Town Women put in excellent performance as they return to action
- Town Women beat Stockport County at the Stafflex Arena
- Friendly was in preparation for FA Cup game next week
- Comments from Manager Jordan Wimpenny
Huddersfield Town Women ran riot in their first game back in three months - winning 8-2 against Stockport County on their return to the Stafflex Arena.
Town comprehensively beat Stockport to make the best possible start of returning to action post-lockdown to stretch their winning run to 10 matches in all competitions.
A hat-trick from Laura Elford effectively put the game to bed in the first half, with Kate Mallin picking up a brace. Emma Samways, Britt Sanderson and Lucy Sowerby also found the net with solitary goals as the Terriers picked up from where they left off in January.
Town’s tally matched the 8-1 victory against Stoke City at the Stafflex Arena back on December 13th last year and, although this was only a friendly, Town have made full use of their break, pulling a five-star performance out of the hat as they gear up for the FA Cup against local rivals Brighouse Town on April 11th.
The Terriers started the game brightly in the West Yorkshire sunshine and, although Stockport County held possession in the centre of midfield in the early stages, it would be Kate Mallin who broke the shackles early on as she picked up the ball on the right hand side and swung in a perfect pinpoint cross for Laura Elford who finished with a low clean strike.
This was only the start of the rout as Sarah Danby threatened with an enticing ball into Stockport’s danger area which Laura Elford was on the end of, only to nod the ball over the bar. Stockport tried to get a foothold in the game by playing out from the back but Town continued to hold firm and doubled their lead in the 28th minute.
Danby burst away down the left flank with vicious pace and Stockport’s defence failed to get anywhere near the winger as she took aim on goal. Despite the initial effort being saved, Elford was there again to finish off the move and make it 2-0.
Four minutes later, Stockport were made to pay when a poor back pass and rushed goalkeeping allowed Kate Mallin to nip in and extend Town's lead.
But it was Elford who would make the headlines, claiming her hat-trick as Britt Sanderson played the striker in on goal with a beautifully-weighted through ball allowing the forward to twist and turn before beating the last defender and Stockport’s keeper at her near post.
Just before half-time, Town were five to the good when Mallin punished another defensive error was punished by Mallin the chance to make it five and it was almost six when Katie Nutter couldn't quite connect.
Stockport did pull two goals back in the end, their first against the run of play from a corner with the ball being scrambled in, but the lead was never under threat.
Jordan Wimpenny was delighted with the way his team performed.
“Today a lot for us was about the performance, we wanted to demonstrate our identity go back to our ideas, systems and style of play we wanted to try and achieve on the pitch."
After the break, the Terriers continued to press home their advantage as Sanderson's deflected shot found the back of the net to the despair of Stockport's 'keeper before Lucy Sowerby got in on the act, getting on the end of another Mallin cross with a late start into the penalty area.
Emma Samways put the icing on the cake late on despite claims from the opposition that the ball hadn't crossed the line and Town emerged clear victors from a rather one-sided game.
Wimpenny praised the professional, clinical nature of the performance.
"Our objective was to obviously do we what we like to do as a team and score as many goals as we can and enjoy our freedom and attacking football but also to try and be solid at the back. We are pretty pleased with the performance today.”
nued to press home their advantage as Sanderson's deflected shot found the back of the net to the despair of Stockport's 'keeper before Lucy Sowerby got in on the act, getting on the end of another Mallin cross with a late start into the penalty area.
Emma Samways put the icing on the cake late on despite claims from the opposition that the ball hadn't crossed the line and Town emerged clear victors from a rather one-sided game.
Wimpenny praised the professional, clinical nature of the performance.
"Our objective was to obviously do we what we like to do as a team and score as many goals as we can and enjoy our freedom and attacking football but also to try and be solid at the back. We are pretty pleased with the performance today.”
