FAWNL Weekend 18

With 7 weeks to go until the final day of the FAWNL season on 27th April and most teams down to their last 4 or 5 league fixtures, the run in is very much underway and after yesterdays results the promotion race in both Division One North and Northern Premier Division has effectively come down to a straight shootout between the top two clubs in each league. 

Northern Premier Division

Going into kick off yesterday, Forest and Wolves were both on 42 points, Forest 10 goals better off with GD of +51 compared to +41 and a game in hand. On paper, Forest had the more difficult match yesterday travelling to 4th placed Burnley whilst Wolves were away to 9th placed Hull City. 

Another weekend without Bridget Galloway in the Forest squad and no Naomi Bedeau this weekend but on loan NUW winger Sophie Haywood did make the bench. 

The visitors had the best of the opening 20 minutes with some promising forward play from Sophie Domingo and Millie Chandarana but no clear opportunities on goal. Burnley's first chance came after 19 minutes. a shot from outside the area that didn't require a save from Emily Batty as it was dragged wide. 

The breakthrough came just before the half hour mark, Hollie Olding finding Mel Johnson in space with a cross field pass, Johnson in turn found Domingo who found the back of the net for her 11th goal of the season. 

Forest doubled their lead 5 minutes later. A long range shot from Olding was tipped over the bar by Burnley's keeper. From the resulting corner Freya Thomas headed home her 9th of the season at the near post. 

Comfortable second half for Forest with Emily Batty not really put under any pressure. Top scorer Charlie Wellings almost made it 0-3 with her 20th goal of the season in all competitions but she was denied by the wood work. 

Sophie Haywood replaced Sophie Domingo in the 90th minute but the match was effectively over as a contest at that point. 

With 5 league matches to play, Forest remain the only tier 3 team, North or South, without a league loss this season. The loss to Newcastle United Women in the FA Cup is Forest's only loss this season, an amazing record of P26 W22 D3 L1 Scored 97 Conceded 8. 18 clean sheets across all competitions and nobody has scored more than 1 against them in a match. 

This loss drops Burnley 8 points behind Forest, with 5 matches left I feel that's too big a gap to make up and Burnley are now effectively out of the title race. 

After going 1-0 down in the first 5 minutes, Wolves equalised 6 minutes later through Destiney Toussaint with what was intended to be a ball into the box but looped over the Hull City keeper into the net. 

On the 32nd minute, Hull City again took the lead and the score remained 2-1 at half time. 

Limited chances for both teams in the second half. Abbi Jenner with, I believe, her first goal of the season once again pulled Wolves level after 76 minutes, hitting a volley from the edge of the box after a Wolves corner was cleared. 

Almost straight from kick off, Wolves went ahead for the first time in the match, leading scorer Charlotte Greengrass' shot being turned into their own net by a Hull defender. 

Much like the 3-3 Charlton Athletic draw at Kingston Park earlier this season and Amber's red card, in what could prove, in Wolves case, hugely significant in the promotion race they were down to 10 players in the 83rd minute when Becky Anderson received a 10 minute sin bin. 

10 minutes later, 3 mins into stoppage time, Hope Knight with a crucial goal levelled for Hull City and has potentially given Forest one hand on the trophy. If Forest win their game in hand that's a 5 point lead over Wolves and at least a 12 goal advantage. 

Stoke City continue to push the top two. Two goals in each half saw them run out comfortable 4-0 winners at home to Stourbridge. Erin Nelson was named on the bench for Stoke but I don't believe she came on in this match. 

They are now only 2 points behind Forest but have fewer matches remaining than both Forest and Wolves and are 9 goals worse off than Wolves. Very impressive season though and could still win the FAWNL Cup a week on Sunday.

Congratulations to Stoke City Devs, a 1-6 win at Peterborough United on Sunday evening saw then crowned FAWNL Reserve Midland Division Champions. 

72 mins for on loan NUW defender Daisy Burt in a 2-1 loss to Liverpool Feds for Derby County. Nice to see some NUW fans going along to support Daisy. 

Burnley 0 - 2 Nottingham Forest
Halifax 0 - 1 Sporting Khalsa
Hull City 3 - 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Liverpool Feds 2 - 1 Derby County
Rugby Borough 0 - 1 West Bromwich Albion
Stoke City 4 - 0 Stourbridge

 

Division One North

Middlesbrough found themselves in second place 3 points and 8 goals behind league leaders Cheadle Town Stingers going into yesterday's games. Boro hosted 8th placed Stockport County whilst Cheadle travelled to bottom two side Doncaster Rovers Belles. 

