WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-0 DERBY COUNTY (2024)

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Fourth straight victory earns valuable three points

2024-10-06T16:13:48.366Z

WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-0 DERBY COUNTY (2024)

Fourth straight victory earns valuable three points

2024-10-06T16:13:48.366Z

Clarets hit the road with three points up for grabs

Goals from central midfield duo Brenna McPartlan and Amelia Hazard earned Burnley Women a 2-0 victory over Derby County on Sunday afternoon.

The result stretches the Clarets’ winning run to four in all competitions and sees Rebecca Sawiuk’s side climb to 2nd in the Northern Premier Division of the Women’s National League table.

Sawiuk reverted to a more familiar starting line-up than the one that started last week’s cup win at Sutton Coldfield Town, with Kirstie Levell returning in goal at the County Ground, Leyland.

Club captain Jade Richards featured in the heart of the defence, with Amelia Hazard and Rhema-Lord Mears playing centrally behind striker Laura Elford.

WOMEN’S PREVIEW: HALIFAX V BURNLEY - Image 1

After a quiet start it was Richards who had the first chance of note, heading an Emma Siddall corner over the bar with 14 minutes on the clock.

The opening goal came six minutes later when Tilly Wilkes’ accurate long free-kick found McPartlan, who was able to loop a header over Derby ‘keeper Lucy Jones from eight yards.

Former Claret Lara Miller was replaced by Emelia Wilson on the half hour and the visitors grew into the game as the first half progressed.

After a mix-up at the back almost gifted them an own goal, Wilson and Daisy Burt both fired shots from range that narrowly missed the target.

They were unable to find an equaliser, though, and the Clarets took a lead into the interval for a third game running.

Sawiuk introduced Grace Palmer in place of Rhema Lord-Mears at half-time and Siddall made way for Reanna Blades five minutes later as Sawiuk shuffled her pack in search of a second goal.

WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-0 DERBY COUNTY - Image 2

Burnley ‘keeper Levell did well to hold a Paris Dalton effort on the hour and at the other end a Wilkes cross found Elford at the back post, but the team’s top scorer headed the wrong side of a post.

Hazard did manage to find the target from the resulting corner though, sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner for her second goal of the season following good work from Blades.

Sawiuk made full use of her bench before the final whistle with Claudia Walker, Aimee Kelly and Bella Reidford all coming on for valuable minutes.

The rest of the match passed without incident meaning the Clarets have now earned back-to-back clean sheets and are unbeaten in five.

19 points from eight matches leaves the team 2nd in the table, a point behind leaders Nottingham Forest and ahead of 3rd-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers on goal difference.

Next up is a trip to Halifax’s Horsfall Stadium on Sunday 13th October, which kicks off at 3pm.

Burnley: Levell, Docherty, Siddall (Blades 50), McPartlan, Marshall, Grey (Kelly 77), Lord-Mears (Palmer 46), Richards, Hazard (Reidford 86), Wilkes, Elford (Walker 65)

Unused Substitutes: McAloon, Wildgoose

Derby County: Jones, Steggles, Jackson, Hilliard (Ward 80), Joyce, Jenkins, Rai (Cotton 65), McGowan (Meadows 85), Dalton (Skeldon 85), Burt, Miller (Wilson 30)

Unused Substitutes: Morgan

Goals: McPartlan 20’, Hazard 62’