Wanderers Women hit five past Accrington to maintain perfect league record

Wanderers Women overcame their biggest test yet in the league to beat promotion rivals Accrington Stanley 5-2 on the road.

Faye Knox, Eboni Bradshaw, Caitlin Clarke, Katie Holt and Neishai Gordon all got on the scoresheet as the Whites maintained their 100 per cent record.

Stanley, the only other unbeaten side in the division going into the fixture, threatened to take an early lead but Annabelle White was equal to the danger.

Clarke flashed a header wide from Eleanor Seals’ free kick before Knox’s dangerous corner was cleared off the line.

White kept hold of a dipping strike from outside the penalty area and Madison Hardman almost managed to turn Bradshaw’s low cross home at the other end.

The opener came on the stroke of half time when Bradshaw picked out Knox at the far post and she provided a ruthless finish into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

The hosts got back on level terms after the break with a well-struck free kick but Bolton regained the lead moments later through Bradshaw’s header.

The forward almost added a third but couldn’t quite keep her strike down after pouncing on a loose ball in the box.

The third goal eventually came in remarkable fashion as Clarke’s thumping challenge from near the halfway line looped over the goalkeeper and into the net.

Skipper Holt got the fourth with a towering header after another pinpoint set-piece, which proved to be an effective weapon for Wanderers throughout the contest.

Stanley pulled one back from the penalty spot but Gordon wrapped up the result with a composed finish into the bottom corner after a well worked move.

“I can smile a little bit now, it was a tense game,” manager Myles Smith told The Bolton News. “From the minute we kicked off, everything was so tense – both sets of players, the dugouts.

“We got the team in at half time and spoke to them about having confidence in themselves. We had won 10 from 10 and beaten teams from higher divisions convincingly.

“We reminded them and I think it showed in the second half. As a group of players and staff, we are absolutely delighted with a big three points.

“There is a learning curve from games like that. We weren’t at our best, and I am not saying that arrogantly, I think the players would say that as well.

“It was a big game. Both teams with 100 per cent records and that couldn’t survive, one team had to drop that record.

“When we started to find a little bit of flow in the second half, we started to move the ball well and control the game. We started to look more aggressive out of possession, which is what we need.”