Kirby and Seike strike as Albion reach last eight

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Goals in the first 20 minutes seal a 2-1 win against West Ham United in Adobe FA Cup.

Bruce Talbot

2026-02-22T14:00+00:00

High fives from Jelena Cankovic for Fran Kirby after Kirby gave Albion the lead. 📷Kyle Hemsley.

Albion are safely through to the quarter-finals of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup after two goals in the opening 20 minutes set up victory over West Ham on Sunday.

Fran Kirby and Kiko Seike were on target during a controlled first-half performance by Dario Vidosic’s side.

Leila Wandeler pulled one back with 17 minutes to go and West Ham sensed that they might repeat their comeback in the league game a fortnight ago when they scored three times in the last eight minutes to snatch an unlikely 3-2 win.

Fran Kirby takes advantage of a mistake by Kinga Szemik to put Albion in front. 📷Kyle Hemsley.

But Albion held firm this time and can now look forward to Monday’s draw.

Kirby started her first game since 11 January and was one of three changes to the side beaten by the Hammers earlier this month. Bex Rayner came in for her first start since September after recovering from injury while Sophie Baggaley was in goal with Chi Nnadozie preparing for Nigeria’s Women’s AFCON campaign.

Kirby wasted little time in making an impact. She intercepted Kinga Szemik’s poor clearance in the sixth minute before rounding the West Ham keeper and side-footing the ball into an empty net from close range.

Fran Kirby celebrates after putting Albion in front early on. 📷Kyle Hemsley.

Kirby was involved again when Albion doubled their lead in the 20th minute.

After a fine build-up involving Rayner and Mady Haley her pass inside a defender was perfectly weighted for Seike to run onto and slot right-footed past Szemik for her seventh of the campaign.

Baggaley was beaten by Seraina Piubel’s shot from the edge of the box which hit the bar and she dealt with two efforts by Katie Zelem, but Albion’s defence – with Manu Vanegas particularly impressive – coped comfortably with West Ham’s attempts to get back into the game in the first half.

Kiko Seike doubled Albion's lead with a right-foot finish. 📷Kyle Hemsley.

Albion seemed to be in control in the second half too, but West Ham gave themselves a lifeline with 17 minutes to go. Baggaley punched Zelem’s inswinging free-kick as far as substitute Wandeler, who volleyed the ball through a crowded box and into the roof of the net.

Substitute Caitlin Hayes saw a header saved by Szemik but Albion had to show a lot of resilience and defensive organisation in the closing stages as West Ham pushed players forward and launched the ball into the box at every opportunity.

They did such a good job that Baggaley didn’t have another save to make as Albion got the job done.

Albion: Baggaley, Vanegas, Rule, Minami, Olislagers, Symonds (Hayes 81), Cancovic (Tsunoda 66), Rayner (Kafaji 60), Seike, Kirby (Noordam 45), Haley (McLauchlan 60).