Sporting Khalsa Women 2 (24, 42)
Wolves Women 10 (J.Cross 4, 17, 43, 90; Haynes 1, 19; Wilkie 45; Anslow 60; Morphet 62; Walker 72
Report by Callum Doughty, photograph by Simon Faulkner
Four goals from Jade Cross helped inspire Wolves to a high-scoring victory over Sporting Khalsa.
Cross’ goals were added to by a brace for Billie Haynes as well as goals from Charlotte Wilkie, Jen Anslow, Anna Morphet and Lowri Walker, putting them joint top of the FA Women’s National League Division One.
Wolves enjoyed a blistering start and found themselves 2-0 up within the first five minutes. Jade Cross went close to opening the scoring. Her effort was saved by Toni Parkes in the Khalsa goal, however Haynes was on hand to tap in the rebound.
Cross then bagged her first goal of the game just minutes later. Having latched onto a through-ball from Walker, she rounded the goalkeeper and slotted the ball home to double Wolves’ lead.
She soon doubled her goal tally and extended Wolves’ lead further, getting on the end of a Natalie Widdal free-kick for 3-0.
The dangerous Cross completed her first-half hat-trick with a perfectly weighted lob over Parkes, this coming after Haynes had grabbed her second goal of the game and Khalsa had got their first.
The hosts then continued to press forward and claimed a second, making the score 5-2, but Wilkie tapped the ball in on the stroke of half-time to ensure Wolves had a four-goal cushion at the break.
After a frantic first-half, the second-half began somewhat quieter and it took 15 minutes for the next goal to arrive, with Anslow firing a shot from 30 yards out, past the goalkeeper.
With the win all but confirmed, Wolves continued to apply the pressure and were rewarded with three more goals in the final 20 minutes. Morphet tucked home a penalty and Walker got in on the act with a drive from the edge of the area. The emphatic victory was then rounded off as Cross grabbed her fourth goal of the game after being teed up by Anslow.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
It’s not every game you manage to score a hat-trick, but to score one in the first-half of a game is extra special. Jade Cross’s hat-trick was well taken, as were all of her four goals, and it emphasised Wolves’ superiority in this game. No doubt she will be looking to continue her goalscoring run after getting seven in her last two.
QUOTES
Wolves manager Dan McNamara was delighted with his team’s performance: "I thought the girls were outstanding. I said to them before the game that a result like this has been coming.
"The last few weeks I don’t think we’ve been at our best, however tonight, bar a few moments of complacency, I thought they were fantastic.’’
COMING UP
Next up for Wolves Women is their SSE Women’s FA Cup game against Kingfisher Ladies on Sunday 23rd September. The game is at Bilston Town with a 2pm kick-off. Admission is £2; concessions and Wolves season ticket holders £1.
NEXT FIVE
- 23/09- Kingfisher (H)
- 30/09- Nettleham (H)
- 03/10- The New Saints (H)
- 04/11- Bedworth (A)
- 18/11- Long Eaton United (H)
TEAMS
Sporting Khalsa | Parkes, Kydd, Arrowsmith, Miles, Dulay, Stirrup, Handy, Walker, Willdigg, Wooley, Parsins.
Wolves | Elbro, Widdal, E.Cross, Morphet, Jones, Wilkie, Haynes, Walker, Anslow, J.Cross, Williams
