Bolton Wanderers Women extended their league unbeaten run to 19 games with an assured 6-1 victory over Morecambe Women on Sunday afternoon.
A Neishai Gordon hat-trick, a Faye Knox double and a Caitlin Clarke header was enough to secure another three points on a sun-soaked afternoon to take Wanderers one step closer to their pre-season target of promotion.
Myles Smith made three changes to his starting side that faced Haslingden last weekend, with Hannah Baldwin and Lily Barnes coming into the team, replacing Eva Williams and Emme Shone.
There was also a debut in goal for Tilda Lester, making her step-up to first team level after impressing immensely in the U18s - replacing Annabelle White who had picked up a slight knock earlier in the week.
Lacey Taylor was also named on the bench for the first time this season, coming on in the second half to also make her Wanderers' debut.
Wanderers came out the blocks quickly, and applied early pressure on the hosts' defence as they looked to find the early goal.
Knox tested Erin Lightfoot in the Shrimps' goal with a free-kick inside the opening few minutes, but she was across well to save.
But the wing-back did not have to wait long to open the scoring, and did so in outstanding fashion. Hannah Baldwin did superbly well to intercept a Morecambe pass and drive Wanderers downfield before feeding Knox.
Faye found a yard on the edge of the area to let fly with a curling effort that found the top corner magnificently and give the away side a deserved lead inside 10 minutes.
Gordon then had a chance to double Wanderers' lead five minutes later after a neat piece of skill allowed her to slip past her defender. However, her shot drifted wide of Lightfoot's post.
Eboni Bradshaw was an ever-willing runner down the Whites' right throughout the afternoon and was allowed to drive deep into Morecambe territory before getting her shot away, but her effort was always rising.
At this stage, it was all Wanderers and they had the chance to extend their lead half-way through the half when Eleanor Seals was brought down inside the penalty area.
Gordon stepped up to finish coolly into the top left-hand corner and double Wanderers' advantage.
Two almost became three a minute later as Seals latched onto the end of a Bradshaw pull-back to hit first time looking to find the bottom corner, but it whistled wide of the right-hand post.
The pressure was relentless, and their third goal came before the half hour mark as Clarke typically met Seals' corner with power and desire to head home Wanderers' third and assert the away side's dominance.
It was wave after wave of attacking intent and Gordon almost had her second after a neat turn inside the area opened the space up for her to apply a finish, but could only roll her effort wide of the post.
But the hosts responded and continued to push forward and got their reward through Anya Stannard with a well-taken effort. Morecambe won the ball high in Wanderers' half and with a left-footed strike from the edge of the area, was able to find the bottom corner.
The Morecambe goal was a timely reminder to Wanderers, and they immediately responded when winning another penalty as Knox's dancing feet inside the penalty area were too quick for the home side and she was fouled.
Picking herself up to take it, Faye confidently beat Lightfoot in-goal to restore Wanderers' three-goal advantage.
Clarke was continually finding space on the right-hand side, and after good work from Jess Lightfoot to play her into space, her strike was driven towards the top corner and only just missed the target in going over.
As the half was coming to a close, Wanderers were reduced to 10 as Jess Lightfoot was sent off for a challenge on Charlotte Gray - meaning they would play with a player less for the whole of the second half.
Starting the second 45 with 10 did not phase Wanderers, however, and they continued on the front foot. A superb ball from Barnes played in Bradshaw down the right-hand side but her effort from a tight angle went over.
But within three minutes of the half starting, they had added a fifth goal through Gordon. Nice work from Clarke fed the ball into Neishai - now operating as the lone striker in a half-time reshuffle - and her touch was enough to beat her defender and fire into the bottom corner.
With this, Wanderers freshened things up through their bench, with Taylor, Millie Smith, Lexi Williams, Madison Hardman and Shone all introduced as they kept up their intensity.
Smith played a wonderful threaded pass through for Charlotte Tyers to latch onto and round the 'keeper, but as she went to shoot an unfortunate bobble meant her effort sliced wide of the target.
The Whites continued to hunt for more goals and almost had another as a Knox corner was met by Williams - who did brilliantly to come through bodies to get a touch to the ball - but her effort went wide.
Wanderers continued to manage the game well, but had Lester to thank in-goal with five minutes to go with an incredible save, as Olivia Thompson looked to have converted a rebound from close range but Tilda was down smartly to make the stop.
There was still time for one more goal as the clock edged towards 90, as Taylor fed Gordon inside the area before being fouled for a third Wanderers penalty of the afternoon.
Neishai picked herself up, finished into the bottom, and sealed victory with a hat-trick her performance deserved.
It's another solid performance from Myles Smith's side, who travel to Penrith next weekend in their final away game of the season, knowing victory would take them one step closer to achieving promotion.
Wanderers: Lester (GK), Clarke, Holt ©, Baldwin, Bradshaw, Seals, Barnes, Knox, Gordon, Tyers, Lightfoot.
Subs: M. Smith, Hardman, Taylor, Shone, L. Williams
Morecambe: Lightfoot (GK), Dingle, Johnson, Lawrence, Paling, Gray, Emmerson, Hodkin, Howarth, Carswell, Standard
Subs: Scott, Thomson, Satterley
Report by Katherine Byrne. Pictures by Jake Horrocks.