West Brom Women 1 (Cole 53) Wolves Women 3 (Bramford 40, Fergusson 45, George 75)
Wolves Women claimed the Black Country bragging rights as Sophie Bramford, Olivia Fergusson and Tammi George helped see off West Brom Women at the Valley Stadium.
Two goals in the final five minutes of the opening period from Bramford and Fergusson had the Old Gold in the ascendency and, although the hosts pulled one back after the break, George put the result beyond doubt in the closing stages with the crucial third.
Buoyed by consecutive victories going into the derby, the Old Gold started on the front foot and Beth Roberts fired an early strike wide, while Beth Merrick was first to test home goalkeeper Anna Miller, as her free-kick was kept out at the back post.
George flicked another Merrick delivery wide soon after, while the dominance continued, as Anna Morphet released Merrick down the left and she came inside before flashing a strike across goal and wide.
Destiney Toussaint was the next Old Gold star to threaten when Miller denied her, before Morphet watched her fine free-kick strike the crossbar, before Fergusson dragged another presentable opening wide.
Wolves’ dominance finally told five minutes before the break when Merrick beat the full-back and fired in a dangerous cross which Bramford converted from close range.
The lead was then doubled on the stroke of half-time when Toussaint clipped over the top for Fergusson who spotted the goalkeeper off her line and lifted it over her to double the lead.
Half-time | West Brom Women 0-2 Wolves Women
Carrying their momentum into the second period, Wolves had Morphet head over just after the interval, before the hosts reduced the deficit, as they won the ball back high up the pitch and Cole rounded Shan Turner before finding the back of the net.
With the game now in the balance, Lucy Newell shot wide, before George also missed the target from distance for the Old Gold.
It was George who put the game beyond doubt soon after, however. Bramford regained possession and found Merrick, who spotted George in space on the edge of the box, and the midfielder expertly volleyed home the third to secure Wolves the victory.
Full-time | West Brom Women 1-3 Wolves Women
NEXT THREE
- Nottingham Forest (A) 5th November
- Stourbridge (H) FA Cup 12th November
- Liverpool Feds (H) 3rd December
TEAMS
West Brom | Miller, Brown, Green, Newell, George, Evans, Orthodoxou, Warner, Rabjohn (Straker 87), Jhamat, Cole (Mahmood 72)
Unused subs | Jones, Loydon, Bennett-Steele.
Wolves | Turner, Wilson, Morphet, E Cross, George, Will, Fergusson (J Cross 65), Toussaint, Roberts, Bramford (Cairns 85), Merrick (Denham 89).
Unused subs | Johnson, Hughes.
By Bek Howell
