Pride Park Women’s 1st team brought the curtain down on the season with an eight goal show at Moorways yesterday.

The game was switched to the new 3G pitch due to the centre bowl having been used for a throwing event in a track meeting last week and needing time to recover

The teams matched each other in the opening stages. Beth Jones opened the scoring with the first shot of the game after 2 minutes, but Amber Valley levelled two minutes later with a shot from outside the area.

After 10 minutes Rachel Weaver played the ball forward from deep up to Beth Jones, she turned the ball on - under pressure from Beth Jones a defender miscontrolled and Jones latched on to the loose ball, rounded the keeper and slotted home from the edge of the area to make it 2-1.

Rachel Weaver’s superbly flighted free kick from half way picked out Tash Allderidge in space in the centre of goal, her shot was parried by the keeper and Beth Jones was on hand to turn the ball home for a hat-trick inside twenty minutes [3-1].

20’ Amber Valley came straight back and pulled a goal back a minute later, a lofted shot from 35 yards looping over Jade Howell and under the bar [3-2]

There was an Injury to an Amber Valley defender a minute later, when she appeared to go over on her ankle and after a lengthy delay was unable to continue - we wish her a speedy recovery. As a result, Amber Valley were reduced to ten players, temporarily, as their substitute had earlier left the pitch with an injury.

The two goal advantage was restored after 29 minutes when Hannah Roberts intercepted an attack on the edge of the Pride Park penalty area, slipped the ball to Tash Allderidge and she threaded the ball into the path of Beth Jones, who ran through to slot past the keeper [4-2]. Amber Valley were restored to full strength from the restart but Pride Park’s lead was extended after 34 minutes. Daisy Bowen made a tricky run into the area, her shot came back to her off the post and she played it to Beth Jones’ - her shot crept inside the near post for her fifth goal of the half [5-2]

Five minutes later it was six. From Tash Allderidge’s superb corner, Sophie Ayton, just on as a substitute, lost her marker and directed a header into the far corner with her first touch. [6-2]

In the second half Pride Park made regular rolling changes to ensure the full squad were involved but, nevertheless continued to create chances, without being as clinical as in the first half as Tash Allderidge, Steph Eadon, Beth Jones, Otty Baker and Daisy Bowen all went close.

Just after the hour, Tash Allderidge played the ball down the line for Beth Jones and, just as it looked as though the ball was just going to escape her and go out, she managed to dig out a superb hanging cross which Steph Eadon met in the centre of goal to direct her header wide of the keeper [7-2].

With three minutes left to play, Daisy Bowen made a mazy run into the penalty area and was tripped, coolly converting the penalty. It will have been a relief for her to get on the scoresheet on an afternoon on which she had little luck in front of goal - hitting the post and crossbar, and seeing shots go agonisingly wide or blocked by the keeper.

After an initially tentative start Pride settled well and grew into the game, gradually taking control - admittedly helped to a degree by Amber Valley’s injuries. There was a fluidity to Pride Park’s play which was attractive on the eye and effective, as they made the most of the carpet-like surface. Unsurprisingly, Beth Jones was awarded Player of the Match - despite several other noteworthy performances; five goals and an assist make a pretty compelling case!

It was good to finish the season on a positive note with a good performance and win which maintained an unbeaten run now stretching to six games in the League.