Burnley 7 v 0 AFC Fylde (FA Women’s National League North)
Burnley Football Club Women recorded an incredible 7-0 win over local rivals AFC Fylde as they returned to action in the FA Women’s National League North at the Lancashire FA County Ground (Leyland). The victory moved the Clarets to second in the league table just three points behind Nottingham Forest with a game in hand and still the only unbeaten team in the league.
Evie Priestley scored two first half goals with Dom Cooper also scoring to see the Clarets into the half-time break with a three-goal advantage. Burnley didn’t let up in the second half and continued to add to their tally as Millie Ravening, Leah Embley, Lara Miller and Amaya Coleman-Evans were all on target to record a huge victory. Interim manager Jay Bradford made two changes to the side that beat Loughborough Lightning ten days ago with Miller coming into the side for her first start since joining from Sheffield United. Lucia Molinari also started with Ellie York and Alanta Brown both dropping out of the team. Laura Elford also signed in January made the Clarets bench.
The visitors had the first real chances of this encounter with Faye McCoy volleying a strike over and then hammering a free-kick towards goal with the same result moments later. It wasn’t long however until the Claret Women grew into the game, as forward Evie Priestley rifled a strike against the bar and Embley and Miller both had shots blocked. Burnley were soon in front, as Priestley took down a superb ball over the top of the Coasters defence before rounding Elizabeth Craven and tapping into the empty net. Priestley struck again with almost a carbon copy of the first, taking another ball from over-the-top down and finishing with aplomb into the bottom corner.
The Claret Women continued to assert their dominance on the game and had a third before the break, as Millie Ravening played an expertly timed ball into Dom Cooper, who controlled brilliantly and volleyed past Elizabeth Craven in the AFC Fylde goal.
Bradford’s side began the second half as quickly as the ended the first as they added their fourth through top scorer Millie Ravening, as the impressive Leah Embley drove to the byline and cut the ball back to the former who placed the ball into the bottom corner. Leah Embley gained her reward for that assist with a goal of her own minutes later, as the ball broke to her in the middle of the box and she hammered a strike into the far corner.
Five soon became six as on her first start Lara Miller found the net when the Coasters failed to clear a low cross and Millie Ravening couldn’t get her shot away, the new signing managed to swing her right foot at the ball and fire into the corner. The Claret Women’s final goal of the game was the pick of the bunch, as substitute Amaya Coleman-Evans forced her way through the visitors backline before spotting Craven off her line and executing a fantastic chip over the ‘keeper to make the full-time score 7-0.
Bradford’s side are back in action this Sunday the 26th February 2023, when they travel to Blackburn to face Blackburn Community Sports Club in the Lancashire Women’s Senior Cup Semi-Final.
Match Details
Burnley – Bracewell, Cooper, Taylor, Walsh, Molinari, Miller, Embley, Kinzett, Ravening, Priestley, S. Greenhalgh (Subs) Coleman-Evans, O.Greenhalgh, Elford, Farrell, Wilson
AFC Fylde – Craven, Merrin, Forster, Rowe, Beresford, Young, Fryer, Binks, McCoy, Bickett, Siddall (Subs) Hunter, Hignett, Whittaker, Fenton
Goals – (Burnley) Priestley (20,33), Cooper (38), Ravening (47), Embley (50), Miller (67), Coleman-Evans (77)
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