WOMEN’S REPORT: DERBY COUNTY 2-3 BURNLEY

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Claret Women seal three points on opening day in dramatic fashion

2022-08-21T16:57:42.096Z

WOMEN’S REPORT: DERBY COUNTY 2-3 BURNLEY

Claret Women seal three points on opening day in dramatic fashion

2022-08-21T16:57:42.096Z

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART ONE - Image 2

Burnley FC Women kick-started their campaign in the Northern Premier Division of the FA Women’s National League with a last-gasp win away at Derby County Women.

Dom Cooper slotted home a 97th minute winner to seal three points on the opening day after the Claret Women had twice come from behind with earlier levellers from Ellie May & Evie Priestley.

In his first competitive game in charge, Jonathan Morgan handed starts to four summer signings – Lucy Walsh, Alanta Brown, Ellie May & Leah Embley. Striker Embley has returned to the Club for a second spell, with the other three making their full debuts in Claret & Blue.

Aimee Kelly and Ellie York, also summer recruits, were named amongst the substitutes.

First Half

Four minutes in, Priestley saw an early sighter well held by Derby goalkeeper Imogen Maguire. Olivia Wilson also saw a shot tipped behind acrobatically by Maguire, while May – going up against the Club she departed to join Burnley – had an effort poked away in the opening 25 minutes.

WOMEN’S REPORT: DERBY COUNTY 2-3 BURNLEY - Image 1

Millie Ravening then had a strike held, before the hosts took the lead with their first real attack as Amy Sims broke down the right and lobbed the ball over Clarets ‘keeper Lauren Bracewell to open the scoring.

Searching for an equaliser, Ravening then fired over from the edge of the area before Embley linked up well with Priestley inside the area but was unable to pick out a teammate with a low cross across the face of goal.

Second Half

A goal down at the restart, captain Bracewell had to hold an effort from Becky McGrother within the opening 60 seconds of the second half.

Defender Wilson also had to deny Jess Camwell with a last-ditch tackle soon after, before May struck against her former Club to level things up on 51 minutes. The striker lobbed Maguire, netting her first goal for Burnley exactly six years to the day that she’d made her County debut.

WOMEN’S REPORT: DERBY COUNTY 2-3 BURNLEY - Image 2

Marli Rhodes-Andrews then poked wide for the Ewe Rams at the other end having been picked out by Ella Hilliard with a long ball, before Sims struck a second of the afternoon on the hour-mark with a low drive.

A Trialist was brought on by Burnley in the aftermath of that goal, and would have a pivotal role further down the line, but Embley was the next to come close to a leveller with Maguire doing well to hold her effort on the turn inside the box.

Ravening then tested Maguire from a set-piece routine, while Cooper fired a rasping strike inches over the bar. With Derby looking to sit deep, a rare attack saw Bracewell save Sims’ shot to deny the County player her hat-trick.

And on 76 minutes, a second leveller of the afternoon at the Don Amott Arena in Mickleover came via the boot of Priestley. Joint top-scorer in the league last season, the forward picked up exactly where she left off with a smart finish having met a cross into the box.

WOMEN’S FA CUP PREVIEW: CHEADLE TOWN STINGERS V BURNLEY - Image 3

Ravening then headed over the bar having met Cooper’s cross with three minutes of regular time remaining, but with plenty of stoppages throughout the second half, seven minutes were added on.

And in the dying seconds of the game, the Trialist threaded an inch-perfect through ball to full-back Cooper who, having raced into the area, poked home under Maguire. As the ball trickled over the line, the Claret Women earned three points to make it the perfect start to the season.

517 were in attendance in the Midlands, and we’d love to see some of you down at the County Ground in Leyland next Sunday (August 28) as the Claret Women play out their first home game of the season against Stoke City Women.

Burnley: Bracewell ©, Cooper, Walsh, Wilson, Hamer, O Greenalgh (Trialist ’61), A Brown, Ravening, May, Priestley, Embley (Molinari ’72)

Unused Subs: Farrell, Kelly, York

Derby: Maguire, Hilliard, Ward, Jackson, Camwell (Sutherland ’55), Wilson, Joyce, Rhodes-Andrews (Jenkins ’66), Sims, Gaspar (Clarkson ’78), McGrother

Unused Sub: Morgan

Goals: Sims, ’29 & ‘60, May, ’51, Priestley, ’76, Cooper, ‘90+7