Midfielder Lucy Staniforth insists there is better to come from Sunderland, despite their comprehensive 3-0 defeat of Reading to reach the SSE Women’s FA Cup semi-finals.
Two goals in six first-half minutes from Beth Mead and Victoria Williams put the Lady Black Cats in control at the interval.
But they had to wait until the death for Brooke Chaplen’s goal to put the gloss on their victory.
Sunderland 3-0 Reading
SSE Women's FA Cup
Quarter Final
Sunday 3 April
Hetton Centre, Sunderland
by Ross Jackson
And, as they bid to reach their second-ever Women’s FA Cup Final – the first ending in a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in 2009 – Staniforth says they will get stronger.
“We didn’t manage to play our best football, but it is testament to the team to underperform and still win,” she said.
“It shows what we have is a really good group who are willing to put their body on the line and can finish at the other end.
“If we can produce the kind of performances we are looking for I’d say we can go on to good things this year.
“In spells we played some good football and the goals we scored were good goals. Managing to produce it for 90 minutes is what we’re trying to do.
“I am really happy we are through. We got to The FA Cup Final in strange circumstances as a lower-tier team.
“Of course we’d be stupid not to look at each game and think, it is a one-off cup game and we can win it.”
Mead finished off Krystle Johnston’s cross on 35 minutes and defender Williams soon fired in the second from close range.
Nia Jones and Helen Ward went close in the second half, but Reading could find no way past Sunderland stopper Rachael Laws.
The teams had drawn 1-1 in last weekend’s Women’s Super League, but the home side wrapped up a more comfortable afternoon’s work when Chaplen latched on to Mead’s pass and finished with aplomb.
“It is disappointing,” Royals striker Jones said.
“We had our sights set on the semi-finals, that was our target.
“We proved last week when we played them in the league that we could compete and we came away from that game ruing not taking the three points.
“We did our homework, we just didn’t execute our game plan in the first half and that is what has let us down.
“I don’t like to speak for Sunderland but they didn’t know a lot about us and I think we caught them by surprise last week.
“We’re known for our work-rate and intensity at Reading and I think that hit them, but they were much more prepared this time round.”
This year’s Final takes place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 14 May and thanks to The FA's partnership with SSE, all children will be able to attend for free.
Adult tickets are priced £15 and group bookings and charter standard discounts are also available.
Tickets for The Final are on sale now via TheFA.com/Tickets or by calling 0844 826 2010.
Sunderland (4-4-2): Rachael Laws; Abby Holmes, Stephanie Bannon, Victoria Williams, Kylla Sjoman; Krystle Johnston, Lucy Staniforth, Rachel Furness; Abbey Joice, Brooke Chaplen, Beth Mead.
Substitutes: Keira Ramshaw for Joice 69, Stephanie Roche for Johnston 74, Kelly McDougall for Staniforth 80.
Substitutes not used: Hilde Olsen, Charlotte Potts.
Goals: Beth Mead 35, Victoria Williams 41, Brooke Chaplen 90
Bookings: Krystle Johnston, Abby Holmes
Reading (4-4-2): Mary Earps; Rebecca Jane, Molly Bartrip, Kirsty McGee, Rachel Rowe; Emma Follis, Kayleigh Hines, Lois Roche, Helen Ward; Nia Jones, Lauren Bruton.
Substitutes: Charlie Estcourt for Hines 24, Harriett Scott for Follis 35.
Substitutes not used: Grace Moloney, Laura May Walkley, Shelley Cox.
Referee: Shaun Hudson
Attendance: 407
