Town Women victorious at home
- Town Women beat Boldmere St Michaels 7-2
- Goals from Brooke Marsden (x2), Britt Sanderson (x2), Ria Montgomery, Kate Mallin and Lucy Sowerby
- Comments from Manager Steve Appleton
Huddersfield Town Women turned on the style as they dispatched National League Division 1 Midlands side Boldmere St Michaels.
Town Women went into the game looking to right the wrongs of last week after the disappointing 4-0 defeat away at Burnley last weekend.
Brooke Marsden and Britt Sanderson both grabbed braces, whilst Ria Montgomery, Kate Mallin and Lucy Sowerby also found the back of the net for Steve Appleton’s side.
Town started the first period strong with Marsden coming closest in the opening five minutes, with her shot being blocked by the Boldmere defence.
However, the deadlock was soon broken in the sixth minute, as Montgomery’s amazing run wasn’t dealt with and she put the ball past Daisy Jenkins in the Boldmere goal.
11 minutes later Boldmere were on terms after Macy Fox found enough space in Town’s box to finish past Becky Flaherty in the Town goal.
From then on, Town really started piling the pressure on, with Sanderson firing just wide from outside the box not long after.
Town retook the lead after 18 minutes, with Marsden getting the first of her double after tapping in from close range.
The Division One side nearly hit back straight away but their shot fizzed over Flaherty’s goal.
Five minutes later, Town stretched further in front after a deflected ball forward fell at the feet of Sanderson and she fired into the back of the net for her first of the game.
The half-way mark of the period passed, and Town could’ve extended their lead. Marsden got on the end of a fantastic cross and forced Boldmere keeper Jenkins into a save.
Moments later, Sowerby nearly snuck one into the far-right top corner, her venomous shot hitting the back of a Boldmere defender and cannoning back off the underside of the bar.
Two minutes later it was Boldmere’s turn to hit the bar. After some brilliant interception play, the ball was played forward and, luckily for Town, bounced off the bar.
There was still more drama to come in the first half, as Town so nearly had a fourth. A bouncing ball wasn’t dealt with by the Boldmere defence and bounced over the ‘keeper, but a defender managed to get back and clear off the line.
The second half started just as dramatically as the first had finished, with Town hitting the bar just moments after the restart.
Sanderson got her second of the game in the 49th minute as Boldmere hesitated on the ball and a wayward pass fell straight at Sanderson’s feet, allowing her to place it straight past Jenkins.
Second half subsitute Mallin got involved straight away, getting down the line to deliver a brilliant ball into Sowerby, although the latter was unable to convert from close range.
Moments later, Mallin extended Town's lead after a brilliant ball over the top is matched with a brilliantly timed run. She kept her composure whilst bearing down goal and coolly stroked the ball into the far-left corner, well out the reach of Jenkins outstretched arms.
The action didn’t stop there as Town were running rampant and three minutes later made it six as Sowerby’s effort hits the post, but rebounds to an acceptant Marsden, who tapped home for Town's sixth, and Marsden's second.
10 minutes before the final whistle, Annie Highway got a goal back for the visitors.
With just three minutes to go, Sowerby finally found the net for Town after an afternoon of frustration for the forward. Boldmere gave a freekick away just over 18 yards out and Sowerby watched her shot cannon off the inside of the post and nestle in the opposite corner.
The final whistle blew and saw Town Women book their place in the next round of the League Cup.
Town Women's Manager, Steve Appleton, spoke after the game:
“I think on occasions we looked comfortable in the game, but you can’t switch off.
"Boldmere scored two goals, their second one was a really good finish, but their first goal was a bit sloppy on our point of view.
After last weekend’s disappointing defeat at Burnley, Appleton was much happier with the afternoon’s emphatic win at the Stafflex.
“You’ve got to be happy, we're in the next round of the Cup, we’ve scored seven goals and some of our football was superb.
"Boldmere came here to cause an upset, so we had to be professional with what we did and we know the players reacted in the right way.”
Town Women are back in action against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Stafflex Arena on Sunday 26 September; 2pm kick-off.
