Bolton Wanderers Women delivered a commanding performance in their opening league game of the season, securing a dominant 6-0 victory over Workington Town Women at the Dreams2Reality Stadium.
The game unfolded in two distinctly different halves - a quieter first half in which the Whites showed flashes of brilliance was followed by a second half performance that showcased Wanderers' true quality and control.
In the first half, Bolton struggled to find their true rhythm but despite this, capitalised on their limited chances with clinical efficiency.
Jess Lightfoot broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, going through one-on-one before slotting past the Workington goalkeeper to put Wanderers ahead.
This gave Myles Smith's side a platform to work into the game further, and were looking to find a second before half time to really assert their dominance on the scoreline.
Just before halftime, they did just that. Skipper Katie Holt, making her league debut for Wanderers' Women, doubled Bolton's lead when heading home from a corner delivered perfectly into the area by Charlotte Tyres - giving them a handy two-goal cushion as they headed into the dressing room at the break.
The second half saw a Wanderers' side with clear intent and determination take to the pitch, returning with renewed energy following the half-time interval.
They dominated possession, controlled the tempo and applied relentless pressure on the opposition. This paid off in goals, as Bolton added four more to their tally in an entertaining second half display.
Milla Hodson played a key role in this second-half onslaught, first sweeping home a cross from the right delivered by Millie Smith on the hour mark, before doubling her tally two minutes later by cutting in from the left and firing a shot into the near post to make it 4-0.
Charlotte Tyers added to the scoreline with a stunning goal, curling the ball into the far corner from 25 yards out to make it five before the final goal came in the form of Eboni Bradshaw, who, after replacing Jess Lightfoot, took on five defenders before calmly slotting the ball home in the 75th minute.
It was a strong start for Myles Smith's side, showing incredible potential and cause for optimism for the season ahead.
Their strong second-half performance demonstrated their depth and teamwork and a platform to build on moving forward. With this momentum, Wanderers now look ahead to Wednesday's game against Atherton Laburnum.
Wanderers: White, E.Williams, L.Williams, Holt (C), Baldwin, Bradshaw, Seals, Barnes, Smith Tyers, Lightfoot
Subs: Ebanks, Hodson, Mitchell, Ball, Ardin
Women's match report was written by Katherine Byrne.