FAWNL Week Five Round Up

I'm watching NUFC men vs Wolves as I write this and thinking there's no way this can top last season's trip to the Midlands to watch the lasses agains Wolves. Without doubt one of the highlights of last season's away days, never have I seen a goal silence home supporters as instantly as Katie Barker's 89th minute winner did. 

But back to today, FAWNL Plate / FAWNL Cup matches this weekend meant Anna Soulsby and Durham Cestria have a weekend off however there were plenty of goals across the Cup matches and a chance for Nottingham Forest to open up a six point lead over promotion rivals Burnley in the Northern Premier Division. 

The FAWNL Plate determining round saw Norton & Stockton Ancients come out on top of an 8 goal thriller, progressing into the first round proper following a 5-3 AET win against Doncaster Rovers Belles. The Norton starting 11 featured both Bianca Owens, who would play a significant role in the match and Cara Milne-Redhead who didn't have a half marathon to run prior to kick off this week. 

Owens could have given Norton the lead after 20 minutes but was denied by the goal post. Both teams headed in for half-time with the match scoreless. 

The Doncaster opener on 60 minutes was almost cancelled out barely a minute later, Owens once again hitting the woodwork, this time the underside of the bar, with a shot straight from kick off which beat the keeper but didn't cross the line. Owens did tie things up in the 69th minute, intercepting a poor clearance from Doncaster and hitting the back of the net with a left footed shot. 

A minute later, Norton 1 - 2 Doncaster. 

Scores once again levelled by Owens in the 78th minute, receiving a pass at her feet in the penalty area and hitting a low shot into the corner of the goal. 

4 minutes later, Norton 2 - 3 Doncaster. 

89th minute heroics from, once again, Bianca Owens kept Norton in the Plate. Seemingly a similar goal to her second, Owens was once again picked out in the box and found the bottom corner to send the tie to extra time. 

A 105th minute Norton goal from debutant Annie Mitchell put the home side in front for the first time in the match before a 4th Owens goal 20 minutes into extra time, a header in off the bar,  put the game out of Doncaster's reach. Quite possibly a perfect hat trick for Bianca across her four goals.

Jason "Mad Dog" Tindall has just been booked, again. Has there ever been a more beloved NUFC assistant manager?

In the FAWNL Cup determining round, tier 4 Middlesbrough travelled to tier 3 Stourbridge. Following last weekends injury to Sarah Burn, Sharna Wilkinson made her first start for Middlesbrough alongside former NUW goal keeper Laura Wareham (Captain), Ellen Packham, Ellen Turnbull, Lauren Robson, Leanna Giles and Millie Bell. The Boro bench included Jane Harland, Keira Skelton, Beth Guy and Grace Boyes. 

It didn't take Wilkinson long to make an impression, setting up the opening goal for Jess Mett who 'megged the Stourbridge keeper after 16 minutes. 

Following a 35th minute equaliser for the hosts, Ellen Turnbull and Lauren Robson, a prolific partnership this season, again combined to see Robson put Boro back in front with a shot into the bottom corner. The eighth goal in all competitions between the pair six games into the season. 

Almost goal nine for the Turnbull Robson partnership six minutes into the second half, a Robson strike from outside the box hitting the woodwork. A minute later Robson turned provider setting up Abby Towers to give Boro a two goal lead. 

Much like Sharna at the start of the match, Keira Skelton did not take long to contribute. After coming on as a 61st minute sub, it took Skelton all of eight minutes to set up Robson for her second of the match, squaring the ball to the oncoming forward who hit her shot into the top of the net. Four in three games now for Robson. 

In league action, Bridget Galloway was named as a substitute as league leaders Nottingham Forest looked to pull clear of promotion rivals Burnley at the City Ground. The Forest Twitter feed did not mention if Galloway came on. A 31st minute goal for Forest was cancelled out in the 80th minute, Forest remain 3 points clear of Burnley who drop to 4th after today's draw. 

After last weekends surprise loss to Stoke City, second placed Rugby Borough returned to winning ways today with a 0-5 away win against West Bromwich Albion. It promises to be an interesting promotion race between Forest and Rugby. 

Separate to NUW's opening home match of the season next Sunday, Cestria are back in league action away at Leeds United, Middlesbrough host Huddersfield Town and Norton & Stockton Ancients travel to AFC Fylde. 

Nottingham Forest visit Hull City and Erin Nelson's Stoke City host Wolves. 

Wolves 1 - 2 NUFC. Not quite as dramatic as last season but a good result all the same.