Wanderers Women continued their winning form with a dominant 5-0 home victory against Tranmere Rovers, as goals from Madi Hardman, Ella Tweedle, Heidi Clark and Milla Hodson secured all three points at Victory Park.
Wanderers started brightly and almost broke the deadlock inside three minutes, as Poppy Wallis found herself in space, but the Tranmere goalkeeper was quick off her line to smother the danger.
That early pressure paid off just a minute later. A flowing move down the right saw Poppy Wallis feed Madi Hardman who drove in and finished coolly - keeping her composure and slotted past the keeper to give Bolton a well-deserved lead.
Wanderers remained in control throughout the first half, with a free kick won by Wallis just outside the box on the ninth minute, giving the visitors further cause for concern. Millie Smith and Ella Tweedle linked up well a minute later, but Tweedle’s shot from a tight angle drifted wide.
Tranmere responded with their best opportunity of the half on 12 minutes, from a break on the counter with Shannon volleying wide following a nod down by Jones.
Wanderers looked likely to extend their lead throughout the first half. Hardman went close again on 20 minutes, breaking free down the right but dragging her shot wide. Moments later, Charlotte Tyers forced the Tranmere keeper into a smart low save from distance.
Millie Smith made a brilliant driving run, weaving past five defenders before finding Zara Plano with a well-timed pass. Plano quickly moved the ball on to Poppy Wallis, who picked out Ella Tweedle in space, and she calmly slotted it home to extend the lead for Wanderers.
Wanderers continued to push before the break, with Hardman and Smith combining well before the move was snuffed out by a recovering defender, and Tranmere had a goal ruled out for offside just before the whistle.
Bolton flew out of the blocks again after the restart, as Hardman looked to grab her second of the afternoon, only to be denied by a good save from the Rovers keeper.
On the 52nd minute Hardman would get her second of the afternoon thanks to a through ball from Milla Hodson, she calmly took on the Tranmere keeper and slotted it home to keep Wanderers momentum flowing.
Changes followed as the game progressed, with Tash Dale and Emmanuella Campbell entering the fray, both quickly involving themselves in the action. On 59 minutes, Milla Hodson delivered a pinpoint corner which found Lucy Walsh, whose powerful header was brilliantly caught by the goalkeeper.
Tranmere had their moments in the second half, with threatening balls across the box, but Wanderers’ defence, stood firm to maintain the clean sheet.
On 74 minutes, the win was sealed in style. Heidi Clark unleashed a sensational strike from 25 yards which ricocheted off the bar and the Tranmere keeper thought she'd got to it but was unable to prevent it from going in.
A few minutes later, Bolton nearly net a fifth after a clever cross from Tegan Higgins, with Millie Smith finding Cambell but her shot was diverted past the post by a Rovers shirt.
Wanderers continued to press until the final whistle. Eman Campbell went close after a clever cross in from Tegan Higgins, nearly adding another after a well-timed run, only to be denied by a brave block.
Bolton extended their lead as Milla Hodson cut in from the left and calmly finished past Size to find the back of the net, finishing off an afternoon of strength and dominance that left their opponents with little response.
Tranmere threatened late on as Stratton played a ball through the centre for Shannon to chase, but Annabelle White was quick off her line to clear the danger.
Wanderers head to Gigg Lane next weekend, hoping to continue their winning form.
Wanderers: White (GK), Clark, Smith, Tyers, Wallis, Tweedle, Hardman, Clarke, Walsh © Plano, Hodson.
Subs: Wilkinson, Cambell, Higgins, Dale
Tranmere Rovers: Size (GK), Phillips, Smith, Lawson, Pritchard, McRoberts, Roberts, Bullock, Shannon, Jones, Bowers
Subs: Marshall, Aitken, Sands, Stratton, Dowell
Report by Katherine Byrne. Pictures by Jake Horrocks.