Whitehaven AFC 2–3 Wolviston FC Ladies
The Adobe Women’s FA Cup – Extra Preliminary Round

Sunday 23rd August 2026 will go down as a very special day in the history of Wolviston Football Club.

More than 100 years of history. A first-ever competitive fixture for Wolviston FC Ladies. A first appearance in the Women’s FA Cup.

And, at the end of an unforgettable day, a first-ever competitive victory.

But this story started long before the referee blew the whistle at 2pm.

A New Chapter for Wolviston

This summer has seen something special taking shape at Wolviston FC.

Following the move of Stockton Town Ladies Reserves to Wolviston, Wolviston FC Ladies were formed and will compete in the Durham Premier League this season.

At the same time, the club launched a second women’s side, Wolviston United Ladies, who will compete in Durham Division One.

For the first time in the club’s 100-plus-year history, Wolviston now has two ladies’ teams.

Both sides have enjoyed fantastic pre-seasons, but Sunday’s trip to Whitehaven represented something different.

This one counted.

This was the FA Cup.

And this was history.

The Day Begins at The Welly

The day started at 8:30am at The Wellington Inn – The Welly – in Wolviston, just around the corner from the football ground.

The Welly opened especially for the travelling party, putting on breakfast and sandwiches before the journey.

A huge donation from Frank Garvey helped make the coach possible, and by 9:30am a 55-seater M&D Coaches coach packed with players, management, coaches and supporters was heading across the country towards Whitehaven.

After around three hours on the road, the squad arrived, stretched their legs and prepared for the biggest game of their short history.

At 2pm, Wolviston FC Ladies’ first-ever competitive fixture kicked off.

The Starting XI

• GK: Courtney Wilson
• Defence: Holly Williams, Hannah Verrall, Emily Webb
• Midfield: Michaela Garvey, Sara Ellis, Gabbi Welford
• Wide: Grace Taylor, Erin White
• Attack: Lexi Simmonette, Georgia Dawes

It was a system that would have to change several times throughout an incredibly demanding afternoon, with injuries and substitutions forcing players into different positions.

That adaptability would ultimately prove crucial.

Whitehaven Strike First

The hosts started extremely well.

For the opening five minutes, Wolviston could barely get a touch as Whitehaven confidently moved the ball around.

But Wolviston stayed patient.

A few strong challenges followed, possession started changing hands and suddenly Wolviston began playing their own football.

For the next 15–20 minutes, they moved Whitehaven from side to side and began taking control.

However, it was the hosts who struck first.

A Whitehaven corner wasn’t dealt with well enough and a home player was able to head the ball home.

1–0 Whitehaven.

Wolviston’s response was almost immediate.

Lexi Makes History

Just three minutes later, Lexi Simmonette collected a pass from midfield.

She beat the midfielder in front of her, knocked the ball beyond the defender and unleashed a fantastic strike towards the top-left corner.

The Whitehaven goalkeeper managed to get both hands to it.

It didn’t matter.

The ball was in.

1–1.

And Lexi Simmonette had written her name into Wolviston history as the scorer of Wolviston FC Ladies’ first-ever competitive goal – and their first-ever Women’s FA Cup goal.

Unfortunately, just minutes later, Lexi’s afternoon was over.

Another ball through midfield released her beyond the defence. A good challenge came in from the Whitehaven defender, but Lexi landed awkwardly on her wrist and couldn’t continue.

Connie Robinson was introduced, forcing Wolviston to reorganise their attacking shape.

Before the break there was still time for another huge opportunity.

Wolviston broke the defensive line and Erin White found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, only for the Whitehaven keeper to produce an excellent save.

At half-time:

Whitehaven AFC 1–1 Wolviston FC Ladies.

A Huge Team Performance

While the goals would eventually grab the headlines, this was a performance built throughout the entire team.

Courtney Wilson was fantastic in goal. She was composed when called upon, communicated with the players in front of her and produced a massive save late in the game when Whitehaven were throwing everything at Wolviston.

In front of her, the starting back three of Holly Williams, Hannah Verrall and Emily Webb were outstanding.

