The Vitality Women’s FA Cup returns next month with the fourth round and 16 cracking ties.
The 11 remaining non-elite teams will compete alongside the nine FA Women’s Championship survivors of the third round while the 12 Barclays FA Women’s Super League teams join the competition at this stage.
The draw for the Vitality Women’s FA Cup fourth round took place last week and FAWSL Full-Time have identified three potential shocks which could happen when the competition resumes at the end of January.
Southampton v Bristol City
Third tier club Southampton are going places under the guidance of Marianne Spacey-Cale MBE. The Saints recently won promotion to the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier and they have invested heavily in their playing squad. There is a lot of talent in the Southampton squad including international players such as Laura Rafferty, Katie Rood and Ciara Watling and their quality is showing with The Saints sitting in third position in their league. Bristol City have gone into the Christmas break in good form themselves and look set for a bright 2022 but this is a real banana skin for Lauren Smith’s side.
Birmingham City v Sunderland
This season has been every bit as difficult as expected for Birmingham City and it is no shock to see them bottom of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League table. League survival simply has to be the priority for the Blues and questions have to be asked as to whether they can cope with a sustained run in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup.
Fourth round opponents Sunderland will give the Blues a game at St Andrew’s. Melanie Reay’s side have impressed on their return to the FA Women’s Championship this season, particularly with their organised defending. The Lady Black Cats recently defeated a full-time Liverpool side on penalties in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup and they look like the team who could cause an upset in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup fourth round.
Billericay Town v Coventry United
This would be one of the more surprising upsets but Billericay Town are pushing hard for promotion in the FA Women’s National League Division One South East and they will go into their tie with second tier club Coventry United with lots of confidence. Ricay have scored 18 goals in the first three rounds of this season’s Vitality Women’s FA Cup including 10 against Chesham United in the third round. Coventry United should have the firepower to seriously trouble the home side but Billericay Town have goals in them too and this could be a see-saw battle. Coventry United will fancy themselves to be in the hat for the fifth round but Billericay Town are making great noises further down the pyramid and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The Vitality Women’s FA Cup fourth round takes place over the weekend of 29 and 30 January 2022.
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