West’s Women’s team ran out 4-0 winners in the South Manchester Derby with a thrilling performance over Manchester Stingers.
Stingers were out of the blocks quickly as sought to assert their higher division status on the game. However, it was West who created the game’s first chance on four minutes when a free kick from Ellie Caddick was headed just wide by Leigh McFadyen. Six minutes later Caddick went close herself when her corner was headed off the line at the far post with McFadyen reaching the follow up ahead of the Stingers goalkeeping just wide of the post.
On 15 minutes, the Stingers goalkeeper was called into action as another free kick from Caddick was played to the feet over Chaneece Reeves and her effort was superbly turned over the bar from the narrowest of angles. From the resulting corner McFadyen was again denied as Caddick’s corner found her at the far post and her low effort was blocked on the line.
West were not to be denied and took a deserving lead on 18 minutes when Jo Turner, playing left back, picked out Jami Hodges on the left, her pass played in Reeves down the wing and her cross to the far post was turned in on the line by McFadyen. Two minutes later West had the ball in the back of the net again when a superb pass on the turn from Elizabeth Livesey played in McFadyen who finished with aplomb into the top corner but the referee considered the West forward to be offside.
West went close twice more in the first half as a cross from Reeves from the right-hand side was tipped onto the line by the Stingers goalkeeper with the loose ball hooked off the line by Elle Powles with McFadyen waiting to tap in. The last chance of the half came on 39 minutes as long mazy run from Hodges forced another excellent save from the goalkeeper with McFadyen almost pokes home the rebound with West heading into half time wondering how the goal margin wasn’t greater.
West doubled their lead five minutes after half time when a short corner was worked between Reeves and Sophie Bracegirdle as Caddick curled a ball into the near post and it was volleyed home by debutant Hanifa Douglas with almost her first touch in a West shirt.
West never looked back as Reeves forced another save from the Stingers goalkeeper after a superb run towards goal on the hour mark. A minute later Douglas was denied her second when a corner to the far post saw her effort came back off the inside of the post.
West rang the changes and it was two who combined for the third on 72 minutes when Emily Croasdale burst down the right and pulled her pinpoint cross from the touchline found Douglas at the far post who headed in on the line.
Douglas turned provider on 80 minutes when her perfectly waited through ball put released Livesey one-on-one and she rolled her effort into the bottom left hand corner. It capped off a superb performance for West to stretch their unbeaten run to four matches.
Team: Jefferson, Caddick, J.Turner, O’Neil, Livesey, Bracegirdle, Hodges, Edmondson, Kerr, Reeves, McFadyen.
Subs: L.Turner, Ramsden, Hartley, Hanley, Douglas, Callaghan, Croasdale.
Goalscorers: McFadyen, Douglas (2), Livesey
Attendance: 45
