Natalie Brace, last season's player of the year, announced her return in some style, scoring twice as Coventry City Ladies romped to a well deserved 6-0 victory over Radcliffe Olympic. Helen Dermody grabbed her 19th goal of the season and Jade Formaston's early lob saw her reach double figures for the season. Abi Cockayne snatched City's fifth whilst Centre of Excellence graduate Nikki Miles notched her first goal for the Senior Team.
With a 2-0 half-time lead, Brace entered as a replacement for Danni Saulter, and was on the scoresheet within 6 minutes. Picking the ball up on the halfway line, Brace outpaced Rania Ramadan as she charged into the box. Sophie Turner closed the electrifying winger down and got a piece of the shot but couldn't stop it from finding the net.
Brace's second came in the 65th minute and was the product of good hustle from Cherelle Archibald. Putting Ramadan under pressure, the centre half had little choice other than to clear for a corner that would eventually find it's way to Brace, who, positioned just inside the D, placed her lob perfectly, dropping just under the crossbar to send Coventry into an unassailable 4-0 lead.
Just one minute later Brace almost completed a memorable hat-trick but was denied by Emma Clare's goal line clearance after chipping Turner. The Sky Blues didn't have to wait too long for the fifth as Natasha Lynch flicked on the resulting corner for Cockayne to prod home from close range. The scoring was completed in the 70th minute as Dermody linked well with Formaston for the latter to pull back from the byline to the unmarked Miles to finish with composure.
Formaston had opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute, her cool lob from the right hand side of the area was to good for Turner after Dermody had squared the ball from the opposite side of the area. The two linked again for Coventry's second, Formaston played a neat 1-2 with Cockayne, who supported well from right back all day, before firing a pinpoint cross to the far post to leave Dermody with an easy strike to confirm City's early dominance.
The emphatic margin of victory heaps further pressure on Derby County as the league title looks like it could well be decided on goal difference. The Rams edged 2nd bottom Leicester City 2-1 giving the Sky Blues an advantage of 6 and a far superior goals scored total. Coventry will temporarily turn their attention to the League Cup as they face City rivals Copsewood in Thursday evening's Semi-Final. It'll be the fourth meeting between the 2 clubs this season.
Copsewood won the first meeting 1-0 as they enjoyed home advantage in an early league meeting. The Sky Blues needed extra time as they came from behind to win 3-2 at home in the first round of the FA Cup. The third meeting saw Coventry comfortably dispatch a weakened Copsewood side 2-0 in the league at the beginning of March. The match will be played at Copsewood RFC with kick off scheduled for 19:45.
Team: - Rogers, Cockayne, Lowe, Henson, Lynch (c), Forbes, Formaston (Miles, H 77), Saulter (Brace 48), Hanson (Miles, N 64), Archibald, Dermody.
Goals: - Formaston (5), Dermody (13), Brace (54 & 65), Cockayne (67), N Miles (70).
Booked: - None.
Sent Off: - None.