Manager Glen Preston ‘in awe’ after Huddersfield Town women hit Blackburn for nine to regain top spot
Town returned to the top of FAWNL Division One North as the title race took another twist.
Huddersfield Town Women showed their title credentials with a thumping 9-1 win at Blackburn Rovers.
The win took Town back to the top of FAWNL Division One North and a step closer to their promotion ambitions.
And after the game, manager Glen Preston spoke of his admiration for how his side clicked on an important day.
He told We Are Terriers: “We always felt that once it clicked then a team was going to be on the receiving end of something like today.
“The movement today, I was just in awe of it. At times we were just elegant. Some of the best moves didn’t actually result in goals!
“I don’t think the scoreline flattered us. We just blew them away in that first half and got the job done. The performance today was outstanding, it really was.”
Laura Elford’s hat-trick was the pick of a fine performance which saw Town score seven first half goals.
Beth Stanfield, Tamira Livingston and Ella Duffield each bagged their first league goals of the season, while Louise Biggins, Hannah Burgess and Jess Lightfoot rounded off the goalscoring for free-flowing Town.
Town really flexed their muscles from the off and never looked like allowing Blackburn, who were relegated by today’s result, any chance to settle into the game.
Early corners set the tone of Town meaning business and one paid off after five minutes. The hosts initially cleared but it eventually fell to captain Beth Stanfield on the corner of the box. She lofted an effort back towards goal and lobbed the ‘keeper to give Town the lead.
A minute later the lead was doubled through Elford. Louise Biggins caused havoc with her trademark tenacity, won the ball and cut it back from the byline into the path of Elford who couldn’t miss from close range.
But Town were relentless and were playing with freedom. Rhema Lord-Mears expertly found Livingston on the left who brilliantly whipped a shot across the ‘keeper into the top corner to make it 3-0 after 16 minutes.
Then Duffield made it four. Burgess drove down the right and crossed low into the box. Neither Elford or Biggins could find a finishing touch but the ball popped up for Duffield six yards from goal to smash into the bottom corner.
There was no let up. As Blackburn looked to stem the flow with an attack of their own, Town quickly broke with a ball over the top and Kirkham came rushing out of her goal. Biggins took a touch around 40 yards out and coolly lofted the ball over the keeper into an empty goal. 5-0 with only 25 minutes played.
On the half hour, Elford bagged her second. More good work down the right from Burgess saw her cut back beat a couple of defenders, allowing Elford to tap home from a few yards out.
Burgess then got in on the act herself. Livingston’s cross was met by the winger who tapped home at the second attempt after a great stop by Kirkham to give Town a 7-0 half time lead.
It was a quieter second half with Blackburn also making changes which seemed to make them more solid through midfield.
But as time ticked past the hour mark, Elford had her hattrick. Another great run and cross from Livingston put it on a plate for the striker to score her 12th of the season.
Blackburn didn’t give in and were rewarded with 15 minutes to go. A great break forward caught Town napping and the winger cut back onto her right foot and curled the ball into the bottom corner to deny Town an eighth league clean sheet in a row.
Elford, who was excellent throughout, then turned provider for Jess Lightfoot. She held the ball up before setting Lightfoot away 1-on-1 with Kirkham who calmly slotted it home to round off the scoring.
Title run in - what do Town need?
The win puts Town a point clear of Leeds — who lost at Elland Road to Norton and Stockton Ancients elsewhere on Sunday afternoon— and two clear of Cheadle Town Stingers.
However, Town and Cheadle have two games in hand on Leeds. It looks like Leeds’ race might be run, with the Whites having only one game left to play.
The next twist could happen on Thursday night when Cheadle travel to Chorley. Town are not playing that night, so if Cheadle win at Chorley, they’ll leapfrog Town into top spot by one point, for a few days at least.
Then comes the big one. On Sunday April 19th, Town host Cheadle Town Stingers in a game rearranged from January.
The full permutations are as follows.
If Cheadle beat Chorley on Thursday:
A win for Town on Sunday would leave the Terriers needing just one more win from their remaining two league games to guarantee the title — although just a single point more for Town would probably be sufficient, given their goal difference advantage
A draw on Sunday would keep Town’s destiny in their own hands: they would remain a point behind Cheadle, but with a game in hand
A defeat for Town on Sunday would put Cheadle in the driver’s seat: Cheadle could then guarantee the title for themselves by winning their final game against Durham Cestria
If Cheadle drop points against Chorley on Thursday night, however:
A win against Cheadle on Sunday would mean Town were guaranteed to win the title
A draw on Sunday would keep Town top of the table with a game in hand, and winning either of their remaining two games would guarantee Town the title
A defeat on Sunday would see Cheadle go top by a point or two, but Town would still have a game in hand
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