Forest Women Win Again

Nottingham Forest seems to have steadied themselves in the WSL2, and sit third following Sundays come-from-behind, 4-1 win at home to Portsmouth.

The visitors took the lead after twelve minutes when a through-ball from Ella Rutherford saw Meg Hornby slip in behind the Reds defence and slot the ball into Emily Batty, in the home goal’s far corner.

Both sides had chances but it would be the visitors who’d go in with a lone-goal, interval lead, the Reds getting back on level terms twelve minutes into the second half, and a goal which, perhaps surprisingly, opened the floodgates.

The first came via a Reds set-piece routine, corner from Vivienne Lia, back-post header from Jessie Stapleton, 1-1; the Reds came close to taking the lead eight minutes later but Garcia’s goal-bound effort was cleared off the line.

But the lead was gained with thirteen minutes remaining when Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah fired home from distance, before Reds’ boss, Carly Davies, changed things up as the game headed into the final ten minutes, bringing on Aimee Claypole, Hollie Olding and Caragh Hamilton.

It would be two of those substitutions who’d put the emphatic exclamation mark on the result as first Claypole, and then Olding, both netted in added time to wrap up a valuable, three points.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST – Emily Batty, Jessica Stapleton, Chloe Mustaki, Deanne Rose (Aimee Claypole, 82), Vivienne Lia (Caragh Hamilton, 85), Amy Rodgers, Mollie Green (capt), Freya Thomas, Nahikari Garcia (Hollie Olding, 82), Kirsty Smith, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah

Meanwhile, in the Women’s FA Cup, there was history made as several Notts-based clubs reached the First Round Proper for the first time.

FA Women’s National League side, Notts County, were soundly beaten, 5-1 away to Peterborough United, to exit the competition; Laura Vina netted for the visitors but three, quick-fire goals for the hosts, in just as many minutes after the restart, eased them through.

Mansfield Town progressed with a 5-0 win away to Thurmaston DFC; goalless at the break the visitors ran riot in the second half with goals for Ainsley Allan, Shannon Purdy, Katie Platts, Millie Mellors, and Olivia Standeven.

Meanwhile, the magnificent cup runs of both SJR Worksop, and University of Nottingham, continued, they also winning on the road to progress.

SJR eased themselves to a 9-1 win away to Brookside Athletic, Lauren Brogan grabbing a hat-trick, whilst UoN progressed with a 4-3 win at Brunsmeer Athletic.

Several games also took place in the East Midlands League, Arnold Eagles winning 3-1 at Newark Town, and Notts County Development losing 1-0 at Lincoln United Development in

Division One North, whilst Nottingham Trent won 5-1 against visiting Sherwood, and West Bridgford were beaten 2-0 at Long Eaton United in Division One Central.