Wolves Women returned to winning ways with an emphatic 5-1 win over Stoke City Women in the Pygott and Crone Cup.
Wolves’ first opportunity came just two minutes in when Jade Cross managed to breakthrough Stoke’s backline and take the ball around the keeper. However, her shot was deflected out for a corner.
A great set piece from Anna Morphet saw Jade Cross go close again. The striker almost squeezed the ball in from the back post, but the ball just bumbled behind before she could get a touch to it.
The pressure finally paid off as Wolves took a deserved lead on 23 minutes. Jamila Palmer managed to find herself free as she smashed the ball into the far corner with the keeper unable to stop it.
This lead didn’t last long, however, as the Potters levelled the game up 12 minutes before half-time. Ali Hall’s effort on the half-volley travelled through a sea of players before sinking into the net.
Wolves didn’t let this disappointment sway them and retook the lead moments before the break. A corner caused havoc in the Potters’ box allowing Tammi George to tap home from a few yards giving Wolves a deserved lead at half-time.
The second-half started far scrappier than the first, with fewer chances being made for either team, although George went close on 65 minutes as her header flew narrowly over the crossbar.
However, it was the substitute Amy Dicken who doubled the hosts’ lead three minutes later. As the ball bumbled around the 18-yard box, she took the opportunity to thunder the ball into the net with the keeper unmoved.
The floodgates then began to open as a fourth goal was added two minutes later through Alisha Miller. The striker found herself in plenty of space to take the ball around the keeper, before coolly slotting the ball into the net.
Morphet got the final goal of the game on 73 minutes as she managed to float the ball into the box which went over everyone, including the keeper, and into the net.
REACTION
Wolves Manager Dan McNamara was delighted to get back to winning ways. He said: “I am not surprised what I get from my girls after a fantastic FA Cup run came to an end last week.
“It’s another competition and that’s why we wanted to enter it – it’s a competitive game and I’m delighted with the performance again.
“I’m not surprised [with the performance] though, I know the quality of the group, I know the togetherness of the group, they are hungry to prove people wrong and I think you can see that today.”
COMING UP
Wolves return to action on Sunday 2nd May as they continue their Pygott and Crone tournament against the Loughborough Foxes at the CKW Stadium with a 2pm kick-off.
NEXT TWO
02/05 | Loughborough Foxes (H)
09/05 | Lincoln City Women (A)
TEAMS
Wolves: Thomas, Darby (Widdal 74), E. Cross, Morphet, Johnson, Holmes, George (Edwards 74), Evans (Dicken 57), Palmer, Miller, J. Cross.
Unused subs: Turner, Glover, Price, Jennings, Clements, Conlan.
Stoke: Kasinska, Hudson, Roberts, Garner, Kivel, Richardson, Barber, Hall, Baver, Steele, Thompson.
Subs: Chapman, Gibson, Pemberton, Dudley-Jones, Knight, Smith, Delle, Bahannam.
Words by Jack Dawson
