Wolves 2 (Merrick 8 & 10) Middlesbrough 0
Wolves Women continued their unbeaten start to the campaign as they defeated Middlesbrough Women 2-0 at the SEAH Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Beth Merrick netted a brace – both goals coming in the opening ten minutes – to secure the three points as the hosts produced a fine display of attacking football.
The Old Gold’s first opportunity fell to Merrick early on, as she shot narrowly wide of Ruby Cook’s goal. However, Wolves recycled the ball well and Merrick was not to be denied this time as she curled an effort beyond the reach of Cook to open the scoring.
The winger then added her second just two minutes later as she connected with a Lyndsey Harkin cross before bundling past Cook to double the hosts’ advantage.
In the 16th minute Merrick looked for her hat-trick, as she struck another shot from distance, but this time the ball sailed comfortably over Cook’s crossbar.
Wolves continued their sustained spell of pressure as Amber Hughes flicked the ball into the path of Amy Sims, but the midfielder could not find the net from just inside the 18-yard box.
As the half ended, Louanne Worsey received the ball on the Wolves' right before, she then played an incisive ball into the path of Hughes, who fired an effort straight at Cook.
Half-time | Wolves 2-0 Middlesbrough
The second half continued in the same way the first ended, with Merrick testing Cook twice, but neither effort troubled the Middlesbrough goalkeeper.
Wolves continued to control the game as the rain began to pour down in Telford, as Worsey took the ball down the right-hand side before fizzing a cross over the outstretched palms of Cook and behind the Boro goal.
Alex Brooks was called into action in the 66th minute as she denied Middlesbrough a way back into the game. Substitute Sarah Burns found Armani Mawell, who fired straight at the goalkeeper.
Wolves continued to threaten the visitors and almost made it 3-0 with ten minutes remaining when substitute Anna Grey found Racheal Quigley, who fired straight at Cook.
Dan McNamara’s side continued to search for another goal, but the full-time whistle meant Merrick’s first-half brace had secured the three points for the Old Gold.
Full-time | Wolves 2-0 Middlesbrough
Wolves | Brooks, Harkin, Marshall, Hughes (Williams 76), Greengrass (Loydon 69)(Cross 90), Sims (Quigley 69), Anderson, Roberts, Jenner, Merrick, Worsey (Grey 76).
Unused subs | Thomas, Johnson.
Middlesbrough | Cook, Bell, Packham, Ferguson (Burn 57), Giles (Skelton 86), Watt, Towers, Boyes, Maxwell, Robson (Mett 57), Turnbull (Nelson 62).
Unused subs | Borthwick, Foster, Callender.
By Harry Cooper-Smith
