A cruel final 10 minutes saw defeat being snatched from the jaws of victory for Workington Town Women in their latest outing, losing 6-4 at Accrington Stanley.
The two sides had served up a pulsating game which saw a frantic opening quarter of hour being followed by an intense battle before ending in similar fashion to how it started.
Town got off to a flier and were a goal up in as little as 30 seconds. High pressing from Chloe Little led to Ella Beadsmoore securing a loose ball before quickly finding Sarah Smith.
From there Smith’s vision enabled her to deliver a back line splitting pass to meet the keen running of captain Kirsten Donald in behind the Stanley line, and she was able to score from close range.
What followed, was an unbelievable fifteen minutes of football containing five goals and the lead being exchanged twice.
Stanley hit back 60 seconds after falling behind when Megan Oliver attacked from the left before shooting across Laura Miller to find the far corner.
Molly Anne Murray added a second a further two minutes later as she drove in to the area before finding Miller’s top right corner.
With five minutes gone the lead had changed twice, but the scoring was far from over as Town hit back.
Morgan McGrady was linking well with Hayley Bracken up front for Town and their efforts were clearly telling on the Accrington back line.
With only seven minutes gone, Town were back level at 2-2, after Bracken had reacted well to meet a corner from the right off Ella Beardsmore. The striker dominated the six yard box before her glancing header found the Stanley net.
Within three minutes Town were back on top, with Bracken dominating the area again and another pinpoint delivery from Beadsmoore again from the right corner. This time Bracken turned the ball home with a powerful back post header.
With a minute of the first quarter of an hour remaining, Bracken had completed a 10-minute hat-trick and Town had established a two-goal lead.
The delivery was the same, the route was identical and the outcome was equally as clinical. Beadsmoore’s delivery, Bracken’s reaction, a front post volley, four in the bag and a hat-trick was banked.
The home side were shaken, but obviously not stirred as they appeared to take this period of instability in their stride. A sign no doubt that they backed their attacking ability, possibly fuelled from seven second half goals from their previous outing seven days earlier.
With less than ten minutes of the half remaining, the Stanley comeback got underway. Emerald Parker showed great prowess to take possession of a through ball midway through the Town half before running in on goal.
Despite pressure from the visitors’ defence, Parker managed to keep her composure before striking home and halving the deficit.
Town were dealt a blow at half time, as Chloe Little was unable to take the field due to illness. The ensuing change in formation saw Town set up to defuse the Stanley advances. A tactic which was working for 35 second half minutes as the visitors set about great tenacity.
With ten minutes remaining, Town were dealt the first of three cruel blows. A strike from just outside the edge of the area was parried by Miller and Oliver was on hand to convert from close range.
The second came from a corner from the left which was only partially cleared before Sophie Cliff powered home at the back post. An act that saw the visitors fall behind for the first time in around 80 minutes.
A mix up in the Accrington defence gave hope of an equaliser, after a back pass was picked up by the home Keeper offering a free-kick inside the area. Smith, standing over the ball, shifted to allow a powerful drive from Cassie Donald with the outcome a fortunate deflection to safety for the home side.
With only the odd minute left in the game, Stanley sealed their hard fought victory. A free-kick on the edge of the area was played to the right which Ashara Bailey met with the inside of her right foot, guiding the ball into the top right corner.
Town’s fate was sealed, with the disappointment of a fruitless return up the M6 tempered only by an acceptance that honest hard work and a spirited performance filled with spells of quality football, had so nearly served them well.
Hayley Bracken’s impressively taken hat-trick and industry throughout the game had caught the eye of the Stanley coaching staff as she collected their player of the game award for Town.
Afterwards Town manager Paul Mackenzie was keen to praise the efforts of his team.
He said: “We faced a really tough challenge and on the way down we spoke about the dangers Accrington offer. They are a front foot team and we decided to match that in our approach to the game.
“To be fair, our two goal lead after fifteen minutes suggested that we were more than capable of matching their style of play.
“However, we had travelled light with only three subs. Losing Chloe at half time was very unfortunate for us, she’s an absolute dynamo in the middle of the park and a big miss when she isn’t there.
“That said, I thought the players gave a great account of themselves in the second half and that we were desperately unlucky not to take something from the game.”
