- First win of the season
- Eight goals scored
- Warm welcome back to a number of key players
The Alex were able to welcome back goalkeeper Hannah Holloway after nearly two months out with an ankle injury. Grace Duckworth and Shanice Finbow also returned after missing the whole pre-season schedule, whilst Katie Nuttall made her first start of the season.
Crewe travelled to The Latics who were without a victory in their opening four games of the season but took just two minutes for the Reds to open the scoring. Laura Garner's shot from 25-yards out was spilled by the Wigan 'keeper which allowed Amanda Fallon to smash the ball into an open net.
Nuttall and Stafford were enjoying majority of the possession in the full-back positions which kept Wigan working from side-to-side. This gave Beth Grice the space to cause the home side problems and it was her that created the second. Her cross was converted by Emilia Edwards from close-range. The goals kept on coming as on the half hour mark, Edwards was able to grab her second after gambling first to Beth Ragdale's flick on.
Crewe were in complete control, and this continued throughout the second period. Garner was rewarded for her hard work and excellent start to the season with another goal. Ragdale turned from provider to scorer with her header furthering Crewe's dominance. Fisher decided it was time to rest some players ahead of a busy schedule with Grice, Beech, Ragdale and Nuttall being replaced for Grace Duckworth, Cerys Griffin, Finbow and Gemma Brough. This didn't stop the Alex's momentum though. Duckworth was able to celebrate her first goal since rejoining the club in the summer and Fallon completed the perfect hat-trick, left foot, right foot, header.
Eight goals scored, a clean sheet and three points secured for the women on their travels.
Post-match, Matt Fisher said: "We played some superb football. In all fairness, we have been in the past few games but with key players returning we knew it would only be a matter of time before we get those first set of three points. It was amazing to have those sorts of options available to us on the bench for the first time and I must say I'm so proud of the girls. They've worked incredibly hard and not let the difficult start to the season affect them."