Altrincham FC Women, the lowest ranked team remaining in this season's Women's FA Cup, lost 0-3 to York City Ladies at the J. Davidson Stadium on a damp Sunday afternoon.

Facing a more experienced and physically stronger York side, the Alty Women were hit by two goals in a minute midway through the first half.

In a better second-half performance from the Alty team, York only added their third goal, a header from a corner, in added time.

SCORERS:

• 23 mins: Ruby WATT (ALTRINCHAM WOMEN 0 York City Ladies 1)
• 24 mins: Katie VARLEY (ALTRINCHAM WOMEN 0 York City Ladies 2)
• 90(+1) mins: Katie VARLEY(ALTRINCHAM WOMEN 0 York City Ladies 3)

REFEREE: Mr Liam Ashcroft

ATTENDANCE: 581

TEAM NEWS:

LINE-UPc:

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts , black shorts and white socks): 1. Olivia KALETA, 4. Katie LOCKE, 5. Brianna MORRISON, 8. Ash GILMORE, 9. Georgia McKNIGHT, 10. Nat LOWE (c), 11. Milla JACOBSON, 22. Carmen CULBERT, 24. Millie KULLU, 25. Elise JONES, 30. Ireyimika BAMIGBOYE. Subs: 7. Annie O'DONOGHUE, 3. Isabella MOSS, 6. Matilda WHITEHEAD, 7. Kira SAYCELL, 12. Ashley JONES, 14. Sophie HALL, 21. Izabela KLEINSZMIT (gk), 23. Esty FRISCHMAN, 29. Emily RUTTER.

YORK CITY LADIES (White shirts, blue shorts and socks): 1. Rebecca Sidwell, 3. Daniella Trickett, 4. Ruby Shaw, 5. Sharone Buckle, 6. Katie Varley, 7. Rosie Bell, 8. Niamh Doody, 9. Katie Astle,(c), 11. Ruby Watt, 12. Tara Duce, 14. Florence Pegrum. Subs: 2. Eliza Benson, 10. Sophie Bentley, 13. Kacey Woollam (gk), 16. Kabela Marshall, 17. Millie Martin. 18. Lucy Cooper.

This was the furthest that an Altrincham women's team had ever reached in the Women's FA Cup and the Robins found themselves the lowest ranked club left in the competition at this Third Round stage.

REPORT:

It was just about dry as Altrincham kicked off on an otherwise damp afternoon at the J. Davidson Stadium, where the floodlights were deployed from the start.

After the initial exchanges of forward probing, York began to establish themselves and had won two corners by the 13th minute. From the latter, a York player headed at goal but Kaleta was in the right place to block the effort.

Kaleta was soon in action again as she gathered the ball just ahead of an opponent.

Altrincham were not helping their cause by losing possession cheaply but they were holding their opponents to a goalless game until they were hit by two goals in a minute midway through the half. The breakthrough for York came when Bell got round her marker on the York right and crossed, low, into the box where Watt had a straightforward task of scoring (23 mins).

It became 0-2 almost immediately as a long-range shot from Astle somehow found its way into the far corner of the net from the left (24 mins).

York's dominance was underlined when they won three corners in two minutes, either side of the half-hour mark. Kaleta then made a fine save from Astle but the visitors' captain was flag offside in any case (32 mins).

Doody's 20 yarder was also saved by the Alty keeper, whose opposite number was a spectator at the other end. For Alty, Bamigboye was excelling and her performancein the back line was to earn her the Alty Player of the Match award.

As half-time approached a cross from the right by Bell struck the inside of the far upright but bounced to safety for Altrincham (41 mins).

Kaleta was soon in action again blocking an advance by Bell (48 mins). Nevertheless, the pressure continued as Gilmore had to get in an impressive tackle at the cost of a corner (50 mins).

Both sides made their first changes as Bentley replaced Doody for York and Alty's Whitehead came on for Kullu (53 mins).

Altrincham's best shot of the game to date arrived as Jacobson fired inches wide (54 mins). Rain was now falling as a mis-pass from Alty gave York a shot at goal which Kaleta parried, high to her left, out for a corner (57 mins).

The hosts were now enjoying a better spell with an impressive run by Jacobson their next foray (60 mins). Daryll Abrahams now brought on Saycell for Elise Jones (61 mins).

But Kaleta could not relax at the back and she soon had to come out smartly to stop Duce (63 mins).

Midway through the half Altrincham made another change with Ashley Jones receiving a loud cheer from her fan club as she replaced Nat Lowe (69 mins).

A double substitution by York then brought on Martin and a number 15 for Duce and Bell (71 mins).

The Yorkshire side were comfortable with their lead which almost increased when a Bentley effort hit the crossbar (78 mins). A York corner soon followed and, in its aftermath, the ball had to be hacked off the Alty goal-line (81 mins).

Altrincham rallied for the closing stages and a home freekick from wide left drifted across the penalty area and only just went wide at the back post (87 mins).

But just as four added minutes were announced, York won a left-side corner which Varley headed home from close range to make it 0-3 (90+1 mins).

In the fifth added minute York made a gratuitous double change with Cooper and Benson joining the game as Pegrum and Watt left the field. The game ended bizarrely in the sixth added minute when the York keeper took a goalkick but slipped and fell to the ground with the ball having travelled just a few yards.

However, before Altrincham could seize on the chance of converting the loose ball, the referee blew his whistle to end the game.

Altrincham had given a spirited performance but the greater experience, better ability to retain the ball and physical strength of the visitors ensured that the Minsterwomen were deserved victors.