The past two games have seen the Women’s team play really well and come away with great victories – so the plan today was to keep that momentum going and to make sure that we continued that rich vein of form. The rain that had fallen from the Bolton skies all week hadn’t helped with the surface but it still looked pristine – although a little heavy underfoot – and as today’s visits Sir Tom Finney Development squad started arriving at The County Ground, the atmosphere was building nicely. We’ve been playing really well of late – so could we keep that going here? We’d soon find out…

With the warm-up’s complete and the starting 11 announced, it was time for the action – and as soon as the game got underway, it was County that were quickest out of the blocks – nearly taking the lead within the first 60 seconds. We were knocking the ball around well and creating opportunities that although they weren’t taken early doors, the signs were already good. And when we did eventually take the lead, it was that girl Amelia that scored again. A great ball was played into her feet and she turned on a sixpence before drilling her shot low and hard past the visiting keeper to nestle the ball into the back of their net. 1-0 and County were off again!

This was quickly followed by another neat finish from hitwomen Faye and whatever she can do, Amelia decided she could do as well – because she finished off another flowing move with aplomb when she smashed her second goal – and our third – of the game past the helpless Finney keeper. We were on fire and it wasn’t even half-time yet. 3-0 to County!

To their credit the visitors didn’t simply fold and they were giving it a good effort trying to get back into the game – but they couldn’t prevent Faye from scoring again when she once more finished off a quick counter-attack from the girls in blue. We were also so unlucky not to grab a fifth before the break when Becci cut inside from the left-wing, left her marker in a trail of dust and hammered her shot past their keeper – only to see it slam against the upright and away from danger. These first 45 minutes had seen us overpower the visitors and as the referee blew the whistle for the interval, the County fans were looking really pleased with themselves. What a first-half performance!

Half-time: BOLTON COUNTY WOMEN 4-0 Sir Tom Finney Development Women

Once again, the girls had made the coaches half-time team-talk pretty easy as it was a simple case of keep doing what you’ve been doing – because that first-half was nearly a ‘complete’ display. But in football things can change really quickly so we couldn’t give them any sniff of thinking that they could get back in this and we had to go back out there with the same intensity we had just shown. Quite hard when you come in four goals in front – but that was the challenge set for the women for these next 45 minutes. They drunk their drinks, pulled their socks up and then went back out there ready to go aga

And as soon as the game restarted, it was County on the front foot again – knocking the ball about well and making the opponents work hard to even keep up with us. Beth was having a real battle out on our right with their left-back but she was getting the upper-hand most times and being an constant outlet for her team-mates, we started to use her a lot more. And on the opposite side, Amelia was doing what Amelia does best – and that’s causing nightmares for the opposition trying to mark her. Using her speed and quick feet, she was making chances almost every time we fed her the ball and with the physical presence of Kelly Rearden in the middle of the park, we were bossing this game and spending most of our time in our final third of the pitch. So it was again no surprise when we added to our goal-tally – and it was that women Amelia that grabbed her hat-trick – when she ran through their defence unopposed and finished smartly with a drilled finish that gave their keeper no chance of stopping it. 5-0 to County and surely that put the result of this game to bed. We were playing superbly and it was so good to watch…

Credit to the visitors though as they came back with a renewed belief after our fifth goal and although Becky was having a quiet game in between our sticks, she showed her mental strength and concentration when they burst through on goal and looked likely to score – but there was our No.1 to thwart them with a superb save to deny them getting on the scoresheet. Saves like that reinvigorate the players in front of the keeper – and that’s definitely what happened here! Because we saw a crazy moment whereby Kelly Rearden received the ball with her back to goal and as she fell to the floor acrobatically, she managed to flick her pass out to Beth on our right-hand flank. She drove down the wing and lofted a glorious cross into the danger-area and there was Vivi to fend off her marker, turn sharply and fire the ball past the Finney keeper and into the back of their net. That was Vivi’s first goal in County colours and as her team-mates rushed to celebrate with her, the County fans knew that surely the victory was in the bag now. 6-0 and this had been another good day at the office for the girls in blue…

There were no more additions to the scoring as the County players controlled the game now – and when the referee decided that enough was enough and blew the whistle for the final time this afternoon, it was us that were now on the back of a three-game winning run and looking like we are really enjoying our football. The handshakes were done with pride and as both teams left the field of play, they were righty rewarded with a warm round of applause…

The Girl of the Game for this one was given to Kelly Rearden who was always an outlet for her team-mates and linked the play up superbly this afternoon – so as the girls got themselves ready to leave, it was another successful afternoon in the history of County Women’s team. The challenges keep coming though and next weekend we welcome Euxton Girls Development to The County Ground in a game that if we win, could take us as high as 3rd in the table – so all the coaches will be looking for is a repeat of the last three performances and we should be in with a chance…

Another Sunday. Another win. Standard…

#UpTheCounty!