Brightlingsea Regent Ladies are through to the Second Round Qualifying of the Women's FA Cup after a dominant Sunday afternoon display saw them dismantle Aylsham 5-0.

The R's took control from the first whistle and never let go. The opener came courtesy of Emily Priestley, whose relentless pressure forced a defender into turning the ball into their own net for an own goal that settled any early nerves.

From there, it was the Laken Duchar-Clark show. The forward doubled the lead soon after and made it three before the break, taking full advantage of a Brightlingsea side carving out chances at will. Katherine Hammond then got in on the act with a well-taken fourth, before Duchar-Clark completed her hat-trick to round off the scoring and cap a superb individual afternoon.

Five goals, a clean sheet, and a performance full of energy and quality from front to back — exactly the kind of statement the R's will have wanted as they progress in the competition.

The reward is a mouth-watering home tie against Barking, who sit two levels above Regent in the pyramid. It's a significant step up, but a challenge the R's will relish — a chance to test themselves against strong opposition and prove exactly what this side is capable of. Cup football has a habit of levelling the playing field, and with a big Brightlingsea crowd expected to get behind them, there's every reason for the R's to embrace the challenge and give the visitors a real game.

So come down and be part of it. A strong home crowd can make all the difference on cup day, and the players would love nothing more than to see the terraces packed with supporters roaring them on against higher-league opposition. Bring your friends, bring your family, and get behind the R's as they look to pull off a memorable cup upset.

THE WOMEN'S FA CUP — SECOND ROUND QUALIFYING
Brightlingsea Regent Ladies v Barking — Sunday 20 September 2026