It’s been a tough start to the 2023-2024 campaign for our Women and following several weeks of travelling all over Lancashire, one pleasing aspect of this afternoon was that we were ‘coming home’ and the County Ground was due to welcome Preston North End Women Development. These won 9-2 away at Penrith last time out – and with our girls enduring a 2-6 reversal at Euxton last Sunday, we knew we’d have to be at our very best if we wanted to get those first points on the board. Our women were up for it as they started arriving and with the mood a good one, the excitement levels were rising by the second…
The pitch had held out well considering the rain we’d seen all week and with the Men’s games called off yesterday, we were just happy to have a game in truth. And as the girls started their warm-up’s, it was clear that there was at least one new face amongst the ranks. Andy rallied his troops by telling them to go out there and do what they’re good at – passing the ball and enjoying it! So as both teams came out for kick-off, both sets of supporters warmly greeted them. Before we knew it, we were off…
County started well and pressing them back right from the off, we were not giving them an inch in which to try and play their game. And within 2 minutes, we had the perfect start. A great ball from midfield saw Amelia race through and as she approached the penalty area, she looked up and steered the ball superbly into the top corner of the PNE net! What a finish! Her team-mates rushed to celebrate with her and as the ball came back for the re-start, we had the lead. 1-0 County…
Going in front seemed to re-ignite a confidence we hadn’t seen for a while and we were pinging the ball from left to right and back again. Some of our midfield play was first-class – snapping into tackles and setting up good attacking movements – and it was no surprise when we doubled our lead on 13 minutes. Weaving down their left, their full-back done well to put it out for a corner and as Becci went over to take it, we lined the box in anticipation. The referee blew the whistle – and as our Becci swung it in, it evaded everybody and found it’s way into the back of their net. We didn’t care. We’d take any goal right now – but Becci will tell you that she meant it! It didn’t matter either way as the score now stood at 2-0 and we were flying…
The visitors really were on the basck foot as they did not expect such a fast start from a team bottom of the table – but this weekend we had a steel and a desire amongst us and it wasn’t much longer before we went three goals in front. Another great pass out of our midfield saw Amelia in between their centre-halves. She held them off excellently before she let rip with a corker of a shot that nearly broke the roof of the net as it slammed into it! What a strike! The County bench were dancing and the fans were loud in their appreciation. 3-0 and this was the stuff of dreams…
Fair play to the girls from Preston though as they never gave up and as the game began to settle down, they started to come more into it. We didn’t want to give them any encouragement that they could get back into this so it was important we defended well and remained organised. There’s no doubt about that when you’ve got Jess in the heart of your defence though and she marshalled our back-line expertly to keep the visitors at bay. So when the whistle went to signal the break, it was County coming in the happier – but we knew there was still work to do…
Half-time: BOLTON COUNTY WOMEN 3-0 Preston North End Women Development
What could the boss say at the interval? After witnessing a 45 minutes like that? Well if you know Andy, then you’ll know he still had plenty of positive things to say. Sure – we’d done superbly – but that would count for nothing if they got a sniff of a goal here. We had to keep concentrating and when the chances came, we had to keep putting them away. Those first points on the board were in our hands now so all we had to do was keeping doing what we’ve been doing. The girls gulped their drinks – they deserved them! – and before we knew it, they were back out there and ready to go again…
Guess what though? Football always springs surprises doesn’t it? And when the away side came out and scored almost immediately, it was very much game on again. They must have had a rocket at the break and a well-worked goal saw them stick the ball past Becky and into the back of our net. 3-1 and we had to keep calm now…
That goal spurred the visitors on though and they started to be the team that were doing the pressing higher up the pitch. Our defence were working overtime to keep them from scoring and backed up by a brilliant Becky – whose handling was excellent by the way – we were managing to keep them out. This was a different game now…
Then panic did seem to set in. A defensive mix-up near to our own box saw them work it quickly and in a flash, the ball was nestling in the bottom of our net. 3-2 and having played so well, the door was now well and truly open for PNE to get something out of this game…
Now it was about character and each and every one of the County players had to dig in now if we wanted to stay in front. They kept coming at us and a mixture of good defending, great goal-keeping and some poor finishing was all that was between three points – or possibly one. But then it came. The goal that would calm the nerves and potentially claim all three points. We broke at pace right through the heart of the PNE players and although they managed to get a toe to the ball and force it out left, it found it’s way to debutant Maddison about 35 yards from goal. She drove forward and with the inside of her right-foot, she clipped it from about 25 yards out to see the ball float over the out-stretched hand of the PNE No.1 and rifle into the back of their net! A superb goal in her first appearance in the famous blue shirt but more importantly, we now had that two-goal cushion we really wanted. 4-2 and was that the goal that won it?
Credit to Preston North End though as they kept battling hard and with both sides knowing that if they scored, it would make for an interesting close to the game – but we then managed the game well and showed a determination to see this out. And we did! When that final whistle went, it was smiles and joy all round as not only had we got our first point of the season – we’d clinched all three! A fantastic effort from all of our women and with the handshakes done with pride, the crowd knew they’d been served a real treat here…
The coaching staff were over the moon – as expected – but one of the better things of the afternoon was being able to field a full squad of 16 for the first time this campaign. And all of them contributed towards this hard-fought win. Along with Maddison, Demi was also making her debut and both girls settled well into the match-day squad. They were all stars but there can only be one Girl of the Game – and this week it went to Beth for an outstanding display at right-back – both defensively and going forward – so well done to you!
Many thanks to the visitors for coming down and playing your part and we wish you a safe journey home and a good rest of the season. And a big ‘shout-out’ to the County fans that were there cheering us on today. These three points take us above Fleetwood Town Wrens in the table – and knowing that’s where we go next weekend, another performance like this could see us win back-to-back games. Well that’s the plan anyway…
A good day then. We enjoyed it…
#UpTheCounty!