Workington Town Women were in top form on Sunday at Crilly Park, as they gained revenge against Atherton Laburnum Rovers.
The reverse fixture at the Fibrus in November, had seen Town on the wrong end of a 12-goal game, losing 7-5 and initiating some soul searching between the ranks.
The performance on Sunday was in total contrast to the previous game and gave great indication of how productive they have been on and off the field since November.
Setting off with a point to prove the visitors were quick out of the gates and hit their host hard and early, talking the lead in the 2nd minute and doubling it in the 9th.
An early release from keeper Laura Miller, had put Town on the attack which resulted in a corner on the back of good work from Kirsten Donald.
Nat Broad linked well with Chloe Henderson before attempting to find the goal from the edge of the area, only to see her effort strike the crossbar before ricochetting off a home defender and in to the goal.
Similar pressure was delivered from a corner on the right soon after. Keeley Chatters, gained possession and looked to find herself a yard of space. However, overzealous closing from the home defence was punished, as Chatters was brought down leaving the referee an easy call to award a penalty.
Hayley Bracken stepped up to take and dispatched her duties with a powerful strike which beat Keeper Dakota Pixton despite her valiant efforts.
Ten minutes later, Town had made it three with the first of two sublime goals for Cassie Donald from 25 yards out.
A goal kick from Pixton was returned by Chatters before Cassie Donald pounced on the lose ball.
Never needing a second invitation to let rip from distance, Donald set herself and struck for goal, beating Pixton’s outstretched arm and dipping under the crossbar.
The home side had been hemmed in by the disciplined press of Town Women, who were intent on correcting failings from their previous encounter.
However, Atherton striker Shannon Gill, had managed to break the back line and forced Laura Miller in to the save of the game, as the Town keeper came off her line to meet Gill and push the strike to safety.
As the game entered the final 15 minutes of the first half, Kirsten Donald produced a moment of magic which effectively sealed the game.
Having collected possession 20 yards inside her own half, the midfielder spun to evade the Atherton pressure and drove at the home defence.
With the covering defender closing, Donald calmly slipped the ball one side before rounding her on the other and continuing in on goal.
Pixton reacted as she raced off her line in similar fashion to Miller, but Donald was calmness personified as she passed the ball in to the bottom corner to claim a memorable strike.
Town were served a double injury blow before half time, when midfielder Chloe Henderson, was forced from the field after a heavy collision and on the stroke of half time striker Bracken followed suit.
The half time break did not abate the appetite or concentration of the visitors as they came out of the sheds firing with the same intensity.
With only two minutes gone, the Donald sisters connected high up the field as Cassie picked out Kirsten on the right. Kirsten cleverly rounded her defender and shot to work Pixton.
The Keeper struggled to contain the strike and spilled giving Ella O’Nions the opportunity to start her account off with the club, which she took effortlessly driving the ball home.
Kirsten Donald rounded off a polished performance for Town in the 74th minute, after she ran in behind the home back line to latch on to a defence splitting pass from distance by Cassie Donald. Pixton reacted well to close the angle and deflect the initial strike, but Donald reacted well to finish off the loose ball and fire home.
Cassie Donald stepped up to complete her brace of goals from 25 yards in the 84th minute, and in doing so brought the contest to a close.
Linzi Donaldson had replaced returning captain Naomi Foster, with both players working their way back from recent injuries.
Picking up possession in a good position on the right half way up the field, Donaldson crossed a deep diagonal pass to find Hooper on the left. Hooper quickly squared and picked out Donald centrally in space.
What followed was a carbon copy of her earlier success, with the resulting strike leaving Pixton at full stretch but unable to influence the outcome.
Kirsten Donald was rewarded for her stunning first half goal and all round polished performance, as she was awarded the Player of the Game award by the hosts.
After the game, manger Paul Mackenzie said: “Losing at home to Atherton back in November had a massive impact on us.
“As a collective, we were bitterly disappointed, but we had the opportunity today to set the record straight and put things right.”
“I thought we were awesome today and I am really pleased for the players that their efforts and dedication over the past two months have been rewarded with their dominant performance today.”
“Seeing Ella score her first goal for us, was something special for us all. Ella, along with the many other younger players that have worked their way in to the squad, have shown a great desire to learn and an enthusiastic willingness to be able to contribute to what we are doing.
To see them ticking personal milestones off and to know what it means to them, brings us all great pleasure.”
Captain Naomi Foster added, “On a personal note I was delighted to be back playing today having spent the best part of two months on the sidelines.”
“What was even more pleasing was to be able to contribute to a performance like we delivered today by the full squad of players.
“Scoring the same number of goals as we conceded back in November felt poignant and to be able to keep a clean sheet really cemented everything that the performance meant to us all.”
