Top-flight Everton were knocked out of the Women’s FA Cup by Birmingham City on an unsurprising day in the fourth round of the competition.
The Championship Blues beat fifth-placed Everton in the Women’s Super League 1-0 with a goal from Jade Pennock.
WSL sides Tottenham, Manchester City, Brighton and Arsenal powerfully beat lower league sides as West Ham, Chelsea and Manchester United also progressed.
Fourth-tier Cardiff City are the lowest ranked club after beating Burnley.
Cardiff, who top the National League South West Division 1, arguably caused the upset of the round by winning 4-1 away to third-placed Clarets a tier above, in the Northern Premier.
Cori Williams put the visitors on their way and Laura Williams added two more before Ingrid Adland netted a stunning score for the South Wales side.
In one of the WSL’s two fourth-round matches, Sam Kerr scored a hat-trick as cup holders Chelsea held off a Liverpool fightback to win 3-2 at Kingsmeadow.
The draw for the fifth round takes place at 6.30pm GMT on Monday during the BBC’s Sportsday broadcast on the BBC News Channel and BBC iPlayer.
Big guns fire as City and Arsenal drive through
Khadija Shaw scored a hat-trick while England star Chloe Kelly also scored and provided three assists as last season’s losing runners-up Manchester City beat second-tier contenders Sheffield United 7-0.
Arsenal were equally imperious in ending fourth-tier Leeds’ run – eight different players scoring in a 9-0 hammering as the Gunners didn’t allow the visitors a single shot, let alone one on target.
Brighton joined the scoring streak with a dominating display at third tier West Bromwich Albion, winning 7-0 and registering 19 shots on target to none for the Baggies.
It was an equally comfortable afternoon for Tottenham, who escaped five straight league defeats to dismiss the championship leaders London City Lionesses 5-0.
Manchester United had a scare at Championship side Sunderland, who equalized midway through the second half, but Nikita Parris’ brace eventually sent the Red Devils 2-1 up.
Reflecting the brave efforts of Sunderland, the Northern Premier’s high-flying wolves, who held 2019 runners-up West Ham scoreless for over 70 minutes before losing to two quick goals.
Shocks are rare but Blues and Cardiff oblige
Brian Sorensen enjoyed a successful first season in charge of Everton, guiding the Toffees to fifth place in the WSL halfway through the campaign, but his first Women’s FA Cup draw was one to forget.
Everton benefited from a couple of early starts as their former striker Claudia Walker twice came close for Birmingham but dominated much of the game to find Blues keeper Lucy Thomas in inspired form.
Jessica Park and Agnes Beever-Jones both struck for the post for the hosts but Pennock’s on-time strike won the day as Birmingham, relegated from the WSL last season, took revenge action for their semi-final loss to Everton in 2020.
Cardiff City Ladies, not to be confused with Cardiff City Women, the team associated with the Men’s Championship club, provided the other surprise result for Burnley.
But there was little luck for the other three fourth-tier teams who had reached the last 32 stages.
In addition to Leeds’ heavy defeat at Arsenal, Hashtag United had goalkeeper Jamie-Lee Bamford sent off as they lost 4-0 at Championship club Coventry United while AFC Wimbledon lost 5-1 at home against another second-tier team, Charlton.
Championship trio Durham, Lewes and Bristol City sealed the progression with victories over Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Oxford United respectively.
