FAWNL Midweek Roundup

Northern Premier Division

As we approach the end of the season, the majority of teams having 7 matches left to play, Wednesday and Thursday of this week saw the final midweek round of matches take place for tier 3. 

With Wolves being in FA Cup action last weekend Nottingham Forest opened up a 3 point lead at the top of the league. 2nd placed Wolves hosted 10th placed Sporting Khalsa on Wednesday evening, Khalsa looking to do Forest's promotion chances a big favour holding the promotion chasing Midlands side to a 0-0 draw at half time. A determined Wolves came out in the second half, Racheal Quigley putting them ahead with a tap in from a yard out after a goal mouth scramble. 

Two in three minutes ended the match as a contest. Abi Loydon hitting the top corner in the 63rd minute to make it 2-0 with her first league goal of the season and, a minute after coming on as a sub, Charlotte Greengrass who was Forest's top scorer in the league last season and is currently second top scorer in the league for Wolves this season, made it 3-0. Fellow 65th minute substitute Destiney Toussant added a 4th in the 88th minute to end the scoring for the evening, also her first league goal of the season. 

This win moved Wolves level on points with Forest and reduced the goal difference gap from 16 to 12. 

Former Lady Mag Erin Nelson's Stoke City hosted NUW loanee defender Daisy Burt's Derby County on Wednesday evening. 

Nelson came on as a sub for the last 10 mins of the match, Burt going off as a sub after 74 mins. 

Big 4-1 win for Stoke City, two goals either side of half time. That's a 5 game winning streak now for Stoke City, including the FAWNL Cup semi-final, and keeps them within touching distance of the top 3, 3 points behind Burnley and 4 behind Wolves. 

Important 5-0 win for Burnley over Liverpool Feds keeping them in touch with the top 2.

Thursday evening saw Forest host Rugby Borough at the City Ground. As per last weekend, no Bridget Galloway in the squad, Naomi Bedeau and Sophie Haywood on the bench. 

Limited chances for both sides saw Forest go into the half-time break goalless which would only extend their lead over Wolves by a point. 

With full-time rapidly approaching and a 0-0 draw looking inevitable, after being brought on as a 65th minute sub Haywood played Mel Johnson through on goal for the striker to score her 3rd in 2 games earning Forest all 3 points and maintaining their 3 point lead. First assist for Haywood since her loan to Forest, I expect there will be more before the end of the season and some goals. 

5 clean sheets in a row now for Emily Batty.

Division One North

Boro had the chance to top tier 4 on Wednesday evening with a trip to York City. 

Keira Skelton returned to the Boro starting 11 for the first time since October alongside former NUW players Laura Wareham, Ellen Packham, Ellen Turnbull, Lauren Robson, Leanna Giles, Sharna Wilkinson, Millie Bell, Grace Boyes (C) & Kacie Elson. 

Early chances for Elson to get her first goal for Boro, including what would've been a spectacular bicycle kick which was unfortunately flagged for offside and a chance for Turnbull which went narrowly over the bar as the visitors pushed for an opener. 

The goal did come on 18 minutes, Wilkinson playing a diagonal pass from the left corner of the box to the far post, the ball was knocked back across goal, I believe by Boyes, to Jess Mett who hammered home a header for her second in two games. 

Lively first half for Elson and chances for Turnbull and Robson but score remained 0-1 at half time. 

Armani Maxwell replaced Kacie Elson after 54 minutes, 15 minutes later Georgia Gibson and Becky Ferguson replaced goal scorer Jess Mett and Lauren Robson. 

York City levelled on 72 minutes, chances followed for Boro including for Ferguson but nothing quite came off and the score finished 1-1.

A draw for Boro could've been sufficient to keep them within a point of league leaders Cheadle Town Stingers but a 13th minute goal from Imogen Porteous-Williams was enough to secure a huge 3 points for Cheadle opening the gap to 3 points and 6 goals but crucially Boro have a game in hand. I wouldn't be surprised if this one goes right to the end of the season. 

1-0 win for Chorley against AFC Fylde keeps them in 3rd but I suspect the title race is down to the top 2.

No midweek match for Cestria this week.