After two weeks without a game due to the weather last week, Pride returned to Moorways for the Derbyshire Ladies League Cup quarter-final against Matlock Town yesterday.

Pride won two early corners and the second of these resulted in a scramble for the ball on the edge of the six yards box, eventually coming out to Daisy Bowen who was brought down by a defender and a penalty awarded. Tash Allderidge hit the penalty into the top corner to give Pride the lead after 8’ [1-0]

There was another good shout for a penalty, not awarded this time, only a minute later when Beth Jones was brought down after turning inside a defender - who stuck out a trailing leg behind her which tripped Beth.

Aimee Healy-Raynor’s nicely weighted through ball put Daisy Bowen in on goal, and she turned inside the last defender and slotted home from ten yards [2-0] after 17 minutes.

Matlock have been doing well this season and are unbeaten in the league, but Pride were starting to click and almost scored an outstanding team goal in a sweeping move playing from the back starting with a great kick by Jade to find Loren Kitching, who laid off to Tash Allderidge, her forward pass put Beth Jones in, but with support in the centre she slipped the ball across the goal to Daisy Bowen - but, with the goal at her mercy, the ball bobbled and caught under her feet, giving a defender just enough time to get back and block for a corner.

Just before the half hour the lead was extended to three, when Loren Roberts laid an inviting ball back to Steph Eadon and her first time cross was touched on by Daisy Bowen beyond the goalkeeper [3-0].

Three minutes later Beth Jones was found by Steph Eadon wide on the left, almost on the touchline, receiving the ball to shouts of „stop the cross” from the Matlock ranks - but from the most unlikely of positions Beth counfounded those expectations by hitting an unstoppable shot over the keeper [4-0]

There was a flurry of goals in the few minutes; Steph Eadon made it 5-0 with a controlled shot into the top corner from the edge of the ‚D’ after 41 minutes. A minute later Ella Kew’s cross was blocked initially rather than cleared, Beth Jones won the second ball, rounded the defender and squared to Daisy Bowen in the centre of goal for a simple finish from six yards[6-0].

The half was concluded with the traditional gift as a misjudgement at the back provided an opportunity for Matlock and they pulled one back with virtually the last action of the half.

It had been a good first half for The Pride but with a 6-1 lead at half-time the biggest threat was complacency. However, Pride started the second half well and although not quite as prolific as in the first half, maintained control of the game despite regular substitutions to manage playing time and to limit the risk of injury on an energy sapping pitch.

Ten minutes into the second period Steph Eadon’s ball through the centre was given the faintest of touches by Daisy Bowen to put Beth Jones through on goal and she made no mistake as the keeper came out to narrow the angle, slotting the ball past her and into the corner [7-1] .

With a quarter hour left to play a backpass was closed down by Daisy Bowen, the goalkeeper’s kick was helped on by a defender but was collected by Tash Allderidge and she struck a shot from 25 yards that dipped over the ‘keeper 8-1 (8-1).

The final goal of the game came with nine minutes to play. Eliot Sayavong played a pass through the lines to put Beth Jones through on goal while Matlock’s defenders looked to the lino for help - but Beth had timed her run to perfection but her shot came crashing back off the post, to be retrieved by Tash Allderidge on the right hand side edge of the penalty area. Matlock’s defenders were still recovering and hadn’t got back when Tash picked out Beth in the centre of goal and she finished with a left footed finish into the rook of the net.

The nearest Matlock came to finding the net in the second half had been from a free kick on the hour, which came back off the far post before being cleared - a let off for Pride. In a potentially tricky cup tie against an opponent that has been going well this season, currently third in Division 2 but with games in hand on the leaders and unbeaten - this was an accomplished performance by Pride, who have been boosted in recent weeks by the return of the some of the early season injury absentees.

The win secures a semi-final place for The Pride against the winner of the quarter-final to be played next week between Sleetmoor Utd and Borrowash Victoria. The other semi-finalists will also be decided next week in quarter-finals between Draycott Victoria and Stapenhill, and Hilton Harriers against Borrowash Victoria Reserves or Aston Village.

With a hat-trick apiece for Beth Jones and Daisy Bowen, a brace for Tash Allderidge and a goal and two assists for Steph Eadon - to name just four of the multiple contenders - selecting a Player of the Match was certainly challenge - but despite the goals at the other end it was the defensive unit that caught then eye and Eliot Sayavong gets the POTM accolade for a composed performance with and without the ball in a good all round performance from all of the back line.

There’s no fixture for the 1st team next week - and the following week (15th) it’s the opening round of the Derbyshire FA Women’s Plate with Pride hosting Gresley Rovers Reserves at Moorways (ko 1.30pm)