MATCH REPORT: Sir Tom Finney FC Women 0-6 Workington Reds Ladies

Reds Ladies have found goals hard to come by this season but they ended the drought in style, hitting the bottom club for six in their best Division One North win to date. 

A minute’s applause for Logan Holgate preceded kick-off with several members of the Workington team close to the family of the talented rugby league player and footballer who sadly passed away recently. 

With just seven goals netted in their first eleven games, Reds almost doubled their tally in ninety productive minutes at Preston and would have done so had one not been disallowed for offside. 

Nevertheless, confidence was given a boost with two in the first half and four more in the second. 

Tom Finney showed little overall but things might have been different had they converted a penalty when just two goals in arrears.  But Laura Miller saved the spot-kick late in the first half and wasn’t really troubled after that. 

Natalie Hooper (inset) netted both Reds’ first half goals, the first after a good build-up play involving Linzi Donaldson and Hannah Geen with the second slotted from the edge of the area after a good press on the home defence. 

Three of Workington’s goals in the second half came from first-time scorers with Kacey Rodgers, Keeley Holliday and Zara Sandelands all netting their maiden goal for the club, Holliday’s effort a spectacular thirty-five yarder! 

The evergreen Chloe Henderson headed Reds other goal, meeting a centre from Geen who contributed a ‘hat-trick’ of assists. 

Manager Paul Mackenzie was delighted with the performance commenting, “We have worked hard in training on being more positive in attacking situations and it clearly paid off today”. 

“It was great to see Kacey, Keeley and Zara score their first goals for Reds but the most pleasing thing was the great team performance from all fifteen players,” he concluded.   

They are away again next week, albeit a little nearer home – the small matter of a Cumbrian derby at Penrith! 

Team: Laura Miller, Alice Kemp, Naomi Foster, Ellie Ritchie, Eleanor McDonald, Chloe Henderson, Sophie Douglas, Keeley Holliday, Natalie Hooper, Hannah Geen, Kacey Rodgers.  Substitutes – Laura Ivison, Linzi Donaldson, Hannah Fawkes, Zara Sandelands (all used).