Hard work throughout the team provided the foundation for a solid performance from Workington Reds Ladies as they beat Morecambe Ladies Reserves 7-1.
Along with the growth of composure and high quality football from the Reds, it earned a well- deserved victory in the North West Ladies Division One League encounter.
Playing into the low winter’s sun, the Reds started off brightly and had dominated most of the play but weren’t rewarded for their efforts.
Having narrowly failing to capitalise on a couple of well worked chances the Reds fell behind to a breakaway goal after their own move up the left had broken down. The ball was played quickly forward and Morecambe took the lead.
The Reds efforts were eventually rewarded after 36 minutes when a corner from Hannah Geen was flicked on by Hayley Bracken and headed in from close range by the captain Linzi Donaldson.
The game then ebbed and flowed with the Reds creating the better chances but it ended up still level at half time.
The second half saw Reds start strongly and their dominance was clear for the rest of the game.
Their second goal came on 50 minutes from some hard work by Bracken whose strike on goal ricocheted off the post but was finished off by the supporting Geen.
The Reds dominance continued to grow and after 56 minutes they went 3-1 up through some excellent intricate football between El McDonald, Geen and Chloe Henderson before Helen Wagstaff slotted home.
On 72 minutes the fourth goal stemmed from a ball played out from the back by Donaldson. Bracken was quick to assert her dominance on the Morecambe defence and created the space to get her shot away and smash the ball home.
More sustained pressure from the Reds five minutes later saw Bracken break down the right and become provider again, crossing the ball for Geen to bag her second from close range.
The Reds went 6-1 up in the 80th minute from a flick back by Bracken which fell at the feet of Wagstaff, who after shifting the ball onto her other foot hit a screamer from 40 yards.
The final goal came five minutes from the end after some dogged determination from Henderson who beat the keeper to the ball and slipped it home to round off a comprehensive win after an outstanding second-half performance.
The result lifted the Reds Ladies to third in the league with 22 points, three behind leaders Blackpool FC Girls FC.
Player of the match was awarded to centre back and captain Linzi Donaldson for her all round solid performance which typified the efforts of the full squad.
This was the team’s last game before the Christmas break and they will be back in action on the 9th January away to Sir Tom Finney FC 1st Womens.
Their next home game is a local derby against Penrith FC Ladies on the 23rd January where admission is free.
The Reds Ladies squad was: Laura Miller, Naomi Foster, Willow Gray, Eleanor McDonald, Chloe Henderson, Linzi Donaldson, Hayley Bracken, Hannah Geen, Natalie Hooper, Megan Yarnold, Sophie Nutter, Chloe Shepherd, Helen Wagstaff.
