Rosie Hughes hit yet another Wrexham AFC hat-trick – helping her pass 50 goals for the Club – as Wrexham AFC Women started the Genero Adran North season with a big away win at Llanfair United.
Hughes scored twice before the break, as did new signing Ava Suckley, while Libby Mackenzie also opened the season with a goal.
And Wrexham’s prolific striker sealed her treble after the break to cap a fine afternoon in mid-Wales.
Manager Steve Dale named Suckley in his starting line-up for the first time in a competitive game, while Lauryn Lyons, Lauren McCaffrey and Bethan Jones were all on the bench for the first time.
It was last season’s Player of the Season who was straight on the front foot, however.
She nearly scored within a minute – her cross being tipped onto the bar, before Rebecca Pritchard’s follow-up was saved at point-blank range.
Six minutes later, however, Hughes’ account for the season was opened – Mackenzie crossed low, and Hughes tapped in from close-range.
The ball was in the net again a minute later, as Suckley slotted in, but the whistle had already gone for a Hughes handball.
A stoppage mid-way through the half, for a Llanfair injury, proved a turning point though – Wrexham flying out of the traps on the restart.
First Mackenzie got the final touch to force the ball home after TJ Dickens’ corner was not dealt with on 25 minutes.
Then, Hughes scored her 50th Wrexham goal, running onto a through ball to slot in from close-range on 27 minutes.
TJ Dickens’ last-ditch block saved a certain goal a minute later at the other end, but it was a rare sight at goal for the hosts.
Instead, Suckley got in on the act – heading in at the back post from Rebecca Pritchard’s deep, right-wing cross on 33 minutes.
Wrexham could have added to it too, as first Mackenzie’s long-range, dipping shot clipped the bar on 37 minutes, and then Kim Dutton’s long-range strike was parried clear in the 41st minute.
The pressure finally told on 43 minutes, however – Suckley finding space from distance and curling low into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
Wrexham began the second-half as they finished the first, and Hughes just could not get enough on Pritchard’s cross to turn home on 48 minutes.
Hughes did seal her hat-trick ten minutes later, however – though it was very nearly Suckley who recorded Wrexham’s first treble of the season. Suckley placed the ball low across goal and the ball bounced off the inside of the post but straight to Hughes to finish.
Llanfair did create chances, and Morgan parried a long-range shot wide on 71 minutes, while Steve Dale rotated his squad; Lauren Lyons, Lauren McCaffrey and Bethan Jones all made their Wrexham debuts.
McCaffrey nearly joined Suckley in scoring a debut goal too – running from left to right before dragging a low shot wide from.
Wrexham AFC Women: Morgan, Clifton-Stringer (Buckley 68), Lyons , Lovett, Sharp, Roberts, Dutton (B.Jones 80), Dickens, Pritchard, Suckley (McCaffrey 68), Mackenzie (Lyons 56), Hughes (Lightfoot 80)