Burnley 0 Wolves 1 (Hughes 17)
Amber Hughes’ goal gave Wolves Women their third victory of the league campaign as they beat Burnley Women at Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon.
Hughes’ first half header was enough to secure all three points for the travelling pack, which was the perfect response to last week’s 6-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest that left the squad looking to turn that result around.
The visitors looked strong in the opening 10 minutes and Dan McNamara would have been encouraged by his side’s start as the bounce-back looked hopeful.
Wolves found success down their left flank throughout the first half with Hughes going close on two occasions - the closest came after she controlled a Charlotte Greengrass cross before swivelling and seeing her effort saved by Kirstie Levell in the hosts’ net.
It was third time lucky for Hughes when she met an Anna Morphet cross following a short corner and headed home to open the scoring 17 minutes in, despite being under pressure in the penalty area.
A short story 🐺 pic.twitter.com/q01igTB1D7
— Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) September 8, 2024
The hosts failed to test Bec Thomas in the away net until they went close in the 35th minute as they struck the bar with a header from a corner.
Beth Roberts consistently caused trouble for the Burnley defence down the left-hand side, alongside Beth Merrick as their partnership blossomed throughout the first 45 minutes. It led to Merrick going close with her long-range effort just clearing the bar to end the half.
Half-time | Burnley 0-1 Wolves
The hosts looked to respond early on in the half with pressure against Wolves and they went close through Amelia Hazard, but Thomas stood strong to turn her effort round the post.
Wolves struggled to replicate the great success down their left wing from the first half but turned to Destiney Toussaint on the right who narrowly missed the target with her effort just going over the crossbar on the hour mark.
Burnley, however, replied with more pressure, as Katie Johnson supplied a goal-saving block as well as Thomas saving substitute Heidi Logan’s header down low.
The final 10 minutes approached and the away side continued to steadily manage the game the way they wanted and frustrated the home team.
It was Thomas with another heroic save to keep the score 1-0 in the 91st minute, as she was at full stretch to turn Brenna McPartlan’s close-range effort out for a corner.
A superb performance from the girls in Old Gold saw them earn a deserved away victory on their first trip to Turf Moor.
Full-time | Burnley 0-1 Wolves
A super response from our group 🐺 pic.twitter.com/aYeaRf7LKt
— Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) September 8, 2024
LINE UPS
Burnley | Levell, Docherty (Kelly 72), Siddall, McPartlan, Palmer, Grey (Logan 58), Richards, Hazard (Walker 62), Hartley (Marshall 72), Wilkes, Elford (Lord-Mears 62).
Subs not used | McAloon, Reidford.
Wolves | Thomas, Morphet, George, Hughes, Greengrass (J. Cross 79) , Johnson, Anderson, Toussaint (Smith 64), Roberts, Jenner, Merrick.
Subs not used | Elbro, Banaras, Fryer, Denham, Hiscox.
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Report by Callum Greybanks
