WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 9-0 AFC FYLDE

Clarets regain 2nd with emphatic victory

Burnley Women recorded a third straight win and extended their unbeaten run to five with a convincing 9-0 victory over AFC Fylde on Wednesday evening.

A Laura Elford hat-trick was nestled amongst further goals from Lizzy Hamer, Naomi Hartley, Millie Ravening, Aimee Kelly and Thea Paul as Burnley climbed above Nottingham Forest in the table.

There were four changes to the team that started Sunday’s 4-0 victory at Stourbridge, with goalkeeper Lucy Farrell making her first league start of the campaign in place of Kirstie Levell.

Hartley came into the defence, while Leah Embley and Ravening were rewarded for their goalscoring substitute appearances in the Midlands with a start.

Burnley dominated possession from the off and broke the deadlock shortly after Emma Siddall worked Fylde goalkeeper Liz Craven.

Hamer, who captained the side on the night, advanced onto a Ravening cross to head in her second goal of the season.

The Clarets continued to work openings and it was 2-0 after 26 minutes as Craven pushed a powerful Embley strike into the path of Elford, who finished well.

Elford then added her fifth goal in three matches with the help of a slice of luck as her shot from range took a hefty deflection off Karr Chan and looped in.

The striker continued the second half where she left off in the first, planting another header into the bottom right corner on 49 minutes before being replaced by Kelly five minutes later.

Lifelong Claret Hartley netted her first goal for the Club after a goalmouth scramble from a corner and Ravening made it six shortly after, scoring from close range.

Kelly then got herself in on the act, poking in her 11th goal of the campaign after good work from Ravening.

Club captain Paul, who was introduced as a 67th-minute substitute for her first appearance since February’s clash with Newcastle, added an eighth goal with two minutes of regular time to play.

Kelly then expertly picked out a corner when one-on-one to round off proceedings in stoppage time.

Rebecca Sawiuk’s side now have 39 points, one more than Nottingham Forest with both teams having played 17 Northern Premier Division of the Women’s National League matches.

Next up is the visit of Huddersfield Town to the Anchor Ground in Darwen on Saturday 7th April, with kick-off at 2pm.

Burnley: Farrell, Embley, Hamer, Elford (Kelly 54′), Lord-Mears (Robinson 63’), Cooper (Paul 67’), Ravening, Prior (Marshall), Reidford (Clarke 58’), Hartley, Siddall

AFC Fylde: Craven, Binks, Rowe, Hamill, Chan, Deveraux, Wood, Rogers, Moore, Strutton, Whitaker

Subs: Maguire

Goals: Hamer 12’, Elford 26’, 37’, 49’, Hartley 64’, Ravening 69’, Kelly 71’, 91’, Paul 88’