- Five star performance from the Alex
- Five different scorers
- Griffin returns from long-term injury
Crewe Alex Women romped into the quarter-finals of the Alliance Design and Print Cup with a 5-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers at the Crewe Alex In The Community centre.
Amanda Fallon, Leah Collins, Shanice Finbow, Megan Ragdale and Katie Gibbons all got their names onto the scoresheet on Sunday afternoon.
A day to remember for Cerys Griffin who was named on the teamsheet since having ACL reconstruction over 12 months ago.
Head Coach Matt Fisher made four changes from last week's starting XI that lost to Cheadle with Fallon, Gibbons, Stafford and Collins all getting starts.
Bolton, who currently sit 6th in Division One North of the North West Women's Regional League, played full of confidence in the opening stages of the game.
But Crewe's class showed when Fallon lobbed the 'keeper from outside the area to opening the scoring in the 31st minute.
With the minutes ticking down until the half-time interval, Crewe grabbed a second. Finbow timmed her run to perfection to nod home Rubie Deaville's corner.
Crewe entered the half time interval ahead, but the feeling around the ground was that the next goal would be pivotal.
It took the Reds 28 seconds to get their third as Collins beat two opponents on the left wing before unleashing a fantastic strike on the angle into the far corner of the Bolton goal.
With a three-goal advantage, the home side were now in cruise control. Collins once again lit up the left wing and as she entered the box her low cross was converted from close-range by Megan Ragdale on 63 minutes.
Just three minutes later, Crewe grabbed their fifth, which was possibly the best goal of the day.
Crewe gained possession deep in their own half and some one touch combination play between Megan Ragdale and Deaville created an opening for Gibbons. She linked up with Collins before smashing a left footed strike into the roof of the net.
A special moment in the game came in the 79th minute as Cerys Griffin replaced Deaville for her first appearance in 12 months after her ACL reconstruction.
Griffin came within a whisker of a goal within a minute of her introduction. The number 11 received the ball in the middle of the pitch and as she drove towards goal the rings of 'shoot' from the crowd inspired the midfielder to shoot from distance. With her weaker right foot, the ball clipped the crossbar and went over ending the perfect return to action.
