Points were shared on Sunday afternoon at the Fibrus Community Stadium by Workington Town Women and Preston North End Women after an eagerly contested game finished with two goals apiece.
Bea Barber has been in outstanding form recently and bagging a brace on Sunday took her season’s tally to 14 with nine coming over the past 3 games as she continues to capitalise on the platform set by the rest of the team.
Preston arrived in West Cumbria with an air of expectation having previously only dropped points so far this season to Bolton Wanderers and Accrington Stanley, two teams that are more than likely to contest the title at the end of the season.
However, a recent resurgence in the form of the home team meant that the result could not have be seen as a foregone conclusion.
The visitors went ahead in the 8th minute as they transitioned quickly from defence in to attack.
The move saw Madison Hadley in behind on the left, as she delivered a cross in to pick out Alicia Scott centrally.
Scott spun and struck for goal despite honest defending from Lauren Campbell and good positioning from Laura Miller.
Shots were fashioned from distance for Hayley Bracken, Nat Broad and Barber, with the latter’s second attempt flashing narrowly past the outside edge of the keepers right post.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 20th minute after a pair of fortuitous ricochets fell to the feet of Hadley who struck instinctively from close range.
Town halved the deficit with 10 minutes of the half remaining after they sprung a well worked attack from their back line with ease and efficiency.
Helen Wagstaff set the passage off as she picked out Kirsten Donald in space centrally. Kirsten Donald then found Broad out wide on the right and in space.
Broad’s delivery in to the area had enticed Keeper Jess Clayton off her line and saw three would be defenders challenging the sole figure of Barber.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Barber forced her claim and met the ball after the bounce to lift it over Clayton and in to the empty goal.
The visitors nearly claimed a third goal with the second half only six minutes old after free kick from just outside of the area from Laura Walker struck Miller’s far post before being cleared to safety.
Strikes on goal followed soon after for Bracken and Barber with one sliding past Clayton’s right post and the other flashing over her crossbar.
A brave front post header by Keeley Chatters from a Kirsten Donald corner on the left produced a fine instinctive save from Clayton with 20 minutes remaining.
Further breaks in behind the North End’s back line from Cassie Donald, Barber and Bracken, and had it not been for the lightening recovery pace of centre back Courtney Woodhead, the home side would have been in on goal.
Miller produced a fine fingertip save from a crisp effort from Scott as the game entered the final 10 minutes and in doing so kept the home sides challenge alive.
Parity was eventually and justifiably restored with six minutes of the game remaining and in similar fashion to their first goal in that the initial connection started in the back line.
Left back Lauren Campbell had carried the ball towards the centre circle before releasing to find Barber. The attacker played the ball back to Keeley Holliday before spinning to threaten again.
Holliday’s lifted delivery was inch perfect for Barber to take the advantage before she delivered a sweetly struck dipping left footed strike which left Clayton helpless.
The ever alert Bracken nearly claimed all three points on offer with less than 30 seconds of the game remaining.
Her instinctive run on to a ball delivered from Wagstaff from the right, had left two defenders lagging. However, Clayton had read the danger and was advancing off her line, the ensuing flicked effort from Bracken was all she could fashion, which unfortunately travelled to safety for the visitors.
The game ended soon after with the spoils shared having both teams scoring a pair of goals each.
Barber picked up both the Player of the Game as well as sponsors Westlakes Demolition’s Player of the Game after a threatening performance throughout and a brace of impressive goals.
After the game, manager Paul Mackenzie complimented the players’ performance over the past four games.
He said: “We have been in great form over the past month scoring 15 goals and only conceding three.
“We were unhappy with certain things in our performance against Atherton, but the way the players have responded since then has been amazing.
“They have developed a bit more bite and belief and we are all looking forward to taking this form in to the new year.”
Reflecting on the last 12 months, he added: “This past year has been some journey for the organisation. We have seen more growth and development off the pitch over this time than we had in the whole of our previous years in existence.
“The rebranding to Workington Town Women FC, followed by launching a Reserve Team that are flying, and joining up with what was Allerdale Girls, has meant that we have all been working extremely hard.
“A special thank you should go to the families that support these efforts and their understanding and inclusion on the direction we are taking.”
“We also extend our appreciation to everyone that volunteers their time and efforts to support these club and those that come down to support us over the season.”
“On behalf of everyone at the club, I would like to wish them all a very merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.”
