Bolton Wanderers Women started the year 2025 with a hard-fought 4-1 victory over Workington Town Women, extending their winning league run to 12 games to cement their place at the top of the Division One North table.
Wanderers made the long trip to Cumbria to open up the calendar year, and despite potential issues in terms of the overnight snow and travel issues resulting in a delayed kick-off, the Whites - albeit wearing their purple and pink away kit on the day - came through the test with flying colours at the Fibrus Community Stadium.
With an outstanding victory away at Accrington before Christmas as their last fixture, Myles Smith named an unchanged starting side that took to the field against Stanley. The only change to the matchday squad being the introduction of Emme Shone to the bench, in place of Flo Rigby.
With a shortened warm-up given the delays on the team's way up to Cumbria, Wanderers took a few minutes to adjust to their surroundings when kick-off came around - with the hosts putting the visitors under some early pressure but a superb Annabelle White take from a Workington corner relieved the pressure and allowed the away side to clear their lines.
From there, Wanderers settled into the game and went close with a number of chances early on. First, Madison Hardman met a brilliant Millie Smith cross from the left but her header was comfortable for Workington keeper, Laura Miller.
Two minutes later, a Charlotte Tyers corner caused all sorts of problems inside the Town area with Caitlin Clarke looking to get a vital touch to the ball with a no-nonsense approach to attacking the cross, but Miller once again scrambled well to get down and make a big save.
But Workington’s resolve did not last long as Neishai Gordon opened the scoring in the 11th minute. A low ball in from the right was missed by the on-rushing Eleanor Seals and deflected into Gordon’s path. She took a classy touch away from a crowded penalty area to shift the ball onto her left foot and finished well.
With the advantage, Wanderers immediately went in search of more with Faye Knox typically causing problems down the left-hand side. She beat her defender with ease to get to the byline and fired a ball across goal, but a strong punch away from Miller cleared the danger.
But the hosts arrived into the fixture today in good form and displayed grit, resolve and responded well to going behind. A clipped Chloe Henderson ball in from the right found Hayley Bracken inside the area, but her effort looped over the bar.
It was a timely reminder to the Whites of the threat the opposition posed, and quickly returned to gaining control in pursuit of more goals. Through Knox, they had an outlet all half, and she beat one defender to cut inside and let fly from 25 yards - that had the Workington ‘keeper scrambling - but she did well to push the effort away for a corner.
But the game was starting to open up as the weather worsened in Cumbria, and a turnover of possession allowed a counter attack for Town. A driving run from Kirsten Donald beat a defender and allowed her to burst into Wanderers’ area but her effort only stung the palms of White in-goal, who was strong behind the effort.
Millie Smith was starting to see a lot of the ball in midfield, with her influence growing as the half wore on. Two defence-splitting passes opened up the Workington back-line - first for Knox who saw her strike sail over the bar - before another to find Gordon in space to send her through but her touch was off and the hosts were able to recover.
Knox was becoming a constant issue for the hosts to deal with, and after another driving run, she was fouled on the edge of the Town area. The wing-back picked herself up to take the resulting free-kick, with her curling effort whistling past the left-hand post with the 'keeper stranded.
And on the stroke of half-time, Wanderers were punished for their missed chances at the other end as possession was given away inside their own half, earning Town a corner. From it, Hayley Bracken headed in to level up the scores and set up a big second half.
Erin Smith was introduced off-the-bench at the break, and with the half-time messages still fresh in their minds, the away side came flying out the blocks and somehow failed to re-take the lead within a minute of the restart.
First, Hardman tested the reflexes of Miller with a effort she could only parry. On the rebound from a tight angle, Eboni Bradshaw’s strike cannoned back off the post before Neishai Gordon’s third effort was pushed behind nicely by Miller for a corner. Three chances were missed, but the tone was set.
The Whites continued to push, and Knox went agonisingly close on two occasions in quick succession. First, a stinging effort was palmed away, before a strike that looked destined to find the bottom corner was clawed away once again by Miller in the Workington goal - who was seemingly on a solo mission to keep the Whites at bay.
But it was a steady flow of one-way traffic and the goal inevitably came ten minutes into the second half to edge Wanderers back in-front.
Madi Hardman was first to a Katie Holt ball over-the-top to nudge the ball away from the defender and put herself through one-v-one.
With just the 'keeper to beat, the striker kept her nerve expertly and finished emphatically into the bottom corner to hand the away side their deserved advantage back.
The rain and weather worsened at the Fibrus Community Stadium, making long periods in the second half a battle but Wanderers were standing firm to the task at-hand as they went on the hunt for a third goal.
With 15 minutes of the game remaining, and the hosts trying to force themselves back into the encounter, Wanderers dealt a match-sealing blow through the ever-impressive Knox. A perfectly threaded pass from Eleanor Seals split the Workington defence to put her into space, and the Wales youth international's left-footed effort was enough to beat Miller.
Three quickly became four as Neishai Gordon grabbed her second of the afternoon just two minutes later. Finding space down the right-hand side as she found her way into the Workington area, the attacking midfielder beat Miller at her near post to find the bottom corner and emphatically secure victory.
Wanderers rung the changes with Chloe Ardin, Eva Williams, Emme Shone and Maisy Mitchell all introduced into the action, and it was Ardin who almost set-up a fifth with a determined, driving run down-field before setting it for Knox to hit a skidded effort off the surface. But as had been the case for a lot of the afternoon, Miller was up to the task to palm the effort wide in the last real action of the game.
Wanderers saw the game out in torrential conditions with the points secured to ensure it is now 12 consecutive victories in the league, laying the perfect platform to return home next weekend as they take on Fleetwood Town.
Wanderers: White (GK), L.Williams, Holt (C), Clarke, Bradshaw, M.Smith, Seals, Knox, Gordon, Tyers, Hardman.
Subs: E.Williams, E.Smith, Ardin, Mitchell, Shone.
Workington: Miller, Hargrave, Wagstaff, Chatters, Campbell, Henderson, C. Donald, K. Donald, Bracken, Barber, Broad.
Subs: Hooper, Donaldson, O'Nions, Holiday, Pace.