Eze provided the simple tap-in from close range.

It ended a record-breaking journey for Luke and Stefan Mallett's side having never got past the first round proper as a club until this season.

After a break this weekend, they will turn their attention back to the FANWL Division One South East where they lie fourth in the table, having survived in their first season last time out. Their next opponents will be third-placed Chatham Town on Sunday, December 8 (2pm). The gap between the two is only two points, meaning a victory would see AFC leapfrog them.