There was a one minute’s silence observed by all prior to the kick off out of respect for and to commemorate Maddy Cusack who passed away aged 27 last week. Maddy was a player in the DGLL before becoming a member of the League’s refereeing team at the central venue, prior to embarking on her professional career at Aston Villa and then Sheffield United.

This was the first time these teams had met so, for both, it was something of an unknown quantity. For Pride Park this was a 4th game in 14 days.

Three goals for Pride in a ten minute spell starting on six minutes got them off to the ideal start with the the home team dominating from the off. Steph Eadon started the scoring, after early pressure in which a corner had already hit the top of the crossbar, a shot was blocked and another saved. Picking the ball up in midfield she drove past three defenders and hit a shot into the corner from the edge of the area [1-0]. Four minutes later she had her second, finishing off good build up play with a shot to the same corner [1-0].

The third in a rampant spell for Pride came from a superbly flighted and weighted through ball by Katy Sharpe, making her first start, to find the run of Beth Jones who slotted past the keeper [3-0].

There was a good chance for Bakewell to pull one back but it was hit wide - but this was a rare foray by the visitors as Pride threatened to extend their lead - Beth Jones, Steph Eadon, Aimee Healy-Raynor and Beth Jones (again) all going close, before Healy-Raynor made it four, getting her first goal for Pride with a close range header from a Steph Eadon cross.[4-0]

Eadon was commanding midfield and pulling all the strings for Pride, and after another driving run took a shot from distance on the half-hour. The better option might have been to play the ball in for Beth Jones, in space in the centre, but having already had joy from distance and sensing a hat-trick, can perhaps be forgiven for going for goal!

Having been under the cosh for most of the half, Bakewell had a brilliant chance as former Pride player Lottie Bryan put in a burst of speed down the line before cutting in and hitting a goalbound effort, which Jade Howell did well to palm over at the expense of a corner.

There was a great chance for Maja Znamirowska to open her account for the season a couple of minutes before half-time, when Annie Laight threaded an inch-perfect pass through to Maja, but she fired wide with just the keeper to beat. Just as it looked like there would be no further score before the break, Tash Allderidge picked up a lay off in midfield from Maja and hit an unstoppable shot from distance into the top bin.[5-0]

Pride had been dominant from start to finish in the half, taking a thoroughly deserved five-goal lead. The challenge in the second half would be to maintain the tempo and concentration and to match the standard set in the first half.

However, Bakewell had other ideas, making a good start to the half and pulled a goal back ten minutes in as a cross in to the area wasn’t dealt with defensively, and was prodded home from close range [5-1].

As if stung by conceding, Pride immediately restored their advantage. Katy Sharpe set Maja Znamirowska away down the wing with a nice through ball. Maja cut the ball back for Beth Jones in the area and she turned inside the defender before blasting it home from eight yards. [6-1]

Three minutes later Izzy Wilsoncroft played in a very inviting cross from the right and Maja Znamirowska got a touch onto the unfortunate defender who could only deflect the ball into her own net [7-1]

A little of the momentum and tempo dropped off slightly, as did the number of opportunities, as rolling substitutes were used to provide brief rests to players in the middle of a testing schedule so early in the season. Pride were still dominating possession, however, although Bakewell did fashion a good opportunity that Sophie Ayton and Jade Howell combined to get the ball away.

Steph Eadon connected well with a corner but put her header over, before Beth Jones completed her hat-trick with a composed finish from Eliot Sayavong’s through ball.

Bakewell had two good opportunities in the final ten minutes, firing over from the first after Pride failed to clear, and getting on the end of a cross inside the six yard box but shooting straight at Jade Howell.

As the final minutes played out, Ellie Coleman played a great ball through for Beth Jones, but she took it too close to the keeper who was able to smother the ball, another great strike from distance by Steph Eadon was just wide, and Aimee Healy-Raynor improvised with an opportunistic strike from distance, after intercepting a goal kick, but was unfortunate to see her strike dip onto the roof of the net with the keeper stranded. There was time for one last chance for Pride, as Steph Eadon slipped the ball across to Aimee Healy-Raynor in space but the keeper pulled off an excellent save.

FULL TIME: Pride Park 8-1 Bakewell Town

Seven points from three games in eight days is a good return to start the League campaign. There is another quick turnround before Amber Valley come to Moorways on Wednesday (ko 7pm) - which will be Pride’s fifth game in 17 days.

To view the gallery of images taken at the game by Shaun Hardwick see https://www.prideparkfc.com/photos/20230924-bakewell-town-1075920.html.

The highlights reel can also be viewed at https://www.prideparkfc.com/videos/highlights-pride-park-v-bakewell-town-20230924-193798.html