Five star West Brom are too strong for Lightning
WEST BROM saw their resurgence under new Head Coach Jenny Sugarman continue as they ran out 5-0 winners over Loughborough Lightning.
Albion found themselves 3-0 up at half-time with goals coming from Trina Greaves and a Leigh Dugmore double, giving Lightning too much to do to get back into the game.
Two more goals in the second half, from Greaves and Janelle Straker, made the final scoreline more comfortable and gave the hosts a 5-0 victory.
It was a very even first five minutes to the game, with both sides looking to press high and both looking to be more direct and dangerous in possession.
It was West Brom though who took the early lead, after seven minutes. Good work down the left-hand side by Shannon Stamps. Her cross found Leanne Robinson on the edge of the area, who headed goalwards. The ball found its way to Trina Greaves who took a touch and then curled the ball high into the Lightning net.
Albion went close to doubling their lead in the 16th minute after Stamps was sent clean through on goal.
The West Brom winger dribbled through well before attempting to chip the ball over Holly Mayfield. Mayfield though pulled out an excellent stop and managed to claw the ball away from goal, stopping a certain second.
West Brom did double their lead, however, in the 21st minute. Good work down the lefthand side from Stamps gave her a crossing opportunity. She found Leigh Dugmore, whose powerful header found the corner of the net, from just outside the six-yard box.
The Baggies then added a third shortly before half time. Stamps, who had an excellent first half on the left-wing, crossed into the box and found Dugmore, who managed to tap the ball home at the far post for her second of the game.
Lightning almost got a goal back just before the half-time whistle through Abbie Bensted. Good work down the left-hand side for her gave her a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box. Her shot curled over Poppy Bastock but it cannoned down off the bar and the West Brom defence cleared just before Nicki Russell could get on the rebound.
It was a much more positive the
Lightning start to the second half for Lightning who were looking to get back into the game. They pressed higher up the pitch and had some dangerous attack, without causing too much of a threat to Bastock’s goal.
Instead, it was Albion who threatened for the first time in the second half, in the 60th minute. A good cross from Stamps found the head of Greaves in the box and her goal-bound header was excellently tipped round the post by Mayfield.
West Brom extended their lead further over the next 10 minutes, with a goal for Janelle Straker and a second of the game for Greaves. The two tidy finishes from inside the box, firmly took the game away from Lightning and stopped any chance of a potential comeback
Lightning did go close to getting a goal back in the 79th minute, though. Left-back Abbey Hateley picked the ball up on the touchline and cut inside, 35-yards out. She struck her firm shot towards the top corner but Bastock was equal to it and tipped the ball onto the crossbar.
They went close again in the 85th minute when Eva Rogers was played in on goal. Her initial chipped shot was well saved by Bostock but Rogers managed to get onto the rebound and her second shot was well cleared by the West Brom defence.
Lightning kept on pushing for a goal until the final whistle but they didn’t managed to score and the game finished 5-0 to the hosts.
FA VASE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND
INGLES 0 HARROWBY UNITED 2 INGLES bowed out of the FA Vase after two second half goals sent Harrowby United through.
The side met on the opening day of the season when a frantic 4-4 draw was played out but Saturday’s game however was very different.
The game started with Ingles well on top and looking to cause Harrowby problems with some strong running from Billy Clarke, Yousuf, Smith and Callum Hardy. Ingles got to the goal line on a few occasions in the first 15 minutes but the crosses back across the box always seemed to fall a Harrowby defender.
Harrowby began to grow into the game and a series of long free kicks caused a little panic in the defence, with keeper Webb asked to make a couple of routine saves.
The pitch wasn’t conducive to free flowing football, with it being very bobbly and the lack of rain in recent weeks made it a battle of attrition. Both River Hardy and Harry Smith made their way into the referees book after strong challenges which showed the desire and fight the side was playing with as they looked to pull themselves out of a recent tough run.
The rest of the half saw both teams battle for supremacy but without really creating anything clear cut.
Ingles started the second half strongly and pushed Harrowby back but again the final pass wasn’t there and attacks petered out. The worry was always Harrowby were going to create something themselves and this duly happened on 65 minutes when a cross into the box found one of their strikers who cushioned a header into the path of midfielder Alex Hales who poked home.
Ingles kept pushing forward and had a few long distance efforts but that clear cut chance wasn’t coming. Ingles on another day may have got a penalty when a clumsy challenge on Smith in the box was waved away.
Harrowby sealed the game with about five minutes left when a breakaway left striker Danuiel Durkin free on the edge of the area, he received the pass and fired smartly past Webb.