FAWNL Week Four Round Up

Some surprising results in Division One North and Northern Premier Division this weekend means the league tables have a noticeably different look to how they did last Monday morning but if there's one constant in FAWNL tiers three and four, Anna Soulsby will score goals.

Bridget Galloway made her first league start for Nottingham Forest yesterday. Surprisingly in a 9-0 Forest win Galloway was not amongst the scorers. Bridget was one of three half time changes made by Forest, going into the break 3-0 up against Stourbridge the match was effectively over at that point. I've not seen any highlights and the Twitter feed only mentions the first half goals but I hope Bridget impressed on her full league debut.

A surprising 1-2 loss to Stoke City for early pacesetters Rugby Borough and a narrow 0-1 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers for Burnley sees Nottingham Forest go out on their own at the top of the league. The only Northern Premier Division team on 12 points after 4 matches, Forest are already on a very healthy +24 goal difference.They could extend their lead further next weekend if they were to beat Burnley in Nottingham.

Elsewhere, no Daisy Burt in the Derby County squad this weekend but a 0-0 draw away to Halifax sees them 6th in the table on 7 points. Erin Nelson came on for the last 20 minutes of Stoke City's 2-1 win over Rugby Borough, the 3 points taking Stoke to 8th on 6 points. Only Stourbridge and Sporting Khalsa are yet to pick up their first points. 

Despite a surprising 4-2 (half time 1-0) loss to Cheadle Town Stingers which sees Cestria slip from top spot to 4th, Anna Soulsby was once again on the scoresheet maintaining her place at the top of the golden boot competition and the only player in the league to score in every game, a record she has held since game week two. No goal this weekend for Middlesbrough's in form Ellen Turnbull helped Anna's golden boot chances but two goals for former NUW player Bianca Owens moves the Norton forward into contention.

As it stands through four matches:

Anna Soulsby (Durham Cestria) 6
Jessica Gillin (Cheadle) 4
Katie Astle (York), Lucy Farrow (Doncaster), Harriet Houghton (Cheadle), Biance Owens (Norton), Jasmine Saxon (Doncaster), Ellen Turnbull (Middlesbrough) and Amy Woodruff (Leeds) all on 3 goals.

A further 13 players on 2 goals. 

Middlesbrough, in what appears to now be a regular starting 11, again saw Ellen Packham, Ellen Turnbull, Lauren Robson, Millie Bell, Sarah Burn (Captain) and Grace Boyes start the match with Sharna Wilkinson and Keira Skelton on the bench.

It took Robson just 4 minutes to open the scoring, a shot from the edge of the box following up a previously blocked shot. Second consecutive match now where Robson has scored the first goal of the game.

Sharna Wilkinson came on as a substitute just before half time for an injured Sarah Burn. Hopefully the Boro captain is not out for too long, best wishes Sarah. 

With the match tied at 2-2, Kiera Skelton came on as a 64th minute sub. After an injury in May 2023, Skelton's debut last weekend was her first competitive football in 483 days. Best of luck for the season ahead Kiera.

An 88th minute Jess Mett goal sent Boro top of the league and Skelton almost topped the day off with a 90th minute long range screamer but it went narrowly wide of the post.

No tier 4 league matches next weekend due to the FAWNL Cup but Cestria travel to Leeds United a week on Sunday and Middlesbrough host Huddersfield Town.

Lastly, not FAWNL related, but congratulations to former Manchester City and England captain, Northeast born Steph Houghton for completing yesterday’s Great North Run in support of the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation which aims to raise awareness of MND whilst funding research and support. The charity was co-founded by Steph’s husband, former Liverpool player Stephen Darby who is living with motor neurone disease. Well done Steph, hope the fundraising went well.