Sophie Coates made her way back into the starting lineup and did so by netting five including a first-half hat-trick with Brooke Strudwick, Gracie Smith, Olivia Jones and Niamh Fogarty rounding up the scoring.
Even though Wigan had an early chance in the game, Dale started excellently with opportunities falling for Coates and Daisy Mason inside the first five minutes, nothing doing on this occasion.
With just minutes of the game gone, a beautiful ball over the top found Coates and after having two bites of the cherry, she found the back of the net, giving Dale the early advantage.
Seconds later, Mason had a shot spilled by the Latics keeper, which came close to a quickfire double.
Wigan, against the run of play, equalised through Casey Green after just ten minutes, a great ball broke through Dale’s defensive line.
Dale responded perfectly by pinning Wigan in their own half and creating a vast amount of chances via Smith, Alicia Barnett and Coates. Midway through the first half, Coates emerged with the ball after another brilliant pass from Mason, reinstating Dale’s lead.
Dale were pushing for a third before the half time whistle and got it after Caris Valente won a corner for Dale, our captain Strudwick headed in the third goal to open her account for the campaign.
With only a few minutes remaining of the first half, Wigan were on the attack and hit the bar, with ‘keeper Tanya Nash producing a brilliant save to keep the scoreline at 3-1.
Gracie Smith returned from injury today and she received the ball 20 yards out, letting one fly. Fortunately for Wigan her effort crashed onto the crossbar and was agonisingly close to being a world class goal.
However, it would be Dale to get the game’s fith goal with Coates making it four, completing her first half hat-trick and putting the game further away the visitors.
Dale started the second half where they left off in the first and Coates made it five on 50 minutes with her fourth goal of the game.
Valente then struck an effort went straight down the keepers throat as she continued to be the creator for Dale.
After being shifted to right striker, Smith saw a lot of the ball and had a few chances to get onto the score sheet, placed through on goal by Valente. She tried a delightful chip over the keeper but, a superb goal line clearance from Wigan’s Kemp denied Smith once again.
However, the forward wouldn’t be deterred, another opportunity this time nestling into the back of the net, which was the cherry on top for Gracie’s performance and extending the lead to six.
They kept the pressure on Wigan, who had no reply to Dale’s dominance. Coates was played through, and once again found the back of the net, making it seven and grabbing her fifth goal of the game. Her tally keeps rising, with 16 goals in eight games.
Dale made a change and brought on Niamh Fogarty, who had an instant impact by creating opportunities to increase their lead.
A corner in the 85th minute, gave Dale another chance to extend. They took full advantage of this, with Jones, recently subbed on, scoring to make it eight, a brilliant finish in a crowded penalty area.
Super sub Fogarty, got a deserved goal after receiving an elegant through ball from Smith which served her fellow forward on a silver platter for nine.
Wigan did manage to get a second goal late on, making the final result 9-2.
Gaffer Lee Atkinson commented after Dale’s unbeaten run in the league at home continued;
“It was a fantastic result and performance today from the girls and it was the reaction we were looking for after last weekend’s game.”
“I’m very happy with the result and performance”
“There was some quality goals today and fantastic passes through to create those opportunities, we looked dangerous in possession today and that’s exactly what we can do.”
“Five big goals from Sophie (Coates) today and she really has been brilliant since she’s come in, her movement was brilliant today and her finishing speaks for itself.”
Dale XI | Nash, Strudwick, Malpus, Whyte, Smith, Valente, Coates, Barnett, Duckworth, Mason, Burke.
Subs | Hayden, Hunt, O.Jones, Fogarty.
