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Saturday 11 January 2025 19:57
Manchester United Women began our defence of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup in fine fashion as we beat West Brom 7-0 at Leigh Sports Village.
Melvine Malard opened the scoring after 23 minutes, heading home Geyse’s cross from close range.
The Reds were dominant in possession but the score line remained close until the 77th minute before the floodgates began to open.
Rachel Williams grabbed a hat-trick with further goals from Celin Bizet (two) and Ella Toone ensuring an extensive victory for United.
Rach scored three times in just 14 minutes.
FIRST HALF
The first opportunity fell to Malard within the opening three minutes but her header lacked the power to challenge Albion’s keeper.
The Reds launched wave after wave of attacks soon after as we tried to break down the visitors whose resistance was proving tough to break down.
There were further chances for Elisabeth Terland who latched onto Hinata Miyazawa’s cross and Geyse had opportunities down the right, with United forced to be patient.
A flurry of corners provided further opportunities with Dominique Janssen coming closest as she headed Jayde Riviere’s cross onto the bar.
Our breakthrough came after 23 minutes. Our no.23 took her time and picked out a pin-point cross to Malard who guided her header into the bottom corner.
There were further chances for Malard as she plagued the third-tier side’s defence but they showed resilience. Soon after, a free-kick was headed just wide by Millie Turner as we continued to mount pressure.
West Brom’s first shot on goal came as Ellie May won the ball just inside the United half. She carried it a few strides before unleashing a tame low shot. Phallon Tullis-Joyce dived to her right but, luckily, it was travelling wide of the post.
Despite a dominant display by the hosts, we headed into half-time with just a slender one-goal lead.
SECOND HALF
Albion could sense that, with just one goal in this game, they could potentially get something out of it if they took a few more risks.
They started the second half playing out from the back with a degree of confidence. Fortunately for United, the brief spell of possession didn’t materialise into a tangible chance for the Baggies.
Janssen had an opportunity with a long-range strike that went just wide and Malard nodded a cross into the arms of goalkeeper Miller.
The introduction of Anna Sandberg provided fresh legs on the left and a new set-piece taker. The first corner she delivered took a touch off a West Brom defender and almost nestled into the top corner but with 30 minutes still to play we still had just one goal to boast.
United finally found the key to the floodgates as Williams netted a brace in two minutes. A free kick delivered by Sandberg found the head of Williams.The keeper got a hand to it, pushing it onto the underside of the crossbar, with the ball then dropping over the line.
Almost immediately from the restart, Sandberg crossed to Williams again who was waiting at the back post to head in a third.
Toone made a triumphant return to football as a second-half substitute after two months on the sidelines. Our no.7 found space on the left, just outside the box, took her time and fired a rocket into the top corner.
As we approached the 90-minute mark, the visitors were getting tired and we soon pounced on their mistakes. Bizet picked the ball up on the edge of the area, rounded the keeper and slotted home to make it 5-0.
Seven minutes of added time provided more opportunities for Skinner’s side and Williams was hungry for her hat-trick. The experienced forward stooped low and headed in Aoife Mannion’s cross, with two subs combining. Bizet managed to add a seventh, smuggling the ball over the line deep into stoppage time.
It was raining goals at Leigh Sports Village this evening!
MATCH DETAILS
United:
Tullis-Joyce; Riviere (Mannion 66), Le Tissier (C), Turner, George (Sandberg 58); Geyse (Bizet 58), Miyazawa, Terland (Toone 66), Janssen, Galton; Malard (Williams 58).
Unused substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Anderson, Griffiths.
Goals: Malard, 23, Williams, 77, 79, 90+1, Toone, 83, Bizet, 89, 90+5.
West Brom: Miller; Brown, George, Reynolds, Green; Orthodoxou, Watkins, Rabjohn (Rhodes 87), Warner (Oakley 65); May (Mahmood 80), Miller (Jhamat 80).
Unused substitutes: Harris, Evans, Whittick.
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Saturday 11 January 2025 19:57
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