Wolves 5 (George 18, Hughes 51, Anderson 62, Toussaint 65, Greengrass 75) West Brom 0
Wolves Women showcased a five-star performance in the Black Country derby hosted at Molineux on Sunday afternoon.
Tammi George opened the scoring in the first half with her familiar goal against West Brom, before four goals from four different goalscorers in a clinical second half display saw Wolves put five past their local rivals.
The victory extends the unbeaten run in the league against West Brom to 11 games and puts Wolves just two points behind league leaders Nottingham Forest.
It took Amber Hughes just 10 minutes to register her first attempt on target. Beth Merrick picked up the ball and turned away from her marker midway in the Albion half, before perfectly slipping Hughes through one-on-one, but her shot could only find the legs of Anna Miller.
Wolves piled on the early pressure and made use of the wide Molineux pitch with a lot of the early play directed down the flanks. Beth Roberts received the ball on the left touchline and set Anna Morphet for a delivery, with her cross finding Destiney Toussaint arriving at the back post, but her header failed to stay under the crossbar.
Just moments later, Wolves took the lead and it was a familiar goalscorer at Molineux. Merrick’s corner found George rising highest in the penalty area, as her headed effort found the bottom corner to break the short-lasted deadlock.
The home side were enjoying themselves and chances continued to materialise as George should have had two inside 25 minutes. Merrick was involved again as her and Hughes linked up well to create an opening, but Charlotte Greengrass failed to connect with the cross, before the ball fell kindly to George 12 yards out, but her fierce effort was blocked.
A third of the way through the 90 minutes and the chances started to reduce, albeit Wolves remained thoroughly dominant, limiting Albion to no attempts at goal thus far.
Bec Thomas was forced into action for the first time with 10 minutes of the half left when Rhianne Oakley found herself free inside the penalty area, but her volleyed effort looped up and into the gloves of Thomas.
Half-time | Wolves 1-0 West Brom
Wolves came out the quickest in the second half and doubled their lead within six minutes of the restart. On the day Hughes celebrated 100 games in Old Gold prior to kick-off, she got Wolves’ second after meeting Merrick’s low cross just yards from goal.
Two became three just 10 minutes later and both Hughes and Merrick were involved again, but it was Becky Anderson who claimed the crucial touch. Hughes was released towards goal by Greengrass and clipped a ball to the far post where Merrick had a shot blocked on the line, before an attempted clearance rattled off Anderson and over the line.
Izzy Green provided a scare for Wolves when her headed effort from a corner went close to pulling a goal back for the visitors, however, it was the hosts again who, just a minute later, would have the ball in the back of the net for a fourth time in the match.
Morphet launched a high cross heading goalwards, which caught Miller in the Albion net off guard, leaving it for Toussaint to stroke the ball home into an unguarded net.
Wolves were hungry for more and Greengrass got in on the act to make it five. After a scramble inside the area, Merrick stayed calm and composed and shifted the ball into Greengrass’ path who rifled the ball into the bottom corner.
The home side seized to let-up and could have easily made it six during injury time. First, Merrick went close to grabbing a goal when she fired at goal from the edge of the area, but Miller did well to turn the effort over.
Moments later, substitute Martha MacPhail advanced towards goal and clipped a ball to the far post where Hughes was waiting, she diverted an effort goalwards which hit the post, followed up by Racheal Quigley with a blocked rebound, before Toussaint’s header was finally tipped over the crossbar.
After a clinical second-half performance, Wolves were resounding winners and punished their local rivals.
Full-time | Wolves 5-0 West Brom
LINEUPS
Wolves | Thomas, Morphet, George (MacPhail 79), Hughes, Greengrass (Quigley 79), Anderson (Loydon 68), Toussaint, Roberts, Smith (J. Cross 68), Jenner (E. Cross 88), Merrick.
Subs not used | Elbro, Woodward.
West Brom | Anna Miller, Orthodoxou, Reynolds, Green, Jhamat (Warner 45), Rabjohn, Oliver, Oakley, Ali Miller (Sharp 88), Haughey (Rhodes 80), Evans (Mahmood 80).
Subs not used | Johnson, George, Janny.
Report by Callum Greybanks
