757 fans were in attendance for an historic occasion at Prenton Park as Tranmere Rovers Women took on Alder FC Women in the Argyle Sports Kit North West Regional Cup Preliminary Round.
Tranmere started the game with lots of attacking intent and went close early on when Cloe Robinson’s shot from range dipped over the bar before Bethan Woolley shot wide moments later.
With 10 minutes on the clock the deadlock was broken when Elisha Price beat the Alder goalkeeper with a long range effort to send the crowd wild and six minutes later it was two when Anya McCreedy got her first of the afternoon with a long range effort of her own.
Tranmere went close to a third when Rachel Davison’s shot bent wide of the target but moments later it was three nil when Anya McCreedy got her second of the game with a beautiful, lobbed finish inside the penalty area.
Rovers continued to maintain possession well and the central midfield duo of Bethan Woolley and Rachel Unsworth were controlling the tempo in the middle of the park.
30 minutes on the clock and Alder had a shot from range well collected by Katy Maddock in the Tranmere goal.
With five minutes to go until halftime Rovers made it four when Rachel Davison looped the ball over the Alder keeper from 30 yards out and Rovers were in full control going into the break.
There was a treble change for Tranmere at halftime which saw Kiah Sullivan, Rachel Unsworth and Elisha Price replaced by Jess Durr, Missy Von Bargen and Ellie Doyle.
The opening exchanges of the second half saw shots from Laura Pennington and Ellie Doyle go wide of the target.
Tranmere continued to mount pressure on the Alder defence and captain Lindsey Smith went close with a header from a corner.
On 67 minutes Tranmere had a fifth when Laura Pennington found the bottom corner of the net with a right footed drive from distance.
A few minutes later Alder won a freekick just inside the Tranmere half, but the Rovers defence cleared the danger.
With under 10 minutes to go Tranmere continued to keep a strangle hold on the game and they scored a sixth on 83 minutes when fullback Jess Durr was played in on the right of the penalty area and she finished calmly into the far corner of the net to keep the fans in attendance in good voice.
The clock ticked into stoppage, and it was a moment that will go into to Tranmere Rovers history as Anya McCreedy completed an unbelievable hattrick. She picked the ball from outside the penalty area and hit a right footed shot that took a slight deflection off the defender and flew past the keeper and into the back of the kop end net to cap off a wonderful afternoon of football action.
The fulltime whistle blew at Prenton Park, and it was seven heaven for Tranmere Rovers and the Super White Army in attendance as the side advance to the next round of the cup.
Team: Katy Maddock (GK), Cloe Robinson, Lyndsey Smith (C), Liz Roberts, Kiah Sullivan (45’ Jess Durr), Beth Wooley, Rachel Unsworth (45’ Melissa Von Bargen), Rachel Davidson (64’ Katie Bowers Folan) , Laura Pennington (78’ Hollie Evans), Elisha Price (45’ Ellie Doyle), Anya McCready