Women Move Up To Second In League Table

Manager Burton made three changes from the FA Cup defeat at Harlow, with Tink and Brister replacing Parker and Leach who were both unavailable, and Hoy in for Pleavin who was on the bench.

After an even start to the game, it was the visitors who mounted the first meaningful attack, only to be halted for an offside decision. At the other end, Brister steered the ball just wide of the target from a cross by Cooper.

The deadlock was broken after 10 minutes when a ball out wide to Birchall was played inside to Brister who in turn found Rowland to fire the ball into the bottom corner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. This seemed to settle Wroxham who had been rushing their passes and Birchall once again was set free down the left only to be fouled when cutting inside. She shot just wide from the resulting free-kick.

Colney were mainly reliant on breakaways as the home side started to control the game and in one such move, Tink made a timely interception from a long ball to avert any danger on the home goal.

In the 24th minute, Wroxham doubled their lead. Larkins with an excellent long ball found Birchall who took the ball past the defender and rifled the ball into the top corner past a helpless keeper.

With the hosts pushing forward at every opportunity, play was contained in the Colney half on the field and with 7 minutes to go before half-time Wroxham increased their lead. Larkins sent Holloway free down the right flank and after beating her marker sent a cross to the far post to Birchall whose pass into the Colney 6-yard box was turned into the goal by a defender.

The visitors missed a golden chance to reduce the deficit 2 minutes later, shooting over the bar from 4 yards from a cross on the right flank after a quick breakaway.

On the stoke of half-time, Kindred on for Hoy, had a shot saved after good work by Brister, as the hosts went into the break with a 3-0 lead.

Bullard replaced Brister at the start of the second half and sent Holloway free down the right flank who cut inside and set up Kindred, but the shot was wide of the goal.

Colney were having their best spell of the game just after the break and Larkins did well to clear a dangerous cross, then Tink was on hand to head clear a long ball aimed at the Colney striker.

With around 30 minutes left, the hosts scored a fourth. Birchall receiving the ball on the right beat her marker and centred to an unmarked Bullard to shoot past the keeper. It was almost 5-0 two minutes later, but brave keeping from the Colney keeper at the feet of Kindred kept the scoreline the same.

However, Bullard completed her brace minutes later chipping over the keeper to give Wroxham a 5-0 lead, then was denied her hat-trick when ruled offside turning in Holloway’s cross.

A free-kick from Colney was missed by Bell, but Tink covered and headed off the line before Bell saved the follow-up as the visitors looked to get on the scoreline at the end of the game, but the hosts saw the game out to move up to second in the league table.

Wroxham Women: A Bell, A Larkins, N Cooper, A Rowland, C Tink, C Shields, K Holloway, K Pasque, R Brister, M Hoy, G Birchall. Subs all used: L Bullard, K Kindred, V Pleavin, O Mungham-Gray.