After a fantastic 2021/22 campaign, Wolves looked to pick up where they left off and began on the front foot in the season opener, as Maz Gauntlett registered a shot on target inside the first minute of the match.
Dan McNamara’s side settled into the game quickly and enjoyed plenty of possession in the early stages, which resulted in a couple of corners and Rachel Darbyshire twice being called into action to deny Hughes.
Hughes’ first effort was a tame volley from the edge of the box which was dealt with comfortably, however shortly after, she bundled her way into the box, cut inside and struck a left footed shot which was pushed behind for a corner.
Midway through the first half, Wolves made their pressure pay when Hughes slid in to meet a cross from the right-hand side and poked home from close range to break the deadlock.
After taking the lead, Wolves continued to keep the ball patiently and show their quality, as Hughes teed up Helen Dermody, but she dragged her shot wide of the far post.
Anna Morphet’s ball into the box caused panic and dropped to Gauntlett, who fired a half volley over the bar before, at the other end, Emma Cross produced a great piece of the defending to dispossess Demi Deveraux.
On the 40th minute mark, Shan Turner was called into action for the first time in the match when Mollie Farley tried her luck from long range, but it was easy for Turner despite the awkward bounce.
On the stroke of half-time, Wolves nearly doubled their lead in stunning fashion when Hughes carried the ball from inside her own half and then shot narrowly over the bar from the edge of the area.
Half time | Liverpool Feds 0-1 Wolves
Five minutes after the restart, Wolves thought they had doubled their lead when Tammi George latched onto Gauntlett’s outside of the boot pass, and calmy slotted home only to be denied by the offside flag.
That was a let off for the hosts, who came into the game more in the second-half when Paige Cole blazed a shot over from the edge of the box, before then forcing Turner into a routine save with another long-range effort.
After a weak pass back to Darbyshire, Jade Cross was alert enough to intercept and go round the goalkeeper, but her cut back did not find a teammate and was cleared away. Minutes later Gauntlett showed great strength to hold off the defender, but her powerful shot narrowly went wide of the near post.
With 20 minutes remaining in the game, Liverpool Feds drew level against the run of play, when Abby Pope met a cross from the right-hand side and tapped home from close range.
It did not take long for Taho to get involved in the action, as she whipped in an inviting cross which was controlled well by Hughes, but her shot on the turn was blocked and she was crowded out by blue shirts, before Darbyshire gathered.
Summer signing Lizzie Bennett-Steel came on for Jade Cross with six minutes remaining, her delivery was punched away by Darbyshire into the path of George who sliced her shot wide before the hosts cleared before Wolves made their third and final sub when Anna Price came on for Hughes.
During the latter stages of the match, Wolves pushed to find a winner but were not able to break the host’s defence for a second time and settled for a hard-earned point after Hughes’ opener was cancelled out in the second half by Pope’s equaliser.
Full time | Liverpool Feds 1-1 Wolves
REACTION
Head coach Dan McNamara admitted he was disappointed that his side didn’t come away with the win stating the draw was ‘two points dropped’ and said the performance in the second-half did not match the quality of that in the first 45 minutes.
He said: “It’s hugely disappointing and feels like a defeat at the minute. I thought first-half we looked like a team who had dominated and done really well last season, they (the whole team) were tremendous, excellent out of possession and they did everything we had worked on in training.
“But you can’t come out like we did in the second-half and expect to take points away. We spoke about not switching off and going out at sixty percent and ultimate that is what’s costed us the game. I’m massively disappointed and I think it’s two points dropped for sure, but ultimately it is what it is, and we have to move on quickly.”
ON NEW SIGNING MARIANNE TAHO
“Maz gives us a new dimension up top, she is busy and lively she had a couple of half chances towards the end of the game to maybe get a shot away. She will take time to adapt to what we are doing here, and I am sure you will see the best of her in the next few weeks.”
ON STARTING SEASON WITH CONSECUTIVE AWAY TRIPS
“It’s a tough ask to go three away games on the bounce, this is a really tough place to come as I don’t think they lost here last season. Obviously, Huddersfield next week who won 7-1 today so it’s a tough start, but we have to play everyone so we will prepare well this week and see what next week brings.”
NEXT FIVE
28/08 Huddersfield (A)
30/08 Stoke (A)
04/09 Loughborough Lightning (H)
18/09 Nottingham Forest (A)
25/09 Fylde (A)
TEAMS
Liverpool Feds: Darbyshire, James, Stewart, Fletcher, Pope, Kimig (Jukes 71), Cole, Thompson (Seagraves 64), Farley, Deveraux, Donoghue.
Wolves: Turner, E. Cross, Morphet, George, Gauntlett (Taho 79), J. Cross (Bennett-Steel 84), Dermody, Hughes (Price 89), Holmes, Johnson, Merrick.
By Fraser Bishop
