'Social media blew up' - Sunderland head coach's reaction to FA call after Aston Villa rule break in Conti Cup

Sunderland head coach Mel Reay has revealed her reaction to Aston Villa being deducted points in the Conti Cup after fielding an ineligible player against the Black Cats, which allowed the Wearsiders to progress in the competition.

Villa won the match 7-0 on against Sunderland to secure their place at the top of Group A, with Noelle Maritz coming on as a substitute. Yet Maritz, who signed for Villa earlier this month, had previously played three times for Arsenal in this season's competition, meaning Villa faced sanctions from an independent tribunal.

That meant that Sunderland finished as Group A winners but with Villa still progressing as one of the two best-placed runners-up. Mel Reay's side are also currently second in the women's Championship and chasing a spot in the Women's Super League. Sunderland now play Emma Hayes' Chelsea in the quarter-final of the Conti Cup on Wednesday.

On the incident, Reay said: “It was very strange. I don’t think it has really happened before in terms of the ineligible player but we were delighted to go through. I think we had good form in the Conti Cup and we put ourselves up there in a position to compete and obviously, we’re delighted to go through and we’re really excited by the draw.” 

“It was kind of immediately after the game,” Reay said when asked when she was aware of the situation. “I think social media blew up, didn’t it when she stepped on the pitch. We knew they would be some kind of inquiry but then had to wait five days or something like that to find out what the result of it was."