Match report: Rotherham United Women 6-1 Dronfield Town Women

by Jack Batham

Three goals in each half set Rotherham United Women up for the perfect start to pre-season.

The Reds started the game at a relentless pace, winning plenty of aerial battles and creating chances from the first whistle.

Their intensity in and out of possession made it difficult for Dronfield to relax, while the midfield controlled the game throughout the opening minutes.

The opener came after ten minutes when Gracie Lucas made a perfectly timed run through the middle of the defence, racing onto a through ball before calmly finishing.

Just three minutes later, the lead was doubled when another defence-splitting pass again found Lucas, who showed great composure to slot home. It was another well-worked goal and a reward for Rotherham’s bright start.

Lucas and one of two trialists for the Millers continued to combine brilliantly down the left-hand side, with the former’s  pace causing problems every time she got forward.

One free flowing move ended with the trialist forcing Dronfield’s goalkeeper to make an excellent save, one of many in a fine display.

Dronfield nearly found a way back into the match just before the break when they struck the crossbar from close range.

But on the stroke of half-time, the Millers extended their advantage.

Evie Manley spotted the goalkeeper off her line and produced a superb chipped finish from outside the box to make it 3-0.

It was an impressive goal and the perfect end to a first half that Rotherham had controlled almost wholly from whistle to whistle.

The home side picked up where they left off after the restart.

Five minutes into the second half, a mistake from the Dronfield goalkeeper allowed Ella Mortimer to win a 50-50 before tucking the ball into an empty net to make it 4-0.

Manley added a fifth after latching onto a perfectly weighted ball over the top, and debutante Stacey Buxton bagged a half-volley to make it six.

Dronfield enjoyed a better spell in midfield and began to see more of the ball, eventually grabbing a consolation goal through Zoe Bratley following a defensive error.

Overall, it was a commanding performance from the Reds. Their high intensity, quality in midfield and great goalscoring proved too much for Dronfield, while the movement going forward caused problems all afternoon.