Red-hot striker bags seven in Sheffield Wednesday Ladies demolition job

Coming off the back of a poor 4-0 loss to SHWGL Cup finalists AFC Bentley on their travels, Kieron Lee’s side were looking to bounce back against Brinsworth on Sunday afternoon.

Wednesday Ladies handed Brinsworth a 7-0 walloping in the last meeting between the two sides, in which both Imogen Yeardley and Renée Simmonite-Scott starred in the centre of the park for the Owlesses. However, the latter was to be unavailable for the penultimate home game for the Owlesses - a real shame at a time where she has been so prolific in front of goal. 

Despite this absence, Lee still had plenty of options in his squad, leading to him naming Romy Lee in the midfield alongside Yeardley, a somewhat new position for the new signing who has often plied her trade at centre back since coming on board.

The SWLFC boss opted with a back three of Aleks Fox, Maisie Gilligan and Lucy Poskitt in the heart of the defence, while captain Eleanor Vessey and Kelsey Spink-Robinson would providing the width. The attack saw a front three of Sadie Hooper, Rachel Norsworthy and Amy Broomhead line-up, the latter of whom was unavailable in Wednesday’s defeat last weekend. 

Wednesday got off to the perfect start, opening the scoring in just a few minutes. The wings were getting utilised from the off and Norsworthy was able to find space down the right. She found Broomhead with time in the box, who tucked it past the reach of Brinsworth’s goalie. 

The hosts’ width in attack was causing all sorts of issues for the travelling side, particularly along the right flank of Norsworthy and Spink-Robinson, who constantly found herself weaving in and out of tight spaces, and she fashioned a half chance from outside the box. 

Wednesday were looking comfortable in possession, and 20 minutes into the tie they saw their lead doubled courtesy of Broomhead yet again. A long through ball took a deflection off the isolated Brinsworth defender, leaving Wednesday’s top scorer one on one with the keeper - she made no mistake, of course, finishing low and hard. 

Minutes later she was at it again, sealing an impressive first half hat-trick and putting Wednesday well on course for victory. A corner was not dealt with by the Brinsworth defence, and after the ball bundled around the box, Broomhead was on hand to punt it home. 

They weren’t done yet, but if there was any doubt of instability in Wednesday’s lead then that was soon quashed as Broomhead scored her fourth - yeah, fourth - goal of the half. Yet again she found space in the box, this time hitting the ball into the roof of the net to make it 4-0. Her clinical edge was proving to be just what Wednesday needed to bounce back after a couple disappointing results. 

The five star first half performance was met with a fifth goal for Wednesday before the break, this time Norsworthy bundled it in at the third attempt of hitting it to make it 5-0. They went in at half time with the win practically signed, sealed and delivered already.

Lee used this time to tinker with his side, making several changes - including shifting to a back four - and it took 20 minutes for another goal. No prizes for guessing who got it? Yep, Broomhead again. Her fifth of the game came from Heidi O’Reilly, who entered the pitch shortly into the second half. The number 10 played an inch-perfect ball through with her weaker foot, which yet again led to Broomhead converting. 

Wednesday and Broomhead went on to score a further two, taking her total for the afternoon to a whopping seven goals in the game and it also saw her go joint-top in the race for the SHWGL golden boot, alongside Brunsmeer’s star player, Millie Kenyon. Both have now scored 38 goals this season, the Owlesses star doing so in 21 games.

Brinsworth pulled one back with what was a fairly spectacular effort courtesy of Gabrielle Green, denying Kirsty Tonner of her clean sheet, despite a very solid performance in-between the sticks, but overall they’ll be delighted with the 8-1 demolition job on home turf.

The result sees Wednesday Ladies remain in third position in the SHWGL as they go ever closer to the end of the season. They face a midweek trip to Middlewood Rovers on Wednesday before hosting Rotherham United Reserves in their final home clash of the 23/24 season at the Jubilee Sports and Social Club.