By Jonathan White
Nantwich Town FC Women saw their unbeaten start to the season come to an end – along with their FA Cup journey – following a 4-1 defeat away to Ponteland United FC Women in the Third Round Qualifying of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup on Sunday afternoon (5th October 2025).
The result brought to a close the Dabbers’ impressive seven-match unbeaten run in all competitions this season.
After enjoying a team breakfast at The Tea Lounge at the Swansway Stadium, the squad set off early for the 200-mile journey to Ponteland Leisure Centre in Northumberland, around eight miles northwest of Newcastle upon Tyne.
In blustery and testing conditions brought by Storm Amy, Nantwich fell 3-0 behind by half-time. Forward Alicia Hatton — sponsored by SugaRich — pulled a goal back for the Dabbers in the second half, but Ponteland added a fourth to secure their place in the next round.
The victory earned Ponteland United £4,000 in prize money and a spot in the First Round Proper of the competition, scheduled for Sunday 26th October.
Despite the loss, there was a milestone moment for Nantwich as Alicia Hatton’s strike marked the 300th competitive goal in the club’s history — five years on from their first-ever fixture on 4th October 2020.
The Dabbers earned £1,000 in prize money for their cup exit, narrowly missing out on matching last season’s achievement of reaching the First Round Proper.
Manager Dan Mellor, speaking after the match, said:
“It was a disappointing performance today and we know we didn’t hit our usual standards, but credit to the opposition — they showed their quality and punished our mistakes. That said, I’m incredibly proud of the run we’ve been on again this season. The players have given everything to take us this far, and we’ll use this as a lesson to come back stronger in the league starting next weekend.”
Dabbers starting XI vs Ponteland United: 1. C. Swindell, 2. A. Mayer, 3. P. Smith (captain), 4. H. Knight, 5. S. Cawley, 6. L. Pearce, 7. J. Alderman, 8. K. Greenwood, 9. A. Fallon, 10. M. Baldwin, 11. A. Hatton. Subs: J. Buckley-Ratcliff, A. Poulton, J. Case.
Fans can follow all the latest Dabbers news, action and behind-the-scenes updates on the official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NTFCLadies .
Full fixture details are at: https://www.nantwichtownfc.co.uk/all-women-fixtures/ .