Wolves Women claim bragging rights in a historic first Black Country Derby at the Hawthorns with a commanding first-half display against WBA Women.
Wolves entered the contest in fine form at the top-end of the table, winning four of their last five league outings. Fine form meant Dan McNamara’s side were just five points off table-toppers Nottingham Forest with a game in hand with the visitors firmly focused on promotion.
The hosts, however, had shown significant signs of improvement in recent weeks, beating relegation rivals Boldmere St. Michaels before trading blows with Liverpool Feds. Albion struck first with a 3-1 victory at Keys Park but fell to defeat the following week on their travels to Merseyside.
Back in the Black Country, the visitors were first to test the waters, a poor flick-on by Hannah George sending Wolves’ Beth Roberts in behind the defence but her curling effort from the edge of the box sailed well over.
George quickly became instrumental down the other end, a searching long ball finding Birmingham City loanee Delphi Cole as the no.9 cut in on her right and her deflected attempt went behind for a corner.
An inviting delivery by Shannon Stamps could only be cleared as far as the edge of the box where a number of blue and white-striped shirts were waiting to punish. Maria Timms quickly took control, digging the ball out of her feet to place the ball into the top-left corner past Shan Turner to make history as the first women’s player to score in the Black Country Derby at the Hawthorns.
A wake-up call for the visitors, Wolves wasted no time in conjuring up a response. With Albion dropping deeper, a smart ball from Beth Merrick to Roberts cut through the West Brom defence, the no.22 calmly firing the ball into the roof of the goal at the near post to level the scores with just over 15 minutes on the clock.
A storming opening exchange, the calm soon followed with little to speak of for the next 20 twenty minutes to come. The promotion favourites found another gear as the half drew to a close, however, with Destiney Toussaint at the double. Roberts was at the forefront again, this time supplying the former Coventry United forward with a sharp cross across goal for the 34-year-old to head past Charlotte Clarke.
A late surge in momentum saw the Wolves punish Albion’s complacency at the back, Toussaint finding space down the right before releasing her shot from distance, a massive deflection looping up and over the Albion keeper to give Wolves a two-goal advantage going into the break.
A prolific first half for Wolves was finished off with a professional second 45 to secure another vital three points in their bid for promotion to the third tier. Half-chances for Tammi George and goalscorer Beth Roberts forced the Albion no.1 into action in order to prevent the lead from being extended.
A comfortable night under the lights for Wolves sees the National League Northern Premier Division club move up to second in the table and cut the gap to Forest to just two points after a 2-2 draw away to Loughborough Lightning.
Albion will have the opportunity to set things right on Sunday March 19 as they face Wolves in the Birmingham FA Women’s County Cup semi-final at Keys Park, kick-off 2pm.
Line-Ups:
WBA Women: Clarke, H. George ©, Loydon, Green, Cole, Crackle, Tudor, Stamps, Davies, Timms, Evans.
(Subs: Miller, Embley, Pugh, Bennett-Steele, Mahmood)
Wolves Women: Turner, Cooper, Morphet, Price ©, E. Cross, T. George, J. Cross, Holmes, Toussaint, Roberts, Merrick.
(Subs: Elsmore, Dermody, Dicken, Miller, Smith)
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