Wolves Women 4 (Moran 14, Butler 65, Anslow 76, Cooper og 86)
Rotherham United Ladies 1 (Shaw 44)
Wolves Women returned to winning ways after last week’s defeat with a convincing 4-1 victory over Rotherham United Ladies at a sunny Hednesford Town.
Rotherham started well and had the first chance in the third minute after a rare slip from Dom Luke let Wishart take a shot at goal from 18 yards, but it was pushed wide by Chloe Evans in the Wolves goal.
Wolves’ first chance came in the ninth minute as Emma Cross fired a ball into the box from the left wing. Amber Quick laid it back to Jade Cross whose shot from 12 yards was over the bar.
In the 14th minute Esme Moran’s ball was deflected into the path of Jade Cross, but her shot on the turn was just wide.
Wolves made their pressure pay two minutes later when a scramble in the box resulted in a foul on Luke, but Moran wasn’t waiting for the penalty appeal, and curled the ball into the net to put the home
side ahead in her first senior start.
Wolves were having a good spell, with shots from Anslow, Quick and Jade Cross all coming close, but it was Rotherham who made it onto the scoresheet with an equaliser against the run of play after a misplaced pass found Natalie Shaw who slotted the ball into an empty net to make it 1-1 just before the break.
Wolves started the second half well, with chances going begging for several players before Mai Butler, pictured, finally made the breakthrough in the 66th minute, heading home from a Laura McQuilkin corner to re-take the lead.
Manager Tim Dudding rang the changes in the 72nd minute with McQuilkin making way for Hattie James.
In the 76th minute Wolves were awarded a free kick on the right wing and Anslow floated her ball straight over the keeper to make it 3-1.
Rotherham could have got one back in the 86th minute, but Shaw’s shot was deflected wide.
Things went from bad to worse from Rotherham in the 88th minute after a James cross was headed into her own net by Nicole Cooper to round off a convincing 4-1 win for Wolves.
Manager Tim Dudding said: “It was a good performance all round. We dominated from start to finish and looked clinical, digging deep when we needed to.
“It was a great game for Esme Moran as we look to bring some of the Under 18s into the squad. A brilliant debut goal for her at this level will give her plenty of confidence.”
* Wolves Women entertain league leaders Loughborough Foxes in a top of the table clash this Wednesday evening, 26th April. The game will be played at Hednesford Town FC with an 8.00pm kick-off. Admission is £2; concessions £1, or free on production of a ticket from Wolves men’s games on Saturday or Tuesday, or with a Wolves season ticket or membership card.
TEAM: Evans, McQuilkin (James), Anslow, Perks (C), Butler, Widdal, Moran, Luke (Richards), J.Cross, Quick (Hewitt), E.Cross. SUBS: Bragan, Berry, Whetton.
