Shrewsbury Town's women make history with dramatic FA Cup victory

Salop beat Sheffield 4-2 on penalties after the two sides could not be separated in normal time as the game ended 3-3 inside 90 minutes. 

Town led three times in the match with a brace from Eva Stanley and a strike by Kim Bebbington, but on each occasion, they were pulled back by their resilient visitors. 

In the shootout, Katy Smith's save laid the way for Jeorgia Carr to score the decisive spot-kick, which fired Shrewsbury into the third round of the competition. 

And manager, Darel Tidman-Poole, said she knew from the start it would be a massive test against the side who knocked them out of the competition last year. 

"It is quite tricky to put into words, to be honest," she said about the victory. "I am immensely proud of the players and the football club as a whole. 

"The girls were put through a massive test, and we knew that would be the case - everyone who qualifies for this round does so on merit. 

"To be fair to the opposition they hunted, they worked really hard and made things tricky. We could have done the job in 90, but the fact the girls came through and showed their quality in the end is massive."

And Tidman-Poole said it was the players' technical ability which allowed them to prosper in the shootout. 

"That situation is never easy, and I have never met a coach who would choose penalties," she continued. "I think everyone would prefer to have the job done. 

"It is about getting the group together and telling them they did a fantastic job to get to that point, which is all true, and then in the moment, it is about trusting their technical ability. This group is full of that."

Shrewsbury's director of football, Chloe Hudson-Jones, explained how she was feeling after a dramatic day, she said: "Pure pride and joy.

"We have got a really good club here. It is full of quality players and quality staff who are really passionate about improving each other. 

"To put that performance in today was brilliant. We could have done the job in 90, but it adds to the excitement. 

"It was great to see the girls step up and the confidence they have in each other to hold their nerve, it was really brilliant in the end."

The victory sees Town receive £8,000 in prize money from the FA, and they will receive a further £9,000, at least, for participating in the next round.