Feds suffered their third defeat of the season as they were beaten 6-0 by Stoke City on Sunday afternoon. Feds were without key players Fletcher and Johnson through injury but it was a welcome return for our no 9, Donoghue who was named in the squad after a lengthy time out.
Stoke City got off to an impressive start when an incisive ball from Holder allowed Stamps to deliver a driven cross into the path of Cole, who slotted it under Norney.
The hosts’ first scent of goal came after a miscommunication between Stoke defence, Anderson took advantage of the loose pass and bumbled a shot from the edge of the D that finished wide right of the goal.
City answered quickly doubling their lead through Wilcock as the forward, spotted alone down the wing, latched onto a clever pass from Holder before lashing her effort through the keeper’s gloves.
The home side were still in the game and tried to close the gap with Jukes’ deep cross into the area that was met by Willis, who couldn’t direct her header on goal.
The hosts extended their advantage to three as a high ball from Ravening was met by Wilcock’s leap alone on the back post and her header finished past the goalkeeper.
Feds threatened City’s number one as Parry curled a powerful and direct free kick towards Bracewell, who tipped it over the woodwork.
Before heading into the break, Wilcock rounds off an excellent first-half display with her third strike of the afternoon as Holder headed the ball into the forward’s path down the wing for a composed finish at Jericho Lane.
Feds started the second half strongly and almost discovered a way though as Carrington nodded a corner towards Bracewell’s goal, but it was headed clearance off the Potters’ line by Kivel.
The hosts added another name on the scoresheet as Reavill carried the ball all the way down City’s right before cutting the ball back to Holder on the edge for a tidy one-touch finish into the bottom corner.
In the closing stages Stoke’ substitute Higginbottom came out on top in a fight for the ball and laid it off for a sensational left-footed finish from Stamps to add a sixth to City’s lead in Liverpool.
Feds finished the day in 6th place and are now called on to focus on their next away fixture in the second round of the FA Women’s National League Cup when they will face yet again Stoke City.
Norney, Jukes, Carrington, Davies, Smith ’77, Parry, Deering ’70, Thompson (c), Willis ’46, Francis ’77, Anderson
Donoghue ’77, Boydell ’70, Lawrence ’77, Doran, Collins ’46
match report by Margherita Scarcella
