A strong second-half was the difference for Winchester City Flyers who ran out 3-0 winners over AFC Stoneham in the Hampshire Women’s Senior Cup on Sunday.

After a lacklustre first-half Chelsie Hay struck right after the break to open the scoring.

Captain Emma Whitlock scored a great freekick to double the lead before she turned provider for Shayne Prasad who sealed the win late on.

Following a good win over Reading the previous week, the Flyers travelled to Stoneham to take on Southern Region Division One South side AFC Stoneham.

Emma Pearmine made changes to the squad that included new signing Lily Dalton, who arrived with experience in the FA Women’s National League.

Winchester started strongly for the opening five minutes with attacking moves that brought opportunities for Hay and Emily Wernham without testing the Stoneham goalkeeper.

Not long after, the hosts grew into the game.

Stoneham’s forward missed a golden chance for the lead when they intercepted a pass just outside the box, only to see the shot sail over an empty net.

The passage of play was scrappy as both teams struggled to maintain possession for a significant amount of time.

Dalton volleyed over from inside the box before Charlie Snelling couldn’t get her footing right to convert Wernham’s cross.

It was proving to be a tough afternoon for Hay with limited chances for the striker, and she saw an effort from outside the box miss the Stoneham goal.

Counter-attacking football proved to be a strength for Stoneham, and in the 34th minute, forced Ellie Parker into a great block from close range.

Minutes later, Hay was pulled down on the edge of the box by Stoneham’s centreback, resulting in just a yellow card for the defender and a freekick to Winchester.

Snelling’s freekick was placed and lacked the power to beat a confident Stoneham keeper.

It was goalless at the break after a relatively uneventful first-half.

Pearmine made no changes at the break, but whatever words of wisdom were said had an effect as five minutes after the restart, the deadlock was broken.

Snelling switched the play out to Sharna Capel-Watson to deliver a great ball in for Hay, who had beaten the defender for prime position, to tap home her 13th goal of the season.

Minutes later, a dangerous cross nearly got the better of Parker and her defence; however, Capel-Watson was on hand to clear the loose ball.

Changes were then made for the Flyers as Prasad and Whitlock were introduced before a triple change was made on the hour mark; Eliza Eaton, Lydia Moulding and Charlotte Warhurst came on to add their experience to the game.

Winchester were awarded a freekick on the edge of the box for a foul on Kayleigh Tonks and skipper Whitlock stepped up to fire in over the keeper into the net for her second goal in as many games.

Momentum had officially switched to the visitors, whose pursuit of more goals to see out the game continued.

Whitlock turned provided in the 77th minute another dangerous set piece, this time a corner, sailed into the box and was pushed over by substitute Prasad right on the line.

Five minutes from the end of normal time, Whitlock struck the crossbar from a freekick but the three-goal cushion was enough to put the Flyers into the quarter-finals.

Winchester are now unbeaten in six games after recording their fourth clean sheet of the season to book a home tie against AFC Bournemouth on Sunday 15th February.