Bolton Wanderers Women were on the wrong side of a narrow 2-1 defeat - their first league loss under club operations - to Darwen Ladies despite a spirited performance that could have resulted in points on another day.
The Whites went down 2-0 midway through the first half, and despite Faye Knox's 42nd minute strike to reduce the deficit and creating a number of chances in the second 45, Darwen held out for all three points.
The opening fixture saw a fresh look to Wanderers squad, with five new signings making their debuts. Lucy Walsh, Heidi Clark, Zara Plano, Natasha Dale and Evie Sadler were named in the starting line-up, along with Sanah Mehdi, who was named on the bench as Myles Smith's side looked to kick off the new campaign with victory.
Wanderers started brightly and almost took an early lead inside two minutes. Knox drove forward with intent before linking with Madison Hardman, who cut the ball back for for the wing-back to strike first time, but her effort flew over the bar.
At the other end, a snapshot on the turn from Darwen’s Abi Duffell was deflected behind by Evie Sadler for a corner. It proved to be a timely reminder to Wanderers of the threat their opposition posed and they were punished shortly after.
From the resulting delivery, a goalmouth scramble saw the ball fall to Jasmine Dawkes, who finished low into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
A loose touch in midfield gifted another opportunity for Duffell on 16 minutes, though her shot flew wide of Annabelle White’s post.
Knox was trying to drive Wanderers back into the game and came close to an equaliser moments later with a bouncing effort that forced the keeper into action, tipping it superbly onto the post and behind for a corner.
Midway through the half, Zara Plano’s well-delivered corner found Heidi Clark inside the area, but the defender couldn’t keep her header down from the penalty spot and looped behind.
The visitors then doubled their advantage just after the half-hour mark as LouLou Newton found space and rifled an effort into the top corner from 25 yards, giving White no chance.
But Bolton responded well and were rewarded just before the break. Having tested her range on a couple of occasions earlier, the Wales youth international halved the deficit with a superb strike into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper rooted with an arrowed effort.
The Whites were on the front foot now, and almost equalised two minutes later when Lucy Walsh’s drilled effort from a corner was scrambled cleared off the line allowing the hosts to take a lead into the break.
Wanderers came out into the second half strong, with a change in the form of Eleanor Seals for Charlotte Tyers, and within five minutes, new signing Evie Sadler teed up Knox on the edge of the box, but her effort rolled narrowly wide.
Five minutes later, Sadler led a break forward with a driving run before expertely playing it wide to Natasha Dale. Dale laid it off to Ocean Flanagan, who found Knox once more, but she dragged her shot wide of the post in what would have been a fantastic team goal.
Flanagan went close herself on the hour mark, unleashing a powerful strike from distance that clipped the crossbar on its way over.
Mehdi then entered the action for her debut and was busy in the attacking areas as the away side went in search of their leveller.
They continued to keep the pressure on and Plano thought she had equalised with a strike that look destined for the top corner but a brilliant save pushed it over the bar.
From the resulting corner, Knox rose highest to power a header towards goal but saw it cleared off the line.
The final chance of the game came a minute later as Knox’s free kick zipped through a crowded box, but the Darwen keeper did well to hold on under immense pressure.
Whilst the result didn’t go their way, there were clear signs of positivity from a new-look side still finding their rhythm.
With several debutants impressing and moments of quality throughout, Wanderers will take heart from the performance as they continue to build chemistry ahead of Wednesday's visit of FC United of Manchester at their new home of Victory Park.
Wanderers: White, Clark, Holt, Clarke, Tyers, Sadler, Hardman, Walsh, Plano, Dale, Flanagan, Knox
Subs: Baldwin, Smith, Seals, Clarke, Mendi
Darwen: Hunter, Macpherson, Smith, Yeoman, Parkinson, Metcalfe, Ratcliffe, Duffell, McKenna, Dawkes
Subs: May, Greenall, Newton, Thompson, Lindsay
Report by Katherine Byrne. Pictures by Jake Horrocks.