Wolves Women 5 (Selmes 28, 82; Large 31; Quick 74; Longhurst 90)
Birmingham Athletic 0
Wolves Women progressed to the quarter final of the Birmingham County Cup after a comfortable 5-0 win over Birmingham Athletic at Goodrich Sports Ground on Sunday afternoon.
This was Wolves' first competitive fixture since December 13 after numerous weather-inflicted postponements, and they took some time to settle back into their stride.
Their first shot on target came in the 14th minute as Dani Selmes , pictured, headed on a Hayley Packer free-kick, but it was saved by the Athletic keeper. Sophie Richards and Anna Perks both came close before Athletic had a shot rebound off the post, only to then be hit over the bar.
As the rain began to fall, youngster Abby Pope, making her senior debut, put in an excellent cross which Selmes directed just wide.
Selmes however was on target in the 28th minute, finally breaking the deadlock as she latched onto a Packer cross and beat the keeper.
Packer was also the provider for the next goal just 3 minutes later, when her ball across the goalmouth was slotted home by Rebecca Large.
With Wolves now settling into their game, there were chances for both Pope and Packer, but the half finished 2-0.
The second half saw Wolves start to dominate play, with winger Richards unfortunate not to score from several early chances.
Packer sent a free-kick into the side netting and both she and Amber Quick were thwarted by former Wolves keeper Alison Spriggs.
Wolves' persistence paid off in the 74th minute when Quick won a goalmouth scramble for the ball following a Selmes cross and beat the keeper to make it 3-0.
Selmes was denied again in the 81st minute when keeper Spriggs made an excellent close range save, but she did add her second goal just a minute later as Pope's shot from a short corner was blocked and fell at her feet to make it 4-0.
Wolves rounded off their afternoon with an excellent goal from substitute Lynsey Longhurst as she headed home a Packer corner.
Manager James Astle said: "It took some time for us to get going, but by the end of the game we were looking good.
"Abby Pope caused them problems at the back, and it's nice to get some goals. Both the youngsters - Abby and Emma Day - acquitted themselves well and it has given me a selection headache for next weekend."
Wolves now have to wait for the draw for next Sunday's other quarter finals to find out who they will meet.
TEAM: Thomas, Widdal (Longhurst 78), Coley, Perks, Day, Morris (Hakeman 72), Richards, Large (Quick 45), Selmes, Pope, Packer. NOT USED: Salter, Bradford.
