WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO (2023)

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The story of how the 2022/23 season unfolded for the Claret Women month by month…

2023-05-14T09:00:00.000Z

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO (2023)

The story of how the 2022/23 season unfolded for the Claret Women month by month…

2023-05-14T09:00:00.000Z

PREVIEW: LIVERPOOL FEDS VS BURNLEY - Image 1

JANUARY

After over a month without action, Burnley’s New Year eventually began with a delayed Vitality Women’s FA Cup third round tie against Norwich City.

Midfielder Meg Boydell joined the Club a few hours before that game against the Canaries, and a first-ever meeting between the two sides, the Clarets ran out 1-0 winners thanks to Millie Ravening’s goal.

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO - Image 1

That though was not a sign of things to come in the opening month of 2023 as two further games brought two defeats, back-to-back.

Having gone unbeaten in 17 games across all competitions under Jonathan Morgan, the 18th brought an exit from the FA Women’s National League Cup at the hands of Nottingham Forest, where Burnley lost out 2-1.

And the following week, Morgan’s 19th game in charge saw the heaviest defeat of the campaign overall as the Claret Women exited the FA Cup as Cardiff City Ladies pulled off a shock 4-1 victory at the County Ground in Leyland.

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO - Image 2

January did though bring official confirmation of the appointment of Jay Bradford as assistant head coach, with the ex-Coventry United boss having been involved with the Claret Women for a few months prior.

FEBRUARY

February’s arrival brought with it two signings for Burnley, as Lara Miller & Laura Elford - below - were both added to the ranks.

It also brought Burnley’s first league game in a day short of three months with a trip to bottom side Loughborough Lightning.

Still holding an unbeaten record in the league, Morgan’s side had to work hard for three points on the road, and in trademark style they were earned in dramatic circumstances.

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO - Image 3

After Ellie York’s opener had quickly been cancelled out, the hosts were holding onto a point, that was until Clarets defender Emma Taylor popped up with an improvised looping finish at a corner in the fourth minute of time added on at the end of the game, sparking scenes of jubilation.

Re-arranged games were the order of the campaign, and because of that, Loughborough were again the opponents just seven days later for Burnley as Lightning made the trip to the County Ground in Leyland.

Again, three points were picked up from a hard-fought performance as Leah Embley netted the only goal of the game. That would prove to be the last in charge for Morgan, who departed the Club for pastures new at Sheffield United on Valentine’s Day.

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO - Image 4

Assistant Bradford stepped up to take charge on an interim basis, at least until the end of the season, and kicked off her reign with a thumping 7-0 midweek win over AFC Fylde to end the month.

February should have ended with a semi-final in the Lancashire FA Women’s Senior Cup against Blackburn Community Sports Club Ladies, though they withdrew from the competition late on and handed Burnley a walkover with progression into the competition’s final.

MARCH

Another new signing came through the doors at the start of March in the form of defender Georgia Marshall, following striker Elford in making the switch Huddersfield Town four weeks after the forward became a Claret.

Marshall made her Clarets bow just a few days later in a demolition of Boldmere St Michaels, the first of back-to-back 5-1 wins with Brighouse Town also seen off 10 days later.

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO - Image 5

Derby County were the next to be put to the sword by a rampant side headed up by new boss Bradford, the Ewe Rams beaten 4-1 in Leyland, heading into a crunch clash against Nottingham Forest.

APRIL

In a jam-packed last month of the campaign, no less than seven games remained for Burnley to get through with both a league title and a County Cup still to play for.

Hopes of that league title were dealt a blow with a first league defeat as April began, with Forest 3-0 victors on home soil, that the only game in which Burnley failed to score in across all competitions throughout the season.

Coming back strong, four successive victories followed, with a 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town followed up by a dominant display in a 7-2 success at Stoke City on Easter Sunday.

TAYLOR LOOKS BACK ON ‘INVALUABLE’ LOAN SPELL WITH CLARETS - Image 3

Next up were Darwen FC Ladies in the final of the Lancashire FA Women’s Senior Cup, and for the second campaign running, the Claret Women lifted a County Cup courtesy of a thumping 9-0 scoreline.

Both Millie Ravening & striker Sarah Greenhalgh grabbed hat-tricks against Darwen as Burnley ticked towards 100 goals for the season.

That century was reached a few days later as league action returned with a last away trip for Bradford’s side, and after a 2-1 triumph at The Hawthorns against West Bromwich Albion, the league title was in their hands.

That was until the following Sunday, when Wolves inflicted just a second league defeat of the season, and a first at home in the league since October 2021, on Burnley at the Anchor Ground in Darwen. Georgia Marshall netted her first goal for the Club, as pictured below, but it just wasn't enough on the day.

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO - Image 7

Nonetheless, in their final game of the campaign, the Claret Women knew that they had a historic first-ever outing at Turf Moor to look forward to.

Announced earlier in the month, with a buzz around the game for the weeks which built up to it, Liverpool Feds were the visitors to East Lancashire on 30th April in a game which all involved will remember fondly forever.

Playing in front of 2,967 supporters with the Bob Lord Stand packed out, and sections of the North Stand at Turf Moor also opened, the Claret Women ended the campaign on a tremendous high both on and off the pitch.

On it, having fallen behind early on to a goal from former Claret Katie Thomas, Todmorden’s Evie Priestley netted the leveller with a little over 20 minutes remaining, writing her name into the history books with Burnley FC Women’s first-ever Turf goal.

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO - Image 8

Courtney Willis then came off the bench and grabbed the winner five minutes from time on a momentous day.

With both Forest and Wolves winning, the three points weren’t enough to see a shock in terms of topping the table, but for the Clarets – who finished 3rd with a record points total – the day was about so much more than that.

Preparation now continues for a third season in the Northern Premier Division of the FA Women’s National League, one which promises to be a special one on many levels.

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