September 8, 2023 6:24 pm
Clarets collect three points on the road
Burnley FC Women maintained the positive start to their FA Women’s National League campaign with a 3-0 win away at AFC Fylde Women.
Rebecca Sawiuk made four changes from Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Wolves Women at the County Ground, with Danielle Deehan, Amaya Coleman-Evans, Maria Francis-Jones and Laura Elford named in the visitors starting line-up.
First Half
The opening stages were frantic with both sides pushing to get a foothold in the game. Burnley were quick out of the tracks gaining a corner early, which Fylde’s Hamil headed away.
The intent was there though and within the opening ten minutes home keeper Craven, with the help of Hamil again, made two strong saves to keep the Clarets and Lord-Mears at bay.
It was the visitors who continued to crank the pressure up as the half went on. Leah Embley saw lots of the ball down the flanks, putting the Fylde defence under pressure.
On the 24th minute, the warm weather resulted in a drinks break, allowing both teams to recoup some energy from the high tempo on such a balmy evening.
The breakthrough came shortly before the half-hour mark, when following a sustained period of pressure from the visitors, the ball fell to Leah Embley who fired her shot into the bottom corner.
Resulting corners for Burnley didn’t come to anything and Fylde were pushing hard for an equaliser as half-time crept up.
The pushing almost resulted in a goal when on the 43rd minute Murphy made a strong run from midfield, through on goal it was the post that kept the Fylde number 11 from levelling the scores.
Second Half
Fylde started the second-half firing, with Murphy finding herself in a good position to feed Lackey but she couldn’t take aim.
Just under ten minutes into the half resolute defending from Wildgoose and Deehan put the ball out for a throw in and the Clarets cleared up any danger.
The fast pace of the first half continued and just over the hour mark Burnley FC Women Manager Sawiuk made a double change, with goalscorer Embley making way for Lizzy Hamer and a change up top with Aimee Kelly on for Elford.
Link up play between captain Thea Paul and Coleman-Evans made sure the Fylde defenders were on high alert, before the breakthrough came in the 71st minute when Aimee Kelly doubled the visitors lead.
A foul on Lord-Mears outside the area saw Paul take a free-kick which was kept alive in the box. The ball came across to Kelly who hit it past Craven to make it 2-0.
Not too long after Craven was down and looked in doubt to carry on, however after receiving treatment the Fylde keeper remained in place.
In the final change of the night, Lord-Mears made way for Reidford, who was straight into the action.
Shortly before the 90′ the Clarets made it three, when midfielder Ravening sent in a forceful shot on goal, Kelly again was alive in the box and hammered home the rebound.
Burnley: Levell, Francis-Jones, Paul, McPartlan, Wildgoose, Embley (Hamer ’63), Elford (Kelly ’63), Coleman-Evans, Lord-Mears (Reidford ’80), Ravening, Deehan
Unused Subs: Cooper, Farrell
AFC Fylde Women: Craven, Taylor (Bickett ’76), Hamill, James, Thomas (Beresford ’61), Rowe, Strutton, Samson (Moore ’76), Siddall (Devereaux ’61), Lackley, Murphy
Unused Subs: Hunter
Goals: Embley, ’29, Kelly, ’71 and ’92
