The Holy Blues' number ten finding space on the edge of box to fire past Alice Hollingshead in the Leicester goal. Trinity looked to extend their lead when Nadina Green forced a good save from Hollingshead, Green firing her shot from edge of the box, shortly after the ten minute mark. On the quarter hour, Victoria Mann kept the Ladies ahead, as Lola Barrett got on the end of a fiercely fizzed in ball, that the Gainsborough keeper was equal to.

Lucia Booth-Roberts continued her hot streak in front of goal, reacting first to capitalise on a rebound off the Leicester keeper and crossbar after Izzy Anderson's free kick at goal from 25 yards out was only helped onto the bar. Booth-Roberts adding to her hat-trick last time out in the 4-1 victory over Grimsby Town Women. Crellin was next to go close for the visitors. Her effort whistling narrowly wide of the far post After Green's hold up play and lay-off found the afternoon's opening goal scorer in a good position. Again, Crellin saw the whites of the goal. Five minutes before the break, her deflected effort forced another save from the busier of the two 'keepers.

On the stroke of half time, Gainsborough Trinity Ladies had their third. Great skill from Nadina Green as she rolled the ball round the defender and fired home from 20 yards out, into bottom right corner. The Lincolnshire Ladies couldn't have asked for a better opening forty-five.

Half Time: Leicester Ladies 0 Gainsborough Trinity Ladies 3

It took nearly fifteen minutes of the second half before Gainsborough threatened again. Good work from Alice Hill saw her pick out Green, leaning back, her first time volley flying over the Crossbar, from the edge of the box! Shara Sykes was performing heroics at the back, conceding a corner.as she slid in yo make a fine interception as the Ladies looked to maintain their advantage. Sam Wood clearing the resultant corner as Liam McNulty's group looked to stand firm.

Trinity's Hill then had two bites of the cherry. Having done well dribbling down the far side, her attempted cross landed back at the feet of the attacker and her quick effort forced a save out of the Leicester 'keeper down low to her right side. The Holy Blues maintaining their three goal advantage. Shara Sykes conceded a corner making a great last ditch interception, as she continued to snuff out the threat of the Foxes.

Twenty minutes from time, Nadina Green looked to produce something special from 30 yards, with the 'keeper off her line, Green's dinked finish was just too high. And with that, the Foxes sensed they might not be out of this one... And two minutes later, they had one back. Lucy Garner heading home from a corner to reduce the arrears.

One turned to two, when Eleanor Shan popped up two minutes later to finish from close range, as the fightback really started to look on. Gainsborough had their chances to settle their nerves, but those opportunities came and went. A mazey run from Lauren Crellin cumulated in her effort curl agonisingly wide of the far post, before Shara Sykes' shot was blocked and Nadina Green's clever play, as she turned her marker, wasn't quite able to find a way past Hollingshead.

Those missed chances would come back to haunt the visitors. And it was late heartbreak for the Holy Blues, as Leicester equalised in added time at the end of the half. Appeals for offside went unheeded, and Shan was able to find the bottom corner, taking the game to extra time.

Full Time: Leicester Ladies 3 Gainsborough Ladies 3

Chances during the first period of Extra Time were at a premium. The best going the way of Liam McNulty's side. Lauren Crellin rattling the crossbar from 25 yards out. Half Time of Extra Time, Leicester Ladies 3 Gainsborough Ladies 3.

Shara Sykes found space to shoot from the edge of the box, but there was no way past Hollingshead, on this occasion. Five minutes from the end of Extra Time, Leicester Ladies took the lead for the first time, Shan sealing her hat-trick, as she rose to head home a corner from close range. A topsy-turvy seven goal thriller had just swung in favour of the hosts.

Chasing an equaliser, the travelling Blues felt doubly aggrieved, as a penalty appeal was waved away and Olivia Leslie saw herself sin-binned, for protesting the decision too vehemently. As the Trinity Ladies battled valiantly to get themselves back into the game, the hosts added a fifth in the final minute of extra time.

The Teams

Leicester Ladies: Alice Hollingshead, Niamh Goodman, Lauren Hill, Heidi Beale, Lucy Garner, Mary Mason, Lola Barrett, Beth Roberts, Milan Rose, Maisy Dalton, Anna Whitehead. Substitutes: Jess Gough, Rachel Akinyemi, Eleanor Shan and Zara Windram.

Gainsborough Trinity Ladies: Victoria Mann, Laura Folegnani, Shannon Carte, Sam Deakin, Izzy Anderson, Alice Hill Lucia Booth-Roberts, Samantha Boothright, Lauren Crellin, Nadina Green, Shara Sykes. Substitutes: Amber Taylor, Olivia Leslie, Imogen Arnold, Jemma Green, Imogen Martin.

Photography Credit: JR Photography