Steve Elswood’s side kept up their promotion hopes on Sunday, after an emphatic 7-0 win against Ilminster Town Ladies at Coach Road.
The first half began with United on the front foot and setting out their intent, although the Ilminster backline kept chances down to a minimum for the opening 30 minutes. With Elswood then swapping wingers Rebecca McMullin & Ellie Bishop to opposite sides, it didn’t take long for United to grab the lead on 32 minutes. A ball to Bishop left her in behind the visitors’ defence, and with Connie Pengelly in an offside position, Bishop took her chance slotting the ball across Marquis and into the bottom corner. A second goal wasn’t long in coming, and on 38 minutes it was Bishop who got behind the defence again, and rolling the ball across the goal from the by-line it was McMullin & Pengelly who were waiting, and after the ball squirmed around it was McMullin who got the final touch to double United’s lead.
Ilminster kept their shape and will think they should’ve pulled a goal back in added time as they broke down the right, where from a ball across the area their striker hit the ball well bringing out a fine save from the Gulls stopper Emma Ayres, who pushed it behind for a corner, and with the danger averted the referee brought an entertaining half to an end.
The second half started in the same fashion as the first, with United on the front foot once again, but as in the first half, Ilminster were keeping them at bay. However, in the 58th minute the Yellows got their third, as the ball fell to Pengelly on the edge of the area and she struck the ball with power and pace to give Marquis no chance. Three minutes later and it was four as Daisy Self, on as a second-halff substitute, found herself out on the right-hand touchline, and after sending in a high cross Marquis in the Ilminster goal misjudged it with the sun in her eyes, and the ball bounced up and into the net.
United continued to press and a free kick from out on the right-hand touchline brought the fifth goal, as Sasha Mole whipped in a cross and getting in front of her marker Tracey Cross powered her header past the helpless keeper.
United were now breaking through the visitors’ defence with more ease than they had throughout the rest of the game, but there was nothing they could do about United’s sixth goal in the 79nd minute. A break forward to the edge of the area was cleared by the defence, which then fell to Mole about 35 yards out from goal. Mole caught the ball sweetly and like a rocket the ball flew over the keeper and the defender on the line, to give the defender a goal her performance had deserved.
Just as the game headed into added time United capped a fine performance with a seventh, as Pengelly received the ball and then passing to substitute Danni Wyatt, the striker lifted the ball over the keeper and into the roof of the net to get United off to the perfect start in 2023, and keep the pressure on the other teams at the top of the table.