Bolton Wanderers Women returned to league action in positive fashion with a 2-1 away victory over Crewe Alexandra, responding well after last weekend’s cup defeat at AFC Fylde.
New addition Maddie Leigh, who joined the club earlier this week, made her Wanderers debut this afternoon, while Lily Barnes stepped up from the reserves to be named among the substitutes, after featuring regularly with the first team last year.
Wanderers started on the front foot, with an early chance inside eight minutes but sadly Zara Plano’s attempt went over the bar. The hosts threatened shortly after, but Kayleigh McDonald showed great defensive awareness, staying tight to Iris Bray and winning possession before Annabelle White was able to collect safely.
Wanderers’ backline was tested again just a few minutes later, with McDonalds once more tracking back excellently to block an effort and divert the ball back to Annabelle White.
Wanderers then started to take hold of the game and took the lead on 15 minutes. After a few chances in the box involving Poppy Wallis, Abbie Brown and Ella Tweedle, before Abbie Brown picked up the ball on the edge of the area, drove forward and played a precise pass into Ella, who finished calmly to put Wanderers ahead.
Two minutes later, Brown was again involved, slipping a through ball into the area that Tweedle narrowly failed to reach as Bolton continued to press.
On 26 minutes, Wanderers came close to extending their advantage when high pressing forced an error from the Crewe goalkeeper, who initially appeared to clear the danger before spilling the ball. She reacted quickly, however, to recover and prevent Bolton from capitalising.
The pressure paid off on 31 minutes when Poppy Wallis found the net to double Wanderers’ lead, giving Bolton a deserved cushion. Wanderers dominated the majority of the half, with Crewe having just a couple of early chances.
Crewe however, looked to respond before the interval, but Annabelle White produced a superb save late in the half to deny the hosts and ensure Wanderers went into the break with a two-goal advantage.
Bolton began the second half brightly, with Abbie Brown seeing an effort well saved just after the restart. White was then called into action at the other end, producing a series of important stops on 49 and 54 minutes, including a close-range effort from Crewe’s Emelia Edwards.
Brown continued to be a threat going forward, firing another effort over the bar on 58 minutes, while Crewe’s Iris Bray was shown a yellow card shortly after for a foul on Zara Plano.
The hosts pulled a goal back just after the hour through Kyia Lancaster, putting pressure onto Wanderers to hold on for the remaining 30 minutes of the game.
Wanderers responded well, with Abbie Brown forcing an excellent save on 73 minutes, her strike from outside the box tipped over by the Hannah Holloway. Late pressure from Wanderers was frustratingly contained by the hosts, with Zara Plano seeing her effort calmly gathered by Holloway on 76 minutes.
Substitute Emmanuella Cambell came close to getting onto the score sheet in the final stages of the game, along with Poppy Wallis and Abbie Brown who continued to press throughout the game.
Wanderers maintained their advantage and managed the closing stages well, seeing out the game to secure the three points at the final whistle.
Wanderers host Mancunian Unity next weekend at the Eddie Davies academy.
Wanderers: White, Leigh, Walsh ©, McDonald, Wilkinson, Smith, Dale, Plano, Wallis, Tweedle, Brown
Subs: Rigby, Tyers, Cambell, Hardman, Barnes
Crewe Alexandra: Holloway, Sheridan, Beech, Stockton, Edwards, Bray, Taylor, Weston, Arrowsmith, Campbell, Lancaster
Subs: Neild, Maxwell, Griffin, Heath, Martin
Report by Katherine Byrne. Pictures by Jake Horrocks.