Five years to the day since the UK went in to lockdown at the start of the Covid pandemic, Workington Town Women squad were suffering a mini viral outbreak themselves.
As a result, they travelled with the bare minimum of 11 players, with a starting line-up containing five players from the previous weekend’s game and three of these 11 playing while at varying stages of the outbreak themselves.
Laura Miller, Naomi Foster, Linzi Donaldson and Hayley Bracken were joined by Olivia Paice, Ella O’Nions, Nat Hooper, Morgan McGrady, Chloe Henderson and Keeley Chatters.
Two first half goals and one in the second gave the home side all three points on offer, but the game was far from a one sided affair that the scoreline might suggest.
Preston opened the scoring in the third minute when a corner from their left was headed home by Caitlin Wolfenden.
Their lead was doubled when Maddison Hadley struck from 20 yards out in the 24th minute after being released by a through ball from the halfway line.
Cassie Donald came close to pulling a goal back for Town just before the break after a Linzi Donaldson free kick from the right fell to her on the edge of the area. Donald shifted and shot with the resulting flight narrowly taking the ball over the bar.
Donald came close again soon after from distance, but this time the ball travelled past the wrong side of the post.
Laura Miller was called in to action just after the half hour mark and produced a quality diving save to her right to deny the home attack.
Two regulation saves followed either side of the break as Miller done her best to keep Town’s hopes alive.
Nat Hooper nearly turned provider within minutes of the second half getting underway, after pouncing on a loose ball in the Preston back line and delivering a measured pass to meet Morgan McGrady’s run. Fortunately for Preston their Keeper was alert and smothered as McGrady closed in.
Preston made it three soon after when a first time strike from 25 yards out by Alicia Scott found Laura Millers bottom right corner.
Town remained engaged and not long after McGrady’s pace was released by a Donald pass in behind. The striker cut back inside before striking, only to find the Keeper well positioned.
Hayley Bracken’s physical presence had rushed the Preston back line and Chloe Henderson had backed it up in the middle of the park in support.
Their good work resulted in the ball falling to Donald whose lifted attempt from the edge of the area went agonising close.
Bracken was involved again soon after as she looked to become provider.
Having again applied pressure she collected the loose ball and drove at the line before feeding McGrady in support. Sadly the strike travelled wide and Town remained frustrated.
Headed chances fell to Naomi Foster and Keeley Chatters as they tried to capitalise on a Donald free kick from the right. However the home defence were able to do enough to keep their clean sheet intact and clear to safety.
Bracken had the last notable act of the game as she drove at the home defence down the right before driving a dangerous cross in to the area which unfortunately evaded Hooper following in.
Chloe Henderson had caught the eye of the Preston coaches as she battled throughout in the middle of the park and as such she was awarded Town’s player of the game.
After the game, manager Paul Mackenzie was keen to praise the efforts of his players.
He said: “We’ve been hit by this bug that’s gone through the squad and to be honest it’s decimated the squad. We had a strong squad of 16 players on Thursday evening, but players started messaging on Saturday morning and it started to look bleak.
“I’d like to thank the 11 who played on Sunday as some were unwell themselves, some played out of position and some haven’t had much game time recently.
“So to see them dig deep and show the resolve they did tells you a lot about them as individuals and how they come together as a collective.”
“Thankfully we have a week off now before we prepare to face Fleetwood Town Wrens in the Plate Semi Final. The break has came at a perfect time for us and we will hopefully be rearing to go again in just over a week’s time.”
