United Ladies got their pre-season off to the perfect start on Sunday with a 7-1 win on the road.
An Emma Blenkinship brace on return from injury epitomised a great afternoon for Tracy Gannon’s side.
United started sharply in Lancashire with Blenkinship marking her first start for two seasons with a deft lobbed finish to put the Blues ahead inside 6 minutes.
Things got even better for the Cumbrians on 10 minutes, when Blenkinship’s lofted ball found Phoebe Langan in space in the box, who made no mistake, firing the ball past the keeper to double Carlisle’s lead.
United’s fast start continued on 13 minutes, when the ball fell to Alicia Messenger on the edge of the box after a United corner, Messenger’s sweetly hit half-volley flew into the top corner from 30 yards out to extend the Blues’ lead.
Jess Cleasby made the Cumbrians’ lead unassailable on 17 minutes, after she slotted a bouncing ball home from six yards out.
HALF-TIME: Bolton County Women 0-4 United Ladies
Carlisle extended their lead further on 50 minutes. Chelsea Norris’ mazy run from the half-way line, ended in the winger blasting the ball into the top left corner to make the score 5-0.
The hosts reduced the deficit on 56 minutes, when a looping shot found the back of United’s net.
Ella Winter got proceedings back on track for Carlisle, when she won the ball deep into County’s half, she took a touch and let fly from outside the box, and her shot found the top right corner to restore the Blues’ five-goal lead after 81 minutes.
United captain, Emma Blenkinship, doubled her tally on 86 minutes with a well-placed finish to score United’s final goal of the game.
FULL-TIME: Bolton County Women 1-7 United Ladies
United: Stainton, Messenger, Bland, Best, Reekie, Blenkinship ©, Barbour, Winter, Norris, Langan, Cleasby.
United Goals: (6’, 86’ Blenkinship), (10’ Langan), (13’ Messenger), (17’ Cleasby), (50’ Norris), (81’ Winter).
