Ladies Firsts v Workington Reds

More action from the heart of Darwen as Accrington Ladies, playing their ninth league game of the season, welcomed Workington Red’s Ladies to the WEC Anchor ground, in a game that saw the return of Maddie McKenna from her long-term injury and the re-signing of Beth Harrison as both players  looked to make their cases for first team selection.

Another close start to the game saw the deadlock broken again by Accrington Ladies when Amy Lucas, on her birthday, was fittingly gifted her first league goal of the season after the keeper fumbled the ball for Lucas to scramble home to open up a one goal lead.

But despite Accrington dominance, Workington Red’s leveled the score with a quick counter-attack that exploited the space at the back and saw Jennifer Horrock’s bring down the attacker for what would have been a penalty had a Workington attacker not been there to slot the ball home into the open goal.

Accrington continued to dominate but failed to add more goals to their tally until Beth Harrison broke the stalemate after steering home Sophia Turner’s cross before Harrison soon added her second goal in a similar fashion – this time Lauren Walker was the provider. 

There was plenty more excellent build-up play from Accrington although they failed to capitalize on the chances that were coming thick and fast meaning that, according to sod’s law, the next team to score would surely be Workington.  And of course, it was, after some good build up play created enough space for Workington to level the scores. 

But the pressure was quelled when substitute Maddie McKenna, keen to get onto the score-sheet, added Accrington’s fourth of the game after she receiving the ball from Kerry Bamford about thirty yards from goal and her shot dipped the keeper.  Soon after, it was McKenna that sealed the result when a defensive error fell to her inside the area and she calmly smashed it home for her second of the game before the final whistle blew.

Over the past few weeks Accrington have brushed teams aside with landslide victories and they would have felt this should have been one of those occasions.  However missed opportunities made the game closer than what it maybe should have been against a Workington side that proved to be clinical in front of goal.  This should be a warning to Accrington that if they don’t put games out of reach then they could pay a much bigger price, especially with Blackburn Community Sport on their heels.

Final Score:– Accrington Sports Girls and Ladies 5 – 2 Workington’s Reds Ladies.

Goal-scorer: Amy Lucas, Beth Harrison (2), Maddie McKenna (2).

MOM: Lauren Walker

Line-up:

Jennifer Horrocks

Jade Winning

Kerry Bamford

Jo Duckworth

Beth Harrison

Linny Craig

Chantelle McCormack

Amy Lucas

Lauren Walker

Sophia Turner

Amelia Ripley

Subs:

Natasha DeMaine

Maddie McKenna