Halifax Town Women seal 2-0 FA Women’s Cup win at Lincoln City Women

Halifax Town Women booked their place in the next round of the FA Women’s Cup with a composed 2-0 away victory over Lincoln City Women on Sunday, 25 October 2026. A first-half opener from Megan Carter and a late second from Sophie Bennett settled a tie that was more competitive than the final scoreline suggests, with Halifax combining disciplined defending and sharp counter-attacking football at Moorlands.

Lincoln City Women started with intent and enjoyed plenty of early possession, but they struggled to turn territory into clear-cut chances. Halifax grew into the game, defended their penalty area well and struck at the right moments to take control of the cup tie.

Match overview

The visitors lined up in a compact 4-2-3-1 shape, inviting Lincoln forward before looking to spring forward through the wide areas. That approach worked well once Halifax took the lead, forcing the home side to commit more players going forward and leaving space for quick transitions. Lincoln’s best spells came either side of half-time, but a combination of wasteful finishing and some important goalkeeping from Alicia Grant kept them off the scoresheet.

Key moments

• 18th minute: Lincoln’s Jodie Smith forces a smart save from Halifax goalkeeper Alicia Grant after a neat move down the right.
• 27th minute: Halifax take the lead when Megan Carter finishes low into the corner after good work from Lauren Pike on the left flank.
• 52nd minute: Lincoln push forward in search of an equaliser, but Halifax defender Rachel Moore blocks a goalbound effort inside the box.
• 64th minute: Grant again denies Smith, this time pushing a curling shot around the post.
• 78th minute: Halifax seal the win as Sophie Bennett races clear and calmly slots past the advancing goalkeeper.

Tactical story

Halifax’s midfield pair sat deep and protected the back four, limiting the space Lincoln could exploit between the lines. When Halifax won the ball back, they moved it quickly into the channels and asked their forwards to run at defenders. Lincoln had more of the ball, particularly in the second half, but their crosses were well defended and their shots from distance rarely troubled Grant. The away side’s game management in the final 15 minutes was especially impressive, taking the sting out of the contest before Bennett’s decisive second goal.

Standout players

Carter was a constant threat with her movement and took her goal expertly, while Bennett’s late finish underlined her importance in the final third. Grant deserves credit for two important saves at 1-0, and Moore’s reading of the game helped Halifax keep a clean sheet. For Lincoln, Smith was the most persistent attacking outlet and forced the best saves of the match.

What the result means

The win sends Halifax Town Women into the next round of the FA Women’s Cup with confidence and momentum. For Lincoln City Women, the focus now shifts to league matters, though there were enough positive spells to suggest they can respond quickly. The FA Women’s Cup result gives Halifax another valuable cup fixture and a chance to build on a defensively solid away performance.