Morecambe FC Women fell to an away defeat against Accrington Stanley at Padiham FC’s Ruby Civil Arena.
Six goals before the break and three in the second-half made sure the home side claimed all-three-points on derby day.
The opening chance of the game fell to the Shrimps when captain Colby Davidson found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but a recovering run from a Stanley defender was enough to dispossess the Morecambe attacker.
The hosts’ first came on 10 minutes through Jordan Harding who, after breaching the Shrimps’ back-line, managed to slot home from close range.
Their second came six minutes later after Erin Lightfoot produced a fine save to deny the initial effort, but Sanah Mehdi made no mistake with the rebound.
Mehdi added a third, and her second, on 19 minutes after latching onto a through ball and calmly finding the target.
Despite a couple of chances for the visitors, it was the Reds who extended their lead through Jordan Harding before Sadie Mitchell added a fifth and sixth with her brace just before the break.
Morecambe carved out a huge chance before half-time when Gabrielle Johnson sent in a perfectly placed cross towards the back post, but the Shrimps lacked the bodies in the box to capitalise.
Half-Time: Accrington Stanley 6-0 Morecambe
The Shrimps came out much stronger in the second-half, and it was Davidson again who came close to opening the scoring for her side, however the hosts were able to clear the danger eventually.
A minute before the hour mark, Millie Jardine strengthened Accrington’s advantage after rising highest in the box to head home from the corner kick.
Stanley’s eighth stemmed from a stroke of fortune after substitute ‘keeper Caitlin Currie saved excellently from close range, however Stanley’s Heather Oates found herself in the right place at the right time for her first of the game.
Davidson again came close for the Shrimps on 83 minutes, but the angle down the right flank proved too tricky as her shot was comfortably collected by Accrington’s shot stopper.
Moments before the full-time whistle and the East Lancashire outfit rounded off their scoring through Mitchell who netted from inside the box, claiming her hat-trick in the process.
Full-Time: Accrington Stanley 9-0 Morecambe
Accrington Stanley: Nash, Cook, McCormick, Reyes, Rogers, Jardine, Tracey ©, Rodriguez, Harding, Mitchell, Mehdi
Subs: Jourey, Pettit, Fennell, Oates
Goals: Harding 10’, 21’, Mehdi 16’, 19’, Mitchell 37’, 42’, 90’, Jardine 59’, Oates 81’
Bookings: None.
Red cards: None.
Morecambe: Lightfoot, Harrison, Walker, Cambray, Thompson, Gray, Davidson ©, Johnson, Trewin, Holyoak, Jenkinson
Subs: Currie, Fisher, Fish, Townsend
Goals: None.
Bookings: None.
Red cards: None.