Moneyfields win more than half their season’s budget with Women’s FA Cup success against Hastings United

The club advanced to the first round proper of the Women’s FA Cup yesterday with a 2-0 win over lower tier Hastings United.

As a result, Moneys banked £4,000 from the prize fund - compared to the £600 that was on offer to all third qualifying round winners last season.

Another £6,000 is up for grabs when Moneys host Crawley Wasps on November 13, with £1,500 for the losers.

Last season the whole tournament prize pot was £400,000. Now, for the 2022/23 campaign, it’s shot up to £3m.

‘Four thousand pounds is about half our budget for the season,’ said Moneys manager Karl Watson.

‘To exist at our level, it costs about £10-12,000. That’s to exist, but we want to compete.

‘Six thousand in the next round is huge. It’s an achievable £6,000, it’s a ‘could win’ game. It’s very important.’

Moneys are this season playing in the National League Division 1 SW for the first time, the fourth tier of the women’s pyramid.

Crawley are in the third tier - they play alongside Portsmouth in the Southern Premier - but are rock bottom after taking just two points from their first eight games.

Hastings, who play in the fifth tier, arrived at Baffins’ PMC Stadium having won all their London & SE Regional League fixtures this term.

But Moneys took control early on, winger Kim Whitcombe opening the scoring inside the opening five minutes.

It was 2-0 inside the opening half-hour when a Whitcombe cross was diverted into their own net by a Hastings defender.

‘We were very dominant early on, we could have been three or four up inside the opening 10-15 minutes,’ reported Watson.

‘Kim Whitcombe destroyed them on the left wing, they were having to double up on her - and that freed up space elsewhere.

‘It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but we were never in any danger.’

Watson thanked Baffins for their efforts in getting the game played after Rovers’ home game the previous day had been postponed due to vandalism.

Problems with plumbing were sorted out - there had been no hot water for the showers on the Saturday - while the Rovers groundsman got up at 4.30am to work on the pitch.

Moneys are having to play at Baffins - or anywhere else they can find - while the John Jenkins Stadium development is completed.

Moneys’ men’s team are having to play their first 22 competitive league and cup fixtures away as a result, but Watson’s squad were not allowed to switch their fixtures.

Due to the development delay, the women’s team are not making any money from hosting their own games.

‘We’ve got some great sponsors,’ said Watson. ‘We’re alright at raising money ourselves, but it’s easier to go and win it!

‘It’s frustrating having nowhere to train regularly, it does make things difficult.

‘We train at Miltoncross School on a Tuesday but that’s sporadic - it’s closed if Pompey are playing at home on a Tuesday and during half-terms.

‘We want to keep our (FA Cup) dream alive - it would be great to get a Man City or an Arsenal for one of our first home games.’

The 12 Super League clubs don’t enter the FA Cup until the fourth round stage, so Moneys have to win three more games to potentially face some of England’s European Championship winners.

If they were to reach the fourth round, Moneys’ total prize money would be £28,000.

Portsmouth have been drawn away to two tiers lower Abingdon Town in the first round.