Dan McNamara was delighted with his Wolves Women side after their 6-0 victory over Derby County Women in the FAWNL on Sunday afternoon.
A Louanne Worsey hat-trick, goals from Charlotte Greengrass and Amber Hughes and an own goal helped to secure the three points in Telford on International Women’s Day.
McNamara touched on the performance, the importance of a healthy goal difference and his squad management ahead of the pivotal game against Burnley next Sunday.
On the Derby performance
“They're [Derby] a decent side. They'll come and fight for each other. They've shown in the second half more of what they're about. They were dogged and made it difficult. Two banks of five and hard to break down, but in the first half, I thought we were excellent.
“We’ve worked all week on trying to work our way in behind certain players, and then they play a different formation, but I thought the girls adapted really well in figuring that out themselves.
“So, we know we’ve got some really good quality from those wide areas, and then when you've got good players in the box, like Louanne, she gets herself a hat-trick. I thought they were excellent today, some really good moments. And we'll take that and another clean sheet, and we'll move on.”
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— Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) March 8, 2026
On the importance of squad management
“It’s a long season. We've had a few this week who've had injuries, felt little things, and, as you approach the end of the season, we've got to use the squad and get people in the best shape for next week.
“Those players on the bench will need to be putting in performances to see if they can work their way into [the team] next week. It’ll be the same for the rest of the season.
“There are a couple of injuries we've got to have look at, but other than that, all good and just minutes for everyone.”
On improving the goal difference
“We’ve fallen foul of that [goal difference], I think, twice over the eight, nine years that I've been here. It’s not nice. Look, we've got goal scorers in the team: Charlotte [Greengrass], Amber [Hughes], Louanne's [Worsey] popped up with three today, Beth Merrick.
“There are goals all over the pitch. I'm delighted with the goal return this year. I think we've been excellent, and the goal difference, look, nobody wants it to go down to goal difference when it's bitten us too many times, so we've got to keep being clinical in the right moments, and then hopefully, it doesn't come down to that, but if it does, we're in a good place.”
On next Sunday’s game against Burnley
“Everyone can tell me it's the biggest game of the season because it's the next game, so it is the biggest game of the season, as was today. I just want to congratulate the girls on what we're doing. They're incredible, on International Women's Day. I think, again, they represent the football club tremendously well.
“We head up there full of confidence next week. We're going to a place where we shouldn't win. The pressure isn't on us to win. Burnley have spent unbelievable amounts of money this year, so they have to win. We'll go there and try and cause an upset as we did a couple of years ago and see where it takes us. But look, we're still fighting against a very, very good Burley side who are full-time.
“These girls are off back to work tomorrow, so they won't prepare for the game as well as the opposition, but we've got to make sure we utilise that to try and get the best out of the girls and put them in a good place, because they deserve to enjoy next week, win, lose, or draw. Then there are five more games after that, so we'll see what happens. We're excited, and we're looking forward to it.”
By Harry Cooper-Smith