They had to remain disciplined during long periods when Whitehaven kept possession, resisting the temptation to get dragged out of shape.

When Isla Blake was introduced and Wolviston moved into a back four, the defensive unit adapted brilliantly again.

The midfield three of Michaela Garvey, Sara Ellis and Gabbi Welford had an enormous job.

Whitehaven were technically very good and enjoyed spells of possession, but Wolviston’s midfield worked tirelessly to close spaces, win the ball and then turn defence into attack.

Gabbi and Lily Reynolds also switched during the game, allowing Wolviston to maintain the energy and quality they needed in the middle of the pitch.

As injuries and tactical changes mounted, Michaela and Sara were both asked to sacrifice their normal positions, being pushed wider and, at different stages, dropping into defensive roles.

They simply got on with it.

That willingness to adapt summed up the afternoon.

And out wide, the energy was relentless.

Wolviston’s wide players were being asked to do two jobs – get forward and cause Whitehaven problems, then turn around and make the run all the way back again.

Those repeated forward and defensive runs became even more important as the game went on and Wolviston’s numbers were stretched.

It wasn’t eleven individual performances.

It was a team constantly changing shape and personnel while continuing to work for one another.

Connie Robinson Takes Over

The second half began much like the first.

Whitehaven kept possession brilliantly for the opening seven or eight minutes. Wolviston barely saw the ball, but importantly, they maintained their shape.

For all Whitehaven’s possession, they weren’t hurting Wolviston.

Then the visitors began winning the ball back.

The midfield started breaking lines, the wide players were getting behind the Whitehaven defence and the momentum changed.

Around 20 minutes into the half, Wolviston’s pressure paid off.

A ball through caused problems for the Whitehaven goalkeeper, but it was Connie Robinson’s relentless pressure that created the mistake.

The goalkeeper went down for the ball, it escaped her grasp, and Connie reacted.

With two Whitehaven defenders between her and the goal, she drilled the ball through them and into the net.

Whitehaven 1–2 Wolviston.

And Wolviston weren’t finished.

Around ten minutes later, Georgia Dawes played a superb ball through the Whitehaven defence.

Connie and the goalkeeper both raced towards it.

Connie got there first.

She fired the ball into the roof of the net.

1–3 WOLVISTON!

Two goals from the substitute.

Pure pressure. Pure tenacity. Pure determination.

And Wolviston were heading towards history.

Injuries, Ten Players and a Huge Final 20 Minutes

The afternoon then took another difficult turn.

Connie put her foot into a hole in the pitch and twisted her knee. After an outstanding contribution from the bench, she had to be stretchered from the field.

Katie Boynton was introduced in her place – Wolviston’s final permitted substitution of the afternoon.

Katie slotted into midfield and immediately gave Wolviston some much-needed stability as the game became increasingly stretched.

Then, shortly afterwards, the afternoon took another difficult turn.

With around 20 minutes remaining, Wolviston broke through again.

Erin raced beyond the Whitehaven defence and was heading one-on-one towards the goalkeeper.

It looked like the moment that could make it 4–1.

A Whitehaven centre-back came sliding across and brought Erin down. Erin was left with stud marks around her knee and couldn’t continue.

The defender was shown a yellow card.

But with Katie having already replaced Connie as Wolviston’s final substitution, there was nobody left to bring on for Erin.

Wolviston therefore had to see out the remainder of the game with TEN PLAYERS.

Katie Helps Shut the Door

Katie’s introduction for the injured Connie proved hugely important.

Coming into a game that was becoming increasingly stretched, she slotted into midfield and gave Wolviston exactly what they needed.

Her discipline, work rate and composure helped make the middle of the pitch solid again.

Then, when Erin was forced off and Wolviston were reduced to ten, Katie’s presence became even more important.

Every player suddenly had more ground to cover and every decision became more important, but Katie helped give the side the stability needed to continue competing for possession rather than simply dropping deeper and inviting Whitehaven onto them.

That would become crucial during a dramatic final few minutes.

3–2 – Seven Minutes to Go

Whitehaven naturally began to build momentum against the ten players.

