Tottenham were given another sighting of the level they need to reach to be competitive in the Women’s Super League, should they win promotion, as goals from the captain Steph Houghton, Lauren Hemp and Gemma Bonner, and Ellie Roebuck’s penalty save, ensured Manchester City cruised into the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Spurs and City find themselves in similar circumstances in their respective divisions. Both table-topping, both looking over their shoulder at teams that have played two games fewer – Manchester City two points above Arsenal, Tottenham five clear of Manchester United.
But that is where the similarities end because at Cheshunt, in front of a stadium record crowd for Spurs of 1,158, the gulf between the sides was evident.
Part-time Spurs are in the hunt for a place in the fully professional top division and while they have overcome WSL sides Brighton and Yeovil in cup competitions this season and lead the fully professional United in the Women’s Championship, this test against City offered a glimpse at the levels of fitness, physicality and overall quality they will need to reach week-in week-out if and when they win promotion. It is a big ask to turn a semi-pro team into a fully professional set-up in a single summer without wholesale team changes – perhaps United’s decision to launch fully professional in the semi-pro second tier in preparation will need to become the model for clubs with top-flight ambitions.
For the first 30 minutes Spurs would have been pleased. Manchester City were significantly slicker in their passing but they failed to create many clearcut chances.
Hemp’s cross from the left saw the WSL record goalscorer Nikita Parris head straight at the goalkeeper Chloe Morgan. Minutes later Hemp’s blocked shot fell slightly behind the feet of Parris, and she could only run the ball into the arms of Morgan.
If Tottenham – who have conceded more than their three nearest rivals in the Championship – were holding firm at the back, Ashleigh Neville particularly key in denying City much space on the left, they struggled to make it count going forward.
Rianna Dean, top scorer with 15 goals in all competitions, was isolated up front and up against the best defence in the top tier.
And it was the keystone of that back line, the England captain Houghton, who broke the deadlock, whipping a free-kick over the wall and into the bottom right-hand corner of Morgan’s net.
Two minutes later and it was two, with Hemp picked out inside the area and lifting a delightful chip over Morgan.
With the wind in City’s sails, Jill Scott saw Morgan off her line and lofted a ball from 30 yard. It was dipping, but not quite enough, and clipped the crossbar before bouncing down and giving Spurs the space to clear.
Just six minutes after the restart it was three, a cross from the left causing panic in the box before Bonner was able to poke the ball over the line.
Houghton almost replicated her first-half goal but this time her free-kick cracked the crossbar. Parris pounced but the flag was up.
With City comfortable, Nick Cushing decided to protect his big names. Scott made way at the interval and the centre-back Jen Beattie and Parris followed in quick succession not long after the third goal.
The introduction of Angela Addison injected some pace into the Spurs’ midfield, and it looked like she would reduce the deficit. Scythed down in the 75th minute she stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but her effort lacked power and Ellie Roebuck got down low to her right to knock the ball away.