PNE Women are through to the Lancashire County Cup Final after they put in an impressive performance to beat Morecambe Ladies 5-0.
PNE goalkeeper Danielle Brown was tested early on in the game as she produced a fantastic diving save to tip a long range effort onto the post, but after that early chance, she was hardly tested for the rest of the game.
North End were playing against a very strong wind in the first half but opened the scoring with a long range free kick from captain Laura Walker, who struck an effort from around 30 yards out that took a slight deflection and went in off the post to give PNE the advantage.
The lead was extended to two goals shortly before half-time after good work on the right hand side of midfield between Alison Taberner and Gemma Watson.
Taberner played a one two with Watson and floated a ball into the box which flew over the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
Melissa Ball nearly got a goal for herself either side of half-time, but she was thwarted by the bar and then a great save from the Morecambe goalkeeper in the first minute of the second half.
It was 3-0 in the 65th minute, when substitute Paige Forster played a lofted ball over the defence for Keeleigh Savage.
Savage let the ball drop and the hit an effort on the half volley that flew into the roof of the net.
3-0 turned into 4-0 four minutes later, when centre back Carly Bayley headed home from a deep Taberner corner and Bayley had a part to play in PNE’s fifth goal.
She swung a cross to the back post and Holly Rawcliffe applied the finish under pressure from the Morecambe right back and goalkeeper to make it 5-0.
The cleansheet was almost wiped out towards the end of the game, but Morecambe couldn’t get a consolation as they hit the bar one minute before the end.
The result means that PNE are through to the Lancashire County Cup Final where they will play Blackburn Rovers Ladies at Leyland.
However PNE’s focus moves to next Sunday as they take on Yeovil Town Ladies in the FA Women’s Cup Third Round at Bamber Bridge.
PNE: Brown, Taberner, Carroll, Bayley, Forshaw, Walker (Forster 55), Charlesworth (Foster 72), Watson, Ball, Jones, Savage (Rawcliffe 66)