Exeter City Women face Barclays Championship side Sunderland on Sunday afternoon, with a victory for Abbie Britton’s City progressing the team to the FA Cup fifth round for the first time in the team’s history.
The Grecians enjoyed a strong run of form before the Christmas break, league victories over Billericay and Lewes accompanying FA Cup wins against Plymouth Argyle and Worthing. The visitors may go into the tie as strong favourites, but on the back of a history making 2024, this City squad will be looking to kick off 2025 with another magical moment.
The Lasses have enjoyed a steady campaign so far, winning five of their ten fixtures in the Barclays Championship. After early season defeats to Birmingham City and Southampton, a run of good form in November completed four successive league wins with a 2-2 draw against Portsmouth before the Christmas break cementing Reay’s side’s position in the middle of the table.
League Cup losses to Blackburn Rovers and Durham came either side of the Tyne and Wear club’s FA Cup third round fixture, goals from Eleanor Dale, Amy Goddard, Libbi McInnes and Mary McAteer easing the Lasses past tier four side Huddersfield Town. Dale has been the most consistent goal scorer for Sunderland this season, with six Championship goals to add to her efforts in cup competitions, the forward’s signing from Everton in January of 2024 proving a successful acquisition.
Reay’s squad is filled with players with international recognition, Jess Stapleton, Brianna Westrup, Katie Kitching, Ellen Jones and Mary McAteer representing Republic of Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand and Wales respectively. A strong pathway in the Northeast has also seen many of the squad represent England at youth level.