Wigan Athletic Women progress in the County Challenge Cup following a thumping 6-0 win

Match Report | Wigan Athletic Women 6 Wigan Athletic Ladies And Girls 0
Latics progress to the next round of the County Challenge Cup after an emphatic victory against Wigan Athletic Ladies & Girls.
Goals from Ellie Cleary (2), Holly Mason, Kerry Morris, and Izzy Worswick secured the win.

Wigan Athletic Women 6

Ellie Cleary (3', 16')
Holly Mason (9', 68')
Kerry Morris (46')
Izzy Worswick (56')

Wigan Athletic Ladies And Girls 0

Attendance: 247

Wigan Athletic Women secured their progression in the County Challenge Cup with an outstanding 6-0 victory against Wigan Athletic Ladies and Girls on Sunday afternoon.

First-half goals from Ellie Cleary (2) and Holly Mason were followed by further strikes from Kerry Morris, Izzy Worswick, and Mason, sealing a comprehensive win against higher-division opposition.

The heavy rain and the biting wind did nothing to deter the spirits of Tics fans wanting to show their support; the stands of Edge Hall Road were full of blue and white colors, and the 200-plus supporters in attendance certainly went home happy.

Danielle Young's side welcomed visitors Wigan Athletic Ladies & Girls to Orrell. The Challenge Cup game was the first time the two sides had faced one another, and it proved to be a game to remember for the 274 fans in attendance.

Amelia Knowles led the team from between the sticks, protected by a back four of Aly Hastie, Abbie Moore, Libby McCoy, and Laura Heslip. Sophie Whelan, Flossie Jones and Hannah Forster made up the midfield three, while Cleary, who scored the historic first goal at Edge Hall Road, started up front between Mason and Molly Hassall.

It was a dream start for the Tics, as the home side went two-nil up in the space of nine minutes.

Cleary got her first of the game after just three minutes, by tucking Jones' through ball into the far corner from range.

Mason made it two shortly after, following a similar format. The number 11 broke through the opposition's backline, twisting her way into space before placing the ball home.

It didn't take Cleary long to secure her brace, as the number 17 bagged a goal-of-the-season contender to make it three-nil to the home side. The ball bounced around in the box, with the Tics unable to convert, before falling to Cleary at the edge of the box. The forward paused, scanning her surroundings, before pulling the trigger and curling a powerful strike into the far corner.

Knowles once again proved to Tics fans why she has the number one shirt by making a plethora of impressive saves, including getting low to catch a long-range strike that was surely heading for the bottom corner.

Young's side came out of the gate with fire in their hearts after the break. Substitute Kerry Morris wasted no time, outsmarting the goalkeeper and bagging a goal from six-yards out with her first real touch of the game.

Another of Young's half-time substitutes got their name on the scoresheet, with Worswick making it five. The all-rounder was in the right place at the right time, taking advantage of a goalkeeping mistake and poking the loose ball home on the goal line.

Mason's superb goal made it super six on the hour. The forward drove down the left flank, using her fast feet to glide her way through the sea of red before unleashing a powerful strike that left the goalkeeper reeling.

Young's side continued to battle hard into the final moments, with Worswick's cunning cross a touch too wide for the outstretched foot of Morris inside the box.

At the final whistle, Wigan Athletic Women ventured over to the crowd, clapping them and thanking them for their unwavering support. The team will now turn its attention to next Sunday's trip to Blackburn Eagles.

Match Report | Wigan Athletic Women 6 Wigan Athletic Ladies And Girls 0