SUNDERLAND LADIES cruised into the Women’s FA Cup third round after beating Sheffield FC Women 5-1 at the Academy of Light.

Goals from Keira Ramshaw and Holly Manders added to Eve Blakey’s hat-trick as the Black Cats swept aside their opponents in a dominant display.

The visitors pulled a goal back early in second half, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation as Mel Reay’s side ran rampant to set up a third-round tie at Burnley Women on Sunday.

Heading into the game, both clubs’ first since the easing of government restrictions, the Sunderland boss predicted a slow-paced contest however, the first half was anything but.

The hosts flew into the lead after just two minutes when Ramshaw collected the ball from Emily Scarr, skipped past a couple of challenges before finding the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

More Black Cats pressure paid off on the half-hour as Scarr’s vicious in-swinging corner was met by Manders who tapped in from close range.

The midfielder had opportunities to score her second as the half went on with Scarr and Joice also trying their luck, before Blakey gave the home side a deserved three-goal lead just before half time. A driving run and pass from Scarr found Ramshaw, who poked the ball to the young forward, whose shot slid under the Sheffield goalkeeper for her first senior goal.

The Yorkshire side upped the tempo after the break and were given a glimmer of hope when a free-kick from the flanks deflected in. But any comeback was abruptly ended as Sunderland netted their fourth on the hour.

Subsititute Jess Brown collected the ball on the left and drove into the box, cutting the ball back to Blakey who fired into the roof of the net.

As the game entered stoppage time, another surge into the box from Blakey was blocked by a defender, and the forward stepped up to convert the spot-kick herself.