- Rianna Jarrett marks her debut with a brace
- Ini Umotong also on target in a 3-0 victory
- The Seagulls set up a quarter-final tie against Birmingham City on 15th March
- Quarter-final place equals the club’s joint best-ever run in the Women’s FA Cup
The Republic of Ireland international couldn’t have written the script much better for herself by opening her account with a stunning strike from distance which will rival Lea Le Garrec’s effort against Birmingham City for goal of the season, before adding a second with a poacher’s finish just after half-time.
Ini Umotong then completed a relatively straightforward night’s work, with a sublime finish with the outside of her foot to set up a quarter-final tie with Birmingham City at The People’s Pension Stadium on 15th March.
It was a performance that would give plenty of encouragement to Hope Powell, who saw her side comfortably avoid becoming another FAWSL scalp in the competition after Leicester City’s surprise 2-1 win over Reading last week.
The result ensured the club equalled their best-ever run in the competition, after reaching the last eight once previously in the 1993/94 campaign, when they lost to eventual winners Doncaster Rovers Belles.
Powell made seven changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with Danique Kerkdijk, Maya Le Tissier, Emily Simpkins and Aileen Whelan the only players remaining in the line-up.
There were also a number of familiar faces in the Palace side, with former Seagulls Lucy Gillett, Cherelle Khassal and Amy Taylor all included in the starting line-up.
After a relatively lively opening ten minutes which included chances for either side from Taylor and Kate Natkiel, the deadlock was broken in emphatic fashion through debutant Jarrett.
The striker took advantage of some space on the edge of the box and sent a superb looping effort over Gillett to give Albion the lead with 14 minutes played.
Powell’s team took control of the contest from that moment with some lovely free-flowing football, and they should have doubled their advantage when Jarrett and Maxime Bennink teed up a chance for Umotong, who shot wide from deep inside the area.
It was all one-way traffic towards the Palace defence, with skipper Kerkdijk forcing Gillett to pluck the ball away from the top corner, while Matilde Lundorf and Whelan saw their efforts go over the bar and wide of the target respectively.
There may have been fears that Albion would be left to rue not making their dominance count, but Jarrett struck again to ease those concerns just 36 seconds after the restart.
Simpkins drifted in a perfectly-weighted cross from the right-hand side and Jarrett pounced with an instinctive headed finish at the near post.
The Irish forward was clearly in the mood on the night and nearly completed her hat-trick with another speculative strike, but Gillett was equal to it on this occasion and tipped the ball around the post.
Any slim hopes of an unlikely Palace comeback were effectively extinguished with 69 minutes on the clock courtesy of Umotong, who showed some brilliant composure to weave her way through the Eagles defence and deftly placed the ball past Gillett to make it 3-0.
Powell’s faith in youngsters has been clear to see from the outset this season, and it was Dual Career Academy player, Faith Nokuthula, who was introduced with ten minutes remaining for her senior Albion debut.
Albion will now look to their quarter-final tie against Birmingham with confidence, which will be their next match in 19 days time.
ALBION: Walsh, Lundorf, Kerkdijk, Le Tissier, Roe; Bennink, Simpkins (Nokuthula 80), Whelan, Natkiel; Jarrett (Green 72), Umotong.
SUBS NOT USED: Cheeseman (GK), Barton, Williams, Bowman, Nilden.