On 12th November, Worcester City Women FC made history by defeating Rotherham United and securing their place in the Second Round of the Adobe FA Cup. And while this victory marked an exciting time for the club, the Second Round Proper indicates elevated competition. Within 24 hours, with fans, players, and staff eagerly awaiting, the FA announced that Worcester City Women would face tier-three side MK Dons at Sixways Stadium, City’s home ground.
With less than two weeks to prepare, City began spreading the word about this monumental matchup. The club hosted interviews, created buzz on social media, and appeared on BBC Midlands Today to promote this fixture. The previous attendance record for the club sat just above 300 people, and City’s objective was to surpass this figure. By gameday, the club had sold over 200 tickets online, and once the ref’s whistle signaled the start of the match, 510 supporters filled seats, standing room, and hospitality boxes, shattering the previous record.
While City faced formidable opponents, they stunted many attacks, holding the score at 0-0 going into the half, but the quality of the opposition showed through in the end, and City suffered a 0-3 defeat. Still, even after the third goal, not a single player’s head dropped, and the fans were quick to lift the atmosphere in the stadium. Chants began ringing through the ground as City went on to force errors, hit the post, and were ultimately unlucky not to get one or two back.
While City didn’t get the result they were looking for, this fixture taught us a lot about the players’ resolve and the fanbase’s passion. As WCWFC progresses, so will the level of competition, with the significance of matches only increasing. Furthermore, the stakes are high at this level of women’s football, with only one team earning promotion. Currently, Worcester City Women sit just behind the League Leaders Lye Town in the West Midlands Regional League, making every match a must-win.
With NewCo. set to be the new governing body of the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship, the FA will devote more resources to clubs further down the pyramid, amplifying the significance of promotion. Join us and the rest of City’s supporters as we fight, not just for promotion but for the progression of football.