Wolves 3 (Merrick 30, 72, Loydon 61) AFC Fylde 0
A brace from Beth Merrick and an Abi Loydon goal helped Wolves Women beat AFC Fylde at Compton Park to progress through to the second round of the FAWNL Plate.
Dan McNamara made wholesale changes to his team that defeated Sporting Khalsa in midweek, with the seven changes including a debut for newly-recruited goalkeeper Charlotte Clarke.
The new-look team understandably took time to get into a rhythm, with Fylde enjoying a decent spell in the first 10 minutes as Mia Hyland shot the first effort on target early on.
The home side, however, started to gel and the midfield began to take a hold on the game with their controlling possession.
A good spell of domination led to the opening goal on the half-hour mark through Merrick, as the winger was played through on goal down the left flank and her curling effort found the top right corner.
Beth Merrick scores goals🤝 pic.twitter.com/jtulhtvRmU
— Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) September 29, 2024
Wolves wanted more and went close to a second just after Merrick’s opener as Jade Cross beat her marker down the right and played a low ball across to Ania Denham waiting in the penalty area, however her effort was saved by a good stop from Skye Kirkham in the away net.
All of the action was now in the Fylde half as Wolves dominated proceedings. Merrick went close to a second after a driving run through the middle of the pitch but her resulting effort was saved by the goalkeeper.
Half-time | Wolves 1-0 Fylde
The second half started similarly to how the first ended, as the hosts kept Fylde pinned back but they continued to try and hit Wolves on the break.
Ylenia Carabott went close for Fylde as she cut in from the left wing and saw her effort just sail over the crossbar, before Wolves nearly made it two down the other end but Hannah Fryer’s effort from inside the penalty area was saved.
Loydon then made it two just after the hour mark. Denham held the ball up well before laying it off to the running midfielder on the edge of the box whose effort hit the back of the net.
McNamara’s side deserved the two-goal cushion after an improved performance saw them make more chances as the game went on.
Two became three 10 minutes later and Merrick doubled her scoring, as she picked up the ball on the left-wing, cut inside and bent a curling effort into the far top-right corner to take her season tally to four goals.
As the game approached the final 10 minutes it became scrappy and stop-start which suited the home side who made all five changes and looked to smartly see the game out.
Fylde thought they had scored a consolation goal when Teal Dunion struck the post in the final minute, but it proved to be a memorable debut for Clarke in the Wolves net who kept hold of her clean sheet.
Wolves progressed through to the next round of the FAWNL Plate and look ahead to a top-four clash against Rugby Borough at home next Sunday.
Full-time | Wolves 3–0 Fylde
Into tomorrow's second round draw 🎩
— Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) September 29, 2024
Thank you for your support at Compton today đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/dTOMT61X0U
LINEUPSÂ
Wolves | Clarke, E. Cross (Hiscox 65), J. Cross, Loydon (George 78), Banaras (Quigley 78), Johnson, Fryer, Anderson (Hughes 65), Denham, Jenner, Merrick (Greengrass 78).
Unused Subs | Morphet, Calder.
AFC Fylde | Kirkham, Hyland, Dunion, Carabott, Borrowdale, Chan, Holt, Duffell, Bowers Folan, Rogers, Mason.
Subs | Binks, Tindall, Pendlebury, Kelsh-Ridge.
NEXT FIVE
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Report by Callum Greybanks
