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FC United Women ease past Sir Tom Finney Ladies in final home game of the season

FC United Women ease past Sir Tom Finney Ladies in final home game of the seasonFC United Women rounded off another home campaign in style defeating Sir Tom Finney Ladies 9-0 at Broadhurst Park on Sunday.

The Reds completed an unbeaten season at the Moston-home courtesy of a hat-trick from Jess Battle, whilst Kirsty Chambers and Aimee O’Keeffe also hit doubles in the win.

FCUMW got back to winning ways in midweek with victory at Manchester Stingers WFC and were looking to put together another strong performance, with Shaunna Jein and Rebecca Foster coming into the starting XI from the team that began Wednesday night’s game at Whalley Range.

United started the game where they left off in midweek and were rewarded with another early lead. Jess Battle got two in that game, including the opener, and opened the scoring again after going around the goalkeeper and finishing after just five minutes.

It was Olivia Greenhalgh who found Battle on that occasion and it was Laura Garner who played the ball through to Battle for a repeat of the first goal on 15 minutes. Battle again pushed the ball past the ‘keeper before slotting home to double the advantage.

The Reds then turned two into three and despite Jess Battle’s hat-trick attempt being saved, Cara Fields was on hand to volley the rebound into the bottom corner.

Battle may have been denied then, but she completed a 24-minute hat-trick soon after. United’s no.9 diverted Kirsty Chambers’ low cross into the net to send FC racing out into a 4-0 lead.

The chances continued to come for FC with Laura Garner firing over, before Yvette Loukes saw a double save from visiting goalkeeper Amy Weaver prevent her from extending the lead.

Garner was again involved in the action on 39 minutes, having been played in by Olivia Greenhalgh, but she dragged her shot wide of the far post, moments before a half-volley from the midfielder flew a whisker away from the far top corner.

Just a minute later, Garner got her goal and a third in four games. The ball broke to the midfielder on the edge of the box, she set herself before firing past the goalkeeper.

Rebecca Foster nearly capped off the perfect half just before the break, heading wide Kirsty Chambers’ corner from the right. Foster’s incisive no look pass then nearly returned the favour for the skipper who saw her effort gathered by the ‘keeper.

With the news of the FC United Pan-Disability team winning in the FA People’s Cup final at St George’s Park at half-time greeting the Main Stand at Broadhurst Park, the Reds looked to complete a positive day for the club with another strong second-half performance.

Having the intention of doing just that, captain Kirsty Chambers put United on the scoresheet once more. After seeing an attempt bravely saved moments earlier, Chambers unleashed another powerful drive that beat the goalkeeper and found the far bottom corner.

The skipper was well in the mood and had another in quick time. She danced her way through the STF defence before poking home FC’s seventh of the afternoon.

On the hour mark, Jess McCarrick replaced Yvette Loukes for United and nearly made an immediate impact after breaking forward from the right, but the attack slowed, and the visitors were able to recover possession.

Chambers then went to join Jess Battle in the day’s hat-trick club but saw her curling effort bodied off the line by a covering defender.

With the 70-minute mark approaching, FCUMW made the final two home changes of the afternoon, with Aimee O’Keeffe and Kate O’Gara coming on in place of Cara Fields and Abbie Carrington.

Off the bench, O’Keeffe brought energy to the Reds’ display in the closing stages and was rewarded with a quick-fire brace for her efforts. The first one saw her slot home Jess Battle’s perfectly-whipped cross, with the second coming after she rounded the keeper and showed composure to finish on 81 minutes.

Both Battle and O’Keeffe had attempts to take the lead into double figures denied by some strong defending late on, with the referee blowing the whistle soon after to round off a perfect afternoon in the Reds’ final outing at Broadhurst Park in 2018/19.

Next up for the Reds is a Wednesday (1 May) night trip to Fleetwood Town Wrens for another NWWRL Premier Division fixture. The fixture will be played at Highbury Stadium, the home of Fleetwood Town FC, and will be a 6.45pm kick-off – we hope that you can make the trip to support the Reds!

FCUMW Player of the Match: Jess Battle – The FCUMW striker took her tally up to 46 goals for the campaign with a hat-trick in under half-an-hour to help get the Reds off to a flyer. United’s no.9 then provided several assists and key passes leading to goals to help FCUMW build on the established lead throughout the afternoon.

FC United of Manchester Women 9 (5): Ainsworth, Jein, Davies, Carrington, Loukes, Greenhalgh, Foster, Chambers (c) (Goal 54, 57 mins), Garner (Goal 43 mins), Fields (Goal 18 mins), Battle (Goals 5, 15, 24 mins)

Subs: Russell, Marsh, McCarrick (On for Loukes 59 mins), O’Gara (On for Carrington 68 mins), O’Keeffe (On for Fields 65 mins) (Goals 78, 81 mins)

Sir Tom Finney Ladies 0 (0): Weaver, Hajdukiewicz, Park, Hindle, Troiano, Foxcroft, Smith, Ryan, Parkinson, Collins, Swift

Subs: Jaques, Marvill, Went

Match stats provided by Paul Hinson (FC first column):
Goals: 9-0
Shots: 30-5
Shots on target: 14-0
Completed passes: 443-214
Possession: 67%-33%

Venue: Broadhurst Park, Lightbowne Road, Moston, Manchester, M40 0FJ
Competition: NWWRL Premier Division
Referee: Danny Woodhead
Attendance: 103

Report by Mikey Partington



First Posted ~ 20:59 Sun 28 Apr 2019
News ID ~ 8365
Last Updated ~ 16:00 Fri 19 Feb 2021