West Didsbury & Chorlton Women made a winning start to 2019 with a 4-0 win at home to Stockport County Blues.
West were without influential midfielders Hannah Mitchell or Orla Conlon whilst Ellie Caddick served the second game of her three-game suspension. However, West were buoyed by the return of Captain Shauna Edmondson, making her first start since November 4th, to the starting line-up whilst there were also returns for Vicky Frisby and Lauren O’Neill.
Having not played for over a month there were some cobwebs to shake off and Stockport almost took full advantage inside the first minute as they struck the outside of the post from close range.
The opening stages of the game saw the visitors seek to take advantage of West’s slow start until the 17th minute when West countered through Elizabeth Livesey as she collected the ball inside her own half, playing Jami Hodges free down the left who squared into the path of Rachael Dunlop. However, she was denied by a point blank save from County goalkeeper Fran Singleton before a defender was able to toe the loose ball off the line. The chance seemed to wake West as Livesey and Dunlop both brought further saves from the County goalkeeper. However, Claire Jefferson was called into action as Stockport were denied a clear one-on-one from Helen Molloy thanks to a perfectly timed last gasp challenge from Amy Vyas.
The deadlock was broken on 28 minutes as West broke down the right through Chloe Spencer who played in Dunlop before picking out Livesey’s whose deflected effort deceived Singleton in the County goal to give West the lead. Stockport almost responded immediately as Molloy raced through again one-on-one but couldn’t direct her effort on target.
West were awarded a penalty on 39 minutes as Dunlop was played through on goal but was brought down from behind. Shauna Edmondson stepped up and drilled home her sixth goal of the season. The home side finished the half the stronger of the two sides as Livesey curled wide after some great defensive work from Hodges before Dunlop was denied again by Singleton.
West started the second half brightly as Spencer fired wide from a corner 20 yards out before the West number eight turned provider as she found Dunlop who forced another save from the County keeper. Stockport responded with a chance of their own as Megan Armstrong sliced wide from the edge of the area.
West’s pressure continued, and it was 3-0 on 56 minutes when Amy Friel’s cross from the left evaded the Stockport back line allowing Dunlop to race in and lift the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper. The fourth arrived with 20 minutes remaining as West countered again, an inch perfect pass put through substitute Vicky Lomas whose perfect first touch allowed her to lift it over the rushing goalkeeper with her second to make it 4-0.
The three points took West back to the top of the division on goal difference with games in hand over Altrincham and Liverpool Feds Reserves. West will now welcome Liverpool Feds Reserves to Brookburn Road this Sunday in the first round of the Argyle Sports Cup
