Wor Lasses went on the rampage at Kingston Park on Sunday in front of another fabulous home attendance of 2,064. Quite a crowd when you consider just up the road the men were playing Manchester United and showing how loyal and faithful The Lasses fans are.
Despite no longer being in the running for promotion United’s women are comfortably placed in the Championship table and with three games to go could yet get into the top four placings. That would be some achievement in their first tilt at the Championship this season.
Even if they don’t achieve that lofty ending to the campaign they can be well satisfied that they have learnt a lot and got the measure of the Division at their first time of asking this season. And with performances like this the future looks really bright for Manager Becky Langley’s side.
This was perhaps the Lady Mags best display thus far and certainly had their adoring fans on the edge of their seats throughout the 90 minutes as they produced a powerful effort. They completely over ran their beleaguered visitors with some electric passing and football.
Add in some really clinical finishing and without doubt Blackburn’s women were relieved to hear the final whistle to escape from 90 minutes of torture at the hands or should that be feet of the rampant Magpies who had star performances from everyone who took the field.
That also included those masterfully substituted in by Langley just as United looked to be drifting a wee bit. Introducing Amy Andrews and Issy Sibley gave United fresh momentum and meant a great ending to the game.
United’s front ‘four’ of Shania Hayles through the middle, Freya Godfrey on the left and Beth Lumsden on the right with Emily Murphy just in behind completely ran the Rovers ragged. Even when Lumsden and Gregory switched wings the torment continued.
Prompting it all from centre midfield was veteran Northen Ireland International Rachel Furness who was quite sensational all game. Add in a clean sheet for the defence that saw Liv Watt return from a long-term injury to get 30 minutes off the bench and it was a very good afternoon all round.
The 6 – 0 win equalled the Championship’s biggest win of the season in all games. That being Durham’s home demolition of Portsmouth. It also biggest win in United’s rookie Championship season and in truth had substitutes Andrews and Lois Joel took either of their chances a seventh goal would have been deserved.
From the off United were at it and it only took them 10 minutes to go in front. Furness winning a ball in midfield and then playing it forward to Murphy. The young Republic of Ireland international showing great wizardry and flashing feet to beat three Blackburn players before picking out a slide rule pass.
Threading it through the eye of a needle it found Hayles bursting in on goal and the Jamaican smashed it across and beyond the despairing dive of Alex Brooks to start the avalanche. It was Hayles 11th League goal of the season and puts her level at the top of the Divisions goal scorer’s table.
United had to wait a while for their second goal and before getting it were almost drawn level when Maria Edwards raced clear of the Newcastle defence and chipped Claudia Moan from the edge of the box only to see the ball go inches over the bar. It was Blackburn’s first and last real chance of the game.
The second duly arrived on 38 minutes and was a special moment for Godfrey as she netted her first goal in black and white. She started and finished the move. Finding Murphy out left she took the return reverse pass into her stride before bursting into the box.
Driving towards the six-yard box she unleashed a left foot piledriver that Brooks did well to block but the keeper was let down by Ellie Hack who could only head her clearance back to Gregory who lashed it home from close range with a left foot half-volley.
Two minutes later it was game over with a peach of a goal. From right on the left touchline Captain for the day Demi Stokes sent in a deep cross into the visitors area. Furness arriving to flick her header on superbly to find Lumsden who chested the ball down and from 12-yards smashed a volley into the net.
Three-nil at half-time it was now a question of how many United would get. The Magpies certainly got off to a flying start in the second half with a goal only four minutes in. Furness again with another neat pass out to Lumsden who skilfully skipped past Tia Primmer and go to the byline.
From there she delivered a superb cross that saw the rampaging Murphy arrive with a perfectly timed run to get a good downward header on from six-yards out and it was too good for Brooks who got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.
United continued to dominate but it wasn’t until the 76th minute that they went nap. Andrews and Sibley had replaced Lumsden and Gregory on the 74th minute and made an immediate impact combining to create and finish United’s fifth.
Once again Furness was involved with a great ball left to Andrews who was in space on the left. She steadied herself and then whipped an inviting ball into the six-yard box where Sibley getting in front of a static Blackburn defence tapped home from two-yards out.
There was still time for a final United goal that hit Rovers for six. Andrews this time from the centre of the pitch picking out Murphy with a delightful reverse pass that gave the mercurial powerful Irish attacker a run at goal. Murphy got her head up well and spotted Sibley unmarked on the six-yard box.
A perfectly placed pass gave the Crystal Palace loanee a great chance but her first time effort was well blocked by Brooks who couldn’t react to the rebound that fell to Sibley who finished in style to complete a superb afternoon’s work for The Lady Mags.
So three games to, Charlton away next week will be tough but if Wor Lasses can put in a shift like this again next Sunday they could well return home with three points from South London.
