The women’s FA Cup fixture that took place at Stanley Sports Hub was certainly a memorable occasion. Not necessarily for good reasons for two particular Bury players – Rhia Dickins and Mia Holden who crucially missed their kick after a tense match in an even more tense penalty shootout. Whilst Bury were the more dominant force in the match and probably deserved to go through after 90 minutes, it was the visitors from Teeside who came away with a spot in the draw for the Women’s FA Cup 1^st round proper.

After an evenly matched open 15 minutes it was Bury who had a half chance from a free-kick. Mia Holden was denied by the Norton goalkeeper, Kelsie Moore. The Norton number 10 was their brightest player and Bianca Owens forced the first real save that Beth Powney had to make. Moore was called into action minutes later when she denied Sophie Charlton.

With 20 minutes played it was Bury who grew into the game better and moments later a Rhia Dickins effort from distance had Moore momentarily worried but it was a comfortable save.

An excellent chance then dropped for Murron Alldread and Bury as she was slipped in, but she couldn’t keep her attempt down. Shortly after, Charlton had an effort from distance but still no breakthrough before half-time.

Norton then had a decent opportunity from a free-kick and in the penalty area it did drop kindly for Kate McGuire but she was bravely denied by Powney. At half-time, it was all level with both sides having to rely on a good second-half performance to decide the winner.

Less than 5 minutes into the second half that breakthrough did come – after Moore was put under immense pressure from Alldread whom the ball got a fortunate deflection off before dropping into the Norton net. Bury were 40 minutes or so away from the FA Cup 1^st round.

But the Geordies were determined to respond with MacArthur down the left, forcing Powney into a good save. Then they were given a lifeline when the referee pointed to the spot after Nugent had brought down MacArthur. Up stepped Owens who smashed it past Powney and Norton were level.

The visitors then slowly crept into the ascendancy with a number of positive attacks but they couldn’t create the opening. And as they headed towards the last 15 there was nothing to split them.

It was Owens again who had a powerful drive, in one of those attacks, from 10 yards out but was well beaten away by the Bury goalkeeper again.

Eight minutes to go, Bury had a free kick which was whipped just wide of the post. However, quickly from Moore’s save Norton launched a counterattack and Powney came out from the long ball. After an error from the goalie, it needed a brilliant piece of emergency defending as Emilia Nuttall mopped up. The game headed to the dreaded penalty shootout:

Owens first for Norton scored as did Charlton for Bury, Burton for the away side, Alldread for the hosts and West for Norton. Then, horribly Dickens had her penalty saved. McGuire then missed for Norton – Holden and Bury had the chance to level the shootout but missed. It was then up to Norton substitute Maddie Myers, to score to win and she did.

In the harshest way possible, Bury had crashed out of the FA Cup at the final qualification hurdle. It will be Norton & Stockton Ancients who’ll be watching out for the draw to see who they’ll take on, on the 12^th of November. A terrific Bury performance but their FA Cup aspirations have been crushed, their focus will now be on the league. Ultimately it finished Bury 1.1 Norton & Stockton Ancients (Norton won 4.2 on pens)