Words Brian Flynn | Pictures Maisy Green & Manon Benavise

Altrincham Women 0-6 Salford City Lionesses

Injuries, non-availability and a suspension to key central defender, Brianna Morrison,
left new Altrincham FC Women manager Spencer O’Connor with very limited
selection options for his first league game in charge.

The Robins squad included three players who had played in the morning for Timur Zakirov’s U18 team that progressed in the Manchester FA Girls Cup U18 against West End U17.

Having secured a 2-1 win, Sophie Whittam, Mae Winchcombe and Molly Cant travelled from Granada Park to Partington Sports Village and all played a part in the afternoon encounter with a powerful and impressive Salford City Lionesses outfit.

The visitors dominated from the start, taking the lead in the ninth minute through Mollie Bennett.

Eight minutes later, Ellise Rennie scored the goal of the game, cutting in from the right wing to unleash a magnificent left foot strike that dipped beautifully just under the bar, inches from Carmen Stephens’ right hand post.

To their credit, Alty competed well for the remainder of the half to keep the deficit to
two.

Seven minutes after the break, Leah Embley converted from the penalty spot after Poppy Vernon had upended Lucy Allman.

The lively Allman netted twice to make it 5-0 before Lily Robinson completed the scoring for the Lionesses, who have only dropped 2 points in the first half of the campaign.

Tia Unwin was unfortunate to see her fine left foot shot rattle the crossbar and bounce on the line late on, which was the closest that Alty came to scoring.

This win sends Salford to the top of the table, with a game in hand and an impressive goal difference of plus forty!

This would have been a huge challenge for Alty with a fully fit and available squad but there were plenty of positives for Alty’s new manager.

Vernon, recently signed from Stockport County, was outstanding for the second week running at the heart of the Robins defence and Ashley Jones is developing into one of the team’s key players, displaying versatility, calmness and maturity beyond her years, in playing central roles in both midfield and at the back.

Stephens made a couple of terrific saves in the first half and could do little about any of Salford’s goals, whilst Unwin continues to impress in the forward areas.

Winchcombe’s debut performance also caught the eye, playing as a striker in the first half and wide on the left after the break. On this display, she could be the next in a long line of players to step-up from the U18s.

To their eternal credit, the whole team remained organised and disciplined throughout and kept going throughout the game, which will stand everyone in good stead for the season’s remaining challenges, none of which are likely to be as daunting as the last two North West Women’s Regional League, Division One Central fixtures, which have both been against the Lionesses, who will almost certainly be promoted as champions at the end of the campaign.

Altrincham: Stephens; Moss, Vernon, M. Whitehead, Culbert, Lowe (c), Kullu, A. Jones, Unwin, Heathcote, Whittam.

Substitutes: Tilston, Winchcombe, Cant.

Salford: Mountain; Rennie, F. Davies, Embley, Greenhalgh, Battle, Allman, Kolbuck, Lambert, E. Davies, Bennett

Substitutes: Jein, Robinson, Douglas, Brookes, Pomfret

HT: 0-2

Goals: None | Bennett 9', Rennie 17', Embley 51'(p), Allman 57', 80', Robinson 84'

Referee: Roy Bartsch

Elite u18

Our Elite u18 side had TWO cup victories on Sunday, read about them here.

Next Up

At Partington Sports Village for a second week running - Wigan Athletic Ladies are the visitors from a 2pm kick-off on Sunday, November 15.