Grimsby Town Women put eight past Deeping Rangers as Ben Challen’s side progressed through to the quarter finals of the Lincolnshire FA County Women’s Cup.
Beth Wharton was on target four times and strikes from Harriet Dalton, Alisha Dejonge, Abbie Emslie and an own goal added to the tally as the Mariners extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight.
Ben Challen made a couple of changes from his side’s victory over Chesterfield at Blundell Park, bringing in Dalton who operated in a less familiar position on the right wing and Dejonge who sat in the number ten position behind Wharton.
Olivia Kershaw, Sophie Gray, Chloe Thorpe and Leah Wray made up the backline in front of Mia Jovic in between the sticks.
Pariss Welsh and captain Dani Brighton sat in front of the defence, with Dalton and Emslie operating on the wings as Dejonge sat behind striker Wharton in the role of the attacking midfielder.
Only three minutes had been played at Clee Fields before the Mariners found themselves with an early advantage. Leah Wray played the ball through the middle to Wharton, who made no mistake as she took the ball round the keeper and slotted home to give Town the lead in the opening stages of the game.
It took almost half an hour for the hosts to double the lead, and it was Dalton who was on target this time with her first goal of the season.
As the clock ticked towards half-time, Deeping closed the gap as they pulled a goal back, meaning it was 2-1 heading into the break.
Ben Challen’s side came out firing in the second period of the tie and it was the ruthless Emslie who scored the Mariners’ third. A driven cross from Olivia Kershaw was met at the back post by the winger who calmly nestled it in the back of the net.
Five minutes later it was Dejonge who was played through, and she was in a perfect position inside the area to finish from close-range as Town increased the goal deficit to four.
Wharton got her brace a minute later as another ball in from Wray saw the striker make no mistake as she latched onto it to strike home.
Wharton’s hat trick was sealed in the 62nd minute when the ball was played into the striker’s feet, she took an extra touch on the ball to control it and found the opposite corner of the goal with a clean effort.
An own goal gave the Mariners their seventh of the afternoon. Some brilliant play at the feet of Lily Jacklin in the box saw the ball head towards the Deeping goal, with a visiting defender getting the last touch as it rolled in.
Wharton struck for the fourth time on the 90 minute mark. A great passage of play between Kershaw and Izzy Fawcett allowed the forward to round off a brilliant performance in black and white.
The Mariners are next in action when they welcome League leaders Gainsborough Trinity to Clee Fields on Sunday.
Town: Jovic, Dalton, Wray, Brighton, Kershaw, Thorpe, Emslie, Wharton, Dejonge, Gray, Welsh
Subs: Jacklin, Fawcett, Smith, Clapham