No Kacie Elson in the Boro squad yesterday, I hope she’s not injured I really want Kacie to have some success with Boro after everything she did to get NUW to where they are, but still a strong line up including Laura Wareham, Keira Skelton, Ellen Packham, Ellen Turnbull, Lauren Robson, Leanna Giles, Millie Bell & Grace Boyes (C). Amongst the subs Sharna Wilkinson, Becky Ferguson and Georgia Gibson who has recently made her international debut for UAE. Congratulations Georgia.

Again, with no NUW match yesterday, it was nice to see some of our fans go along to support Boro. Also nice to see many clubs paying tribute to Poppy Atkinson who tragically passed away last week. Rest in peace Poppy.

Positive start from Boro. With only 7 minutes gone a Lauren Robson corner found Millie Bell at the back post to head the home side ahead. 4 minutes later Robson almost had her second assist of the match, Leanna Giles making a late run into the box got on the end of a square ball from Robson but Giles was denied by the wood work. 

Potentially a hat trick of assists in the first 15 minutes. Robson played Ellen Turnbull into the box but Turnbull's shot hit the side netting. 

Skelton almost setup Armani Maxwell but the in form forward had strayed offside. 

The second Boro goal, and second assist for Robson, did come just before the half hour point. Jess Mett won the ball well into the Stockport half. She played in Robson in the centre of the pitch who in turn set up Maxwell to drive the ball into the bottom right corner. 

Approaching half time, Robson had the chance to get on the scoresheet herself but her free kick was blocked by the Stockport wall. 

On 38 minutes, Maxwell again made it 3-0 with a beauty of a goal from the edge of the box. Some hit by Maxwell, gave the keeper no chance with a rocket into the top corner. Well worth taking a look at on Boro's social media. 

Just before half time Jess Mett wrapped up the scoring for the day. Robson with a cross to the far post from a short corner, Millie Bell headed it back across the goal for Mett to hammer it home. 

Becky Ferguson replaced Jess Mett a little over an hour into the match and Gibson replaced Robson with 20 minutes to go. Nothing that caused Wareham too many problems in the second half. 

A 0-3 win for Cheadle, again all the goals coming in the first half, means the gap between the top two remains at 3 points with Boro having a game in hand. The goal difference gap has reduced by 1 to a 7 goal advantage for Cheadle. 

Cheadle's remaining league fixtures are Norton & Stockton Ancients (H), Huddersfield Town (A) and AFC Fylde (H). If there's any match where they might drop points it's most likely Huddersfield. Boro play Norton & Stockton Ancients (H), Durham Cestria (A), Doncaster Rovers Belles (H)(at the Riverside) and Barnsley FC (A). 

It's a shame the final El Lassico of the season falls on the same day as the Tyne Wear derby at St. James' Park. 

For the second time in 3 matches, a goal in the last 10 minutes denied Cestria of any points. After going 2-0 down to 10th placed York City inside 25 minutes Cestria pulled it back to 2-2 via goals from Becca Bell, winner of last season's most improved player award for Cestria, in the 38th minute and Ashley Townsend in the 76th. In between, Cestria were denied a 3rd when Lucy May Noble hit the bar on 65 minutes.

With 2 minutes of the 90 left to play York City secured all 3 points when second half substitute Emia Hendrickson-Eastwood took advantage of a failed clearance to hit the top corner. Huge result for York City which sees them open up a 5 point gap over the bottom two with a game in hand. 

Chorley 4 - 1 Barnsley FC
Doncaster Rovers Belles 0 - 3 Cheadle Town Stingers
AFC Fylde 0 - 1 Huddersfield Town
Leeds United 3 - 0 Norton & Stockton Ancients
Middlesbrough 4 - 0 Stockport County
York City 3 - 2 Durham Cestria

 

Rounding out this weekend, congratulations to our friends at Mancunian Unity, a 5-1 victory over Penrith AFC at the Vestacare Stadium sees Unity progress to the semi-final of the Alliance Design & Print Cup. First half goals for Millie Jardine (penalty) and Sadie Mitchell along with Liz Ince, a second for Jardine and Debbie Price in the second half. 

Best of luck in the semi-final to everyone at the club and also for next weekend's Manchester County Cup semi-final against Cheadle Town Stingers.