EMILY Allen's long-range strike sealed Oxford United Women's place in the Vitality Women's FA Cup fourth round at the expense of Billericay Town.

The 29-year-old smashed home with five minutes left to put the U's 3-1 up against their FA Women's National League Division 1 South East opponents at Court Place Farm.

Carly Johns and Daisy McLachlan had earlier scored either side of the break, before Georgie Morton set up a grand finale.

But Allen made victory safe to book United's place in the last 32, where they will host Championship outfit Charlton Athletic.

Billericay were the underdogs, but made their intentions clear by winning a corner within 60 seconds of the kick-off.

The danger passed, but the visitors did not let United have it all their own way during a tight opening quarter.

Billericay should have gone ahead after 13 minutes, Therese Addison shooting wide after she was played through one-on-one.

The Essex side would live to rue that miss as Johns put United in front midway through the half.

The forward worked some space for herself on the edge of the box and fired brilliantly into the roof of the net.

United were well on top and Allen was unlucky not to make it 2-0 four minutes later, as her long-range effort came back off the crossbar and into the grateful arms of goalkeeper Amy Mullett.

The stopper then saved from the influential Georgia Brown, but the U's found themselves having to defend before the break.

Hannah Mackenzie was booked for a foul on Hannah Stimson and Rose Kite briefly went down after claiming a corner as the contest reached its midway point with everything to play for.

Brown went close after the restart before feeding Allen, who shot wide of the far post.

That chance came ten minutes into the half, but within seconds United had doubled their lead.

Gemma Simms headed towards goal from a corner and the Billericay defence could not clear, enabling McLachlan to finish.

The visitors responded with a double substitution, but McLachlan and Allen soon went close again before Brown was replaced by Lily Stevens.

It was Billericay who struck next though, as Morton halved the deficit with 13 minutes left.

Cheryl Williams replaced Johns as United looked to see the game out, but Allen took matters into her own hands.

The forward was not far inside the Billericay half when she unleashed a rocket of a shot that found the top corner, making victory safe.

Manager Liam Gilbert made a string of late substitutions as United closed the game out and saw their Cup journey continue.