Forest Women Hit Six In Friendly Win

Long Eaton United Ladies 0-6 Nottingham Forest Women (Friendly) 18/04/21

Six goals, a clean-sheet, and a run-out for every member of Andy Cook’s twenty person squad, including another ninety minute play from ‘keeper Aja Aguirre, featured in Nottingham Forest Women’s dominant, 6-0 win away to Long Eaton Ladies of the FA Women’s National League Division One – Midlands.

In kicking off it took more than thirty minutes before the deadlock would be broken, not through lack of trying though as Rosie Axten, Sophia Bonser and Bolu Fisher all had early chances before the former of the three, Axten, fired home the first.

In firing home into the bottom, left-hand corner, Axten effectively opened the floodgates, and Cook’s charges never looked back, the lead being doubled less than a minute later, Annabel McKechnie making it two, the assist coming from Axten leaving her with work to do, but she held the ball up well, beat several defenders, and fired home.

It would be three come the break, this time Charlotte Greengrass would benefit from Axten’s hard work, the scorer turning provider, crossing for Greengrass to make the visitors comfortable heading into the break.

The second period began with a trio of changes from Cook, bringing on Grace Walters, Laura-Jayne O’Neill, and Sophie Tudor, then, ten minutes later, that of Olivia Cook, Charlotte Steggles, and Laura Dexter, were brought into the fray.

Katie Middleton had a couple of chances to extend the Reds’ lead but to no avail, she eventually netting as the game headed into the final twenty, registering her third goal in two games, and again, Axten was seen to play a major part in the goal, setting Poppy Scholefield through on goal, Scholefield rounding the home ‘keeper before squaring to Middleton who slotted home.

Bonser and Fisher returned to the fray for the final fifteen, replacing the hard-working pair of captain Lyndsey Harkin, and the ever-industrious, Axten, before, in the closing minutes, a quick-fire brace from Charlotte Steggles, who came on thirty minutes earlier, put the icing on the cake.

Laura Dexter would be the provider for both of Steggles’ goals, the first sending Steggles away in the box, finishing neatly at the near post, and the second following a cross which Steggles headed over the oncoming home ‘keeper to wrap up an emphatic result.

With two-wins-from-two in post-season friendlies, scoring nine and conceding two, Forest Women make the short trip to Nottingham Trent University for an evening kick-off on Tuesday night, before heading to the north-east this coming Sunday, and Newcastle United Women.

Forest: Aja Aguirre, Hayley James (Grace Walters 46), Lyndsey Harkin (Sophia Bonser 73), Charlotte Greengrass (Olivia Cook 55), Sophia Bonser (Laura-Jayne O’Neill 46), Mai Moncaster (Sophie Tudor 46), Bolu Fisher (Katie Middleton 32), Sydnie Naylor (Charlotte Steggles 55), Rachel Brown (Poppy Scholefield 27), Rosie Axten (Bolu Fisher 73), Annabel McKechnie (Laura Dexter 55).

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFCWomen the girls run out prior to kick off at Long Eaton.

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