BARNSLEY Women’s FC thrashed bottom club Lincoln United 7-0 and are now due to visit Doncaster Rovers Belles on Sunday in the Sheffield Senior Cup quarter-final.
The Reds had lost their previous three games and only won one in seven.
They moved up a place to fourth in National League Division One Midlands with 26 points from 15 games and seven to play.
Cup hosts Doncaster also play in the fourth tier in England but in a different region, having stayed up last season because Barnsley FC women folded.
Manager Craige Richardson said: “We’re looking at some silverware in the county cup and we will keep our eye on second in the league until it’s done.
“It will be tough in the cup because there are teams like Huddersfield Town. But once you get to the latter stages, it’s anyone’s.
“Donny Belles will be a challenge.
“They are at the same level as us and have had a mixed season.
“They beat us in pre-season.
“They have just changed their management team and brought new players in. It will be an interesting battle.”
The competition has changed this year, with the teams in the fourth tier such as Barnsley only coming in at the last eight stage.
Previously they were drawn with much lower-ranked teams and some of the scorelines were in double figures.
Richardson said: “We’re all in it to develop the women’s game.
“We want to win but there is no joy in beating teams ten, 15, 20-0.
“We want all teams to do well.
“What they have been able to do is give people a chance in the earlier rounds then the tier four teams drop in at the quarter-finals which makes absolute sense. Hopefully the grassroots teams will have enjoyed it in the more competitive earlier rounds.”
Against Lincoln, the scorers were Jodie Snelson, Millie Fugler, Amber Sewell, Charlotte Stuart, Ocean Rolandsen, Jemima Jarvis and Olivia Richardson.
“We’ve had a depleted squad and a few results which didn’t go our way in games that we were expected to win.
“It’s been coming. Lincoln are bottom so we were expected to win but it was the performance that was most pleasing.
“It was a good day at the office.
“We seemed to have the hunger and desire back.
“We’ve had a good couple of weeks in training. The girls were buzzing again and it was pleasing to see smiles on faces. They were back to how they were before Christmas.”
Barnsley are now ten points off second which is a play-off place.
Richardson said: “Being realists, we know it’s out of our hands.
“But the leaders Boldmere lost to Northampton who are below us. Anything can happen.
“Our job is to stay in the mix and be ready if others drop points.
“We’ve made it a mountain to climb but I am confident we can go on a run.
“Sometimes it doesn’t harm you just being off the radar.
“If people underestimate us, I am confident we will take the points.
“It’s not where we wanted to be, we had second spot in our plans this year.
“The season isn’t done but we have certainly made it difficult for ourselves.”
Barnsley are also due to visit Sheffield FC on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Barnsley Ladies won 6-0 at home to Rossington Main in Division Two of the Sheffield and Hallamshire League.
Charli Hayward scored a hat-trick with Krizia Firth, Natalia Szyp and Molly Waite also on target.
They increased their lead to nine points with nine games left.
Sunday fixtures: Barnsley Ladies v Sheffield Wednesday R; Bramley Sunnyside v Wombwell Town; Melbourne Dynamo v Courage.
