Wolves Women 8 (Hewitt 59, 77; Widdal 6, 24; J. Cross 7,44,50; James 47)
Coundon Court Ladies 1 (Jagielska 61)
A hat-trick for Jade Cross helped Wolves Women to an impressive 8-1 victory over Coundon Court Ladies at Hednesford Town, seeing them progress to the third round of the Birmingham County Cup.
It rounded off an excellent week for Cross, who attended the FA Women’s Football Awards at Wembley Stadium to collect her prize for being the top goalscorer in the FA Women’s Premier League Midlands Division One last season with an impressive 25 goals.
It was Captain Natalie Widdal who was first on the score sheet in just the sixth minute, tapping home a rebound after a mini scramble from a corner.
Wolves could have had a second in the 10th minute after some good play between Amber Quick, Jade Hewitt and Jade Cross to set up Quick in the box, but her shot was straight at the keeper.
The hosts were pressing hard, with Dom Luke and Widdal both coming close, and in the 24th minute their pressure paid off as Widdal headed home from a Jen Anslow corner to make it 2-0.
Wolves then added a third in the 37th minute after Luke played a great ball into Anslow, who ran past the defender and drilled low across the goal for a Jade Cross tap in.
Wolves’ fourth goal saw the Cross twins combine well down the right hand side, before Emma found Jade for another simple tap in, making it 4-0 at the break.
It took just two minutes of the second half for Wolves to add their fifth goal, as a fizzing volleyed cross from Hewitt was headed in off the post by Hattie James.
Jade Cross completed her hat-trick in the 50th minute with a simple strike from 12 yards out to make it 6-0. Then Hewitt made it seven in the 59th minute, volleying home from Jen Anslow’s precise cross.
Coundon Court got a consolation goal in the 61st minute after the ball was played through into Weronika Jagielska, who slotted it past the keeper to make it 7-1.
But Wolves weren’t finished yet, and Hewitt added an eighth in the 77th minute as she rifled high into the net from close range to complete the convincing victory.
Wolves Head Coach Tim Dudding was pleased with the result.
He said: "It was another well worked performance today.
“If you work hard enough you’ll get the results, and they put in the hard work from the first minute to the 90th minute.
“I was particularly pleased to see our Under 18 players Ruby Meeson, Anna Lock and Molly Jones come in and do so well.
“We’re looking for development throughout the club and they certainly showed that today.”
* Next Sunday 4th December sees Wolves turn their attention to the FA Cup First Round Proper when they play host to Solihull Ladies at Hednesford Town FC, with a 2pm kick-off. Admission is £2, concessions £1.
TEAM: Meeson, Lock (Jones), Anslow, Luke, Brackenbury, Widdal, E Cross, Quick (Richards), J Cross (McQuilkin), Hewitt, James (Whetton)
