Accrington Ladies made the short trip to Haslingden for the second round of the Lancashire Women’s Challenge Cup on Sunday.

Haslingden started brightly, as expected from a side full of confidence, and they  took an early lead when a free-kick was whipped in and flashed into the net off an Accrington head.

Accy didn’t take long to get back on level terms, though, when Jo Duckworth played an inch-perfect pass for Lauren Walker to run on to and finish calmly in the 10th minute.

Accrington were now having the lion’s share of possession and Caroline Mallen’s 19th-minute free-kick found an unmarked Duckworth to head Accrington into the lead, which was doubled in the 35th minute when a right-wing run and cross by Walker provided Leah Embley with a close-range finish.

Haslingden again started brightly in the second half and soon reduced the deficit before rocking Accy with a superbly-taken equaliser by ex-Accrington player Holly Mansfield in the 62nd minute.

This seemed to waken Accy, who hit straight back when Becky McEwan split the defence for Walker to make it 4-3 with a delightful chip.

Embley got her second in the 69th minute when she received the ball off Duckworth, took the ball past two players and slotted it home.

McEwan scored a deserved goal when she was released down the right by Amie Barrett, cutting inside the full-back and rifling home. Accy were now rampant and Caroline Mallen got on the scoresheet with a free-kick which eluded everyone.

McEwan then set up substitute Kerry Bamford to hit a rising drive off the underside of the bar and Bamford completed the scoring in the 83rd minute from a Jenny Simpson through ball.

Accrington will now play Morecambe Ladies in the quarter-finals at Livingstone Road on November 16.