Northampton Town Women won 6-0 away to Solihull Moors in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands on Tuesday night.
Jade Bell scored four whilst Alex Dicks and Paige Ridley netted the Cobblers’ other goals as they secured a victory at Sixways Stadium, the home of Worcester Warriors Rugby Club.
Joint-managers Josh Oldfield and Liam Williams made three changes to the team that drew at home to Lincoln City on Sunday. Ridley and Kim Farrow were both substituted as a result of injuries at the weekend, and the pair were replaced by Bianca Luttman and Mia Richards. Meanwhile, Georgia Gale came in for TJ Warren to make her full first team debut having impressed in three substitute appearances.
The visitors played some excellent football in the first half, and they opened the scoring early on when Bell sprinted onto her own touch through a defender’s legs and slotted past ‘keeper Harley Savage.
The lead was doubled on the quarter-of-an-hour mark as Bell laid Katie McLean’s long ball off to Laila Channell, whose cross was turned into the roof of the net by Dicks.
Bell added her second and the Cobblers’ third goal midway through the first half, dribbling into the box and finishing low across goal after Richards flicked on Gale’s forward pass.
The striker completed her hat-trick on the half-hour when Fay Noble’s corner was knocked down by Luttman and her curled effort looped over the ‘keeper and into the back of the net.
Solihull changed shape to match the Cobblers after the break, and the opening quarter-of-an-hour of the second period were scrappy with Eva Rogers forcing McLean into a save with a shot across goal on the turn.
The visitors were denied by the woodwork a few minutes later as Ruby Heselden’s long-range strike was spilled by the Savage and the ball hit the post.
They made it five going into the final 10 minutes. Substitute Paris Mallon hooked the ball over the top of the defence to Bell. The striker was denied by Savage one-on-one, but she found the back of the net after Channell’s follow-up was blocked by a covering defender.
Ridley powered home a header from Noble’s in-swinging corner to complete the scoring in added time.
The Cobblers travel to Sutton Coldfield Town on Sunday. The fixture is the last of five in the space of three weeks for Oldfield and Williams’ side, who came from two goals down to win the reverse fixture 4-2 at Sixfields Stadium in October thanks to a Bell hat-trick and a strike from Dicks.
Cobblers: Katie McLean, Zoe Boote, Vicky Barrett, Bianca Luttman, Ruby Heselden, Georgia Gale, Mia Richards, Fay Noble, Laila Channell, Jade Bell, Alex Dicks
Substitutes: Holly Mayfield, Paige Ridley, TJ Warren, Kim Farrow, Paris Mallon
Photos: Clive Stapleton
