Justine Robinson scored an astonishing fourth hat-trick in a
row as Pools Women got their league season off to a flying start by thrashing
Having won 11-1 at Carlisle United in the FA Cup last
weekend, Jonathan Gibbon-Hayes' side approached their opening NERWFL Premier Division
fixture with confidence.Despite having a number of players unavailable for selection,
Pools still ran out comfortable winners on the day with skipper Robinson once
again proving invaluable for the hosts.The 29-year-old was on the scoresheet as early as the 10th
minute when she raced through on goal before smashing it beyond the City
goalkeeper to make it 1-0.Jenni Duffy-Smith's inswinging corner from the right then
set up the second as Jade Pye nodded home from close range before the same duo
combined again from a left-wing corner to make it 3-0 on 24 minutes.A wonderful through-ball from Becky Hanratty sent Robinson
one-on-one with the keeper once again just before the half-hour mark and this
time she clinically stroked a low finish in to the bottom corner.With Robinson and Robyn Ingram both having hit the woodwork
during a dominant first half, it looked like a real rout was on the cards but
Pools went in to their shells a little at the start of the second period.The visitors grew in confidence and began to knock the ball
around a little more, causing Pools a few problems down the left flank, though
keeper Becks Lillystone was rarely tested.Robinson completed her treble with another fine finish just
after the hour to make it 5-0 but it was a three-goal blast inside the final
six minutes of the game which added gloss to the scoreline.Firstly, Hanratty cleverly back-heeled her first goal for
the Club after York had failed to deal with a corner delivered in to the near
post and the forward was alert enough to take advantage.That goal obviously gave her the taste for more because
Hanratty then curled home a delicious second off the underside of the crossbar following
a flowing team move from Pools.Substitute Lucy Hammond-Garrington made it 8-0 right at the
death when her free-kick from twenty-five yards proved too hot to handle for
the visiting keeper and it squirmed through and in to the net.“We've won 8-0 but I'm still not that happy,” admittedGibbon-Hayes afterwards.
“It's about setting standards and one of those is to be
ruthless so at 4-0 on 30 minutes we need to be totally killing the game off
much better than we did.“We allowed York a 20 or 25 minutes period where they were
showing signs of getting back in to the game but our superior fitness told in
the end, I think.“We're starting the season as league favourites so to begin
with a win like that is positive and I am happy with the clean sheet too so now
we have to build on it.”Full Time: Pools 8 York City 0
Pools: Lillystone, Hampson (Garside 61), Stuart, A Smith, Stabler, Duffy-Smith, Rowbotham (Henry 75), Ingram (Portas 71), Robinson, Pye (Hammond-Garrington 68), Hanratty.
Sub not used: R Smith.