Arsenal cruise past Sunderland

Clare Wheatley: Key part of the Arsenal side which won 7-0

By BBC Sport Online's women's football correspondent Claire Gray

Holders Arsenal cruised through to the second round of the AXA-sponsored Women's Cup with a 7-0 victory over Premiership rivals Sunderland but it was last year's runners-up Charlton who secured the biggest winning margin of the day.

The reigning league champions were in devastating form as they savaged Northern Division basement side Newcastle Town 14-0 but not to be outdone Arsenal put in an impressive display of their own.

Their opponents Sunderland were humbled as the league leaders hit seven without reply to maintain their grip on the trophy.

England's Angela Banks fired her second hat-trick of the season with Ciara Grant, Sara Woolescroft and Catherine Thorpe also on target while further salt was rubbed into the Sunderland wounds with just a minute remaining when Lindsey Baxter put into her own net.

Belles win

Doncaster Belles comfortably booked their place in the next round in an injury-ridden match against Garswood Saints in Yorkshire.

The Belles' England international Claire Utley was stretchered off on the hour, casting doubts over her fitness for England's forthcoming clash with Finland, in what proved to be a straightforward victory for the home side.

Becky Easton scored the Belles' first on ten minutes but saw that effort cancelled out just sixty seconds later with the first of two goals for Saints' Andrea Bell.

Two goals from Karen Walker, including a penalty, and a Melanie Garside volley saw them into the break 4-1 up with strikes from Amanda Barr, Gail Borman and Sarah Abrahams tying up the points.

Everton steamrollered their way into round two with a handsome 7-0 win over Huddersfield Town.

Emphatic

The Blues were emphatic as they disposed of the Northern Division strugglers at College Road but it still took them twenty minutes to get off the mark.

Chantelle Woodhead opened the scoring with her second goal of the season and then hit a spectacular second just after the half hour with a crashing left-footed drive from 25 yards out.

England international Sammy Britton fired home minutes later to put the home side 3-0 in front while Kelly Shimmin grabbed a goal either side of half time to make absolutely certain of a place in the next round.

Duffy

Former Liverpool stars Leanne Duffy and Gayle Formston completed the rout with their first goals for the club.

Goals were also flowing on the Wirral as Tranmere Rovers secured an impressive victory of their own.

Kelly Burns and England winger Sue Smith both snatched a double as Rovers hammered Southern Division side Chelsea 7-1.

Natalie Preston, Faye Dunne and Kate Anderton hit Tranmere's other goals with Farah Williams hitting the Londoner's consolation.

It was an easy passage through for Southampton Saints as they saw off the challenge of Northern Division outfit Sheffield Wednesday. A brace from striker Una Nwajei helped the south coast side to a deserved 5-0 victory with Gemma Ritchie and Corrin Yorston also on the scoresheet.

Howe error

A Laura Howe own goal completed Sheffield's misery. Millwall's clash with Barry Town was forced into an extra half hour after the two were locked at 2-2 at the end of normal time.

And the Londoners staged a magnificent comeback after finding themselves 2-0 down to successfully edge through the tie.

Trudy Williams had struck just two minutes in to give the Welsh outfit an early lead and, indeed, the visitors doubled their lead nineteen minutes later through Shelly Strudley.

But a goal from Emma Thrower either side of the break clawed the Lionesses back into the tie and an effort from Terri Warren in the fourth minute of the second period of extra-time proved enough to see the home side through.

Liverpool will have to wait to launch their assault on the League Cup after their game at Aston Villa was postponed due to a water-logged pitch.