With around seven minutes remaining, they created another opportunity and forced Courtney Wilson into a brilliant save.

Unfortunately, the danger wasn’t over.

The loose ball dropped to a Whitehaven player on the edge of the box, who drilled it home.

Whitehaven 2–3 Wolviston.

Seven minutes remaining.

Ten players.

A one-goal lead.

A place in the next round of the FA Cup on the line.

But what happened next said everything about this Wolviston team.

You might have expected them to retreat, defend the penalty area and desperately try to survive until the final whistle.

They didn’t.

Wolviston took control.

With Katie helping make the midfield solid, Wolviston started winning the important battles in the middle of the pitch.

They got hold of the ball.

They kept possession when they could.

They made Whitehaven work to get it back.

Around Katie, players who had already given everything found another level.

Michaela, Sara, Gabbi and Lily had all played their part through a constantly changing midfield, while Michaela and Sara had also been asked to move wide and drop into defensive positions.

The wide players continued making exhausting runs in both directions.

The defence remained composed.

Courtney remained assured behind them.

Even with ten players, Wolviston weren’t hanging on.

They were managing the game.

Those final seven minutes were controlled with maturity, determination and an incredible amount of hard work.

Eventually, the referee looked at the watch.

The whistle blew.

HISTORY MADE.

FULL TIME: Whitehaven AFC 2–3 Wolviston FC Ladies

Wolviston FC Ladies’ first competitive match.

Their first competitive victory.

Their first Women’s FA Cup fixture.

Their first Women’s FA Cup victory.

And a place in the next round.

Lexi Simmonette will forever be Wolviston FC Ladies’ first competitive goalscorer and first FA Cup goalscorer.

Connie Robinson becomes the first Wolviston FC Ladies player to score a competitive brace – with her second becoming the club’s first-ever competitive winning goal.

And after an afternoon packed with huge performances, Player of the Match honours were shared by Hannah Verrall and Connie Robinson.

Hannah was immense at the heart of the defence. Whether playing as part of the back three or adapting as the shape changed around her, she led an outstanding defensive performance – particularly during those final 20 minutes with ten players.

Connie, meanwhile, came from the bench following Lexi’s injury and changed the game. Her two goals were built on sheer tenacity, pressure and determination, turning a tight FA Cup tie in Wolviston’s favour before injury unfortunately ended her own afternoon.

Two very different performances.

Two massive contributions.

And two players fully deserving of the recognition.

But on a day like this, there were performances everywhere you looked.

Courtney was fantastic in goal.

Holly, Hannah and Emily were outstanding as a back three, before Isla came on and helped make the back four just as strong.

Michaela, Sara and Gabbi battled in midfield, with Lily switching with Gabbi and maintaining the energy in the middle.

Michaela and Sara then sacrificed themselves for the team, moving out wide and into defensive positions when needed.

The wingers ran themselves into the ground – attacking one minute and racing back to defend the next.

And when Wolviston went down to ten, Katie Boynton’s role in midfield became even more important, helping give the team the platform to control those crucial final minutes.

This wasn’t won by one or two players.

This was a squad performance.

More Than a Football Match

This was about far more than 90 minutes.

It was breakfast together at The Welly.

It was Frank Garvey helping make the coach possible.

It was a 55-seater filled with players, coaches, management and supporters making the long journey across to Whitehaven.

It was Lexi making history.

It was Connie coming from the bench and scoring twice.

It was Erin refusing to stop running at the Whitehaven defence.

It was Courtney producing a huge save when her team needed her.

It was Hannah and the players around her fighting for every ball.

It was Katie coming into the midfield at a crucial moment and helping the ten players take control.

It was players filling unfamiliar positions because their teammates needed them.

It was going down to ten players and refusing to buckle.

And it was a group of players, staff and supporters travelling back across the Pennines knowing they had just written the opening page of Wolviston FC Ladies’ competitive history.

The league campaign was due to begin on 6th September.

There has been a change of plans.

Wolviston FC Ladies have another FA Cup tie to play.

Two new women’s teams.

One club.

A new chapter.

And what a way to start it.