Boldmere St. Michaels Women 0-4 Nottingham Forest Women (Friendly) 23.05.21
In collecting their seventh post-season victory in nine outings, Forest Women wrapped up a comfortable, 4-0 win, away to the Sutton Coldfield-based, FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands outfit, on Sunday afternoon, Sophia Bonser bagging a brace in the process.
Implementing a mixture of youth, and experience, Head Coach Andy Cook would see his side race out of the blocks, taking a commanding, two-goal lead, inside the opening twenty minutes.
In fact, the first goal arrived within two minutes of kick-off, Kirsty Matthews latching onto a loose ball at range, and unleashed a shot from over twenty-five yards out, the home ‘keeper beaten as the ball arrowed into the bottom right-hand corner.
During a strong, opening quarter for the home side, Rachel Brown seeing a couple of efforts go begging, the lead would be finally doubled in the eighteenth, Sophia Bonser at the ready to match what Matthews had done earlier, unleashing this time into the opposite corner.
As the half ticked on, the Garibaldi saw further efforts on the home goal as Bonser, Brown, and Niamh Reynolds unable to add to the score, Forest taking in a comfortable, two-goal lead at the break.
The second period would carry on as the first finished, efforts raining in on the St. Michaels net, the visitors looking to put the game to bed early, Olivia Cook seeing an effort come back off the crossbar with efforts coming from Bonser, Brown and Hayley James.
Lucy Jones meanwhile, playing the full ninety in the visitors, kept the Garibaldi in the game when called upon, holding firm between the sticks and repelling any attempts on her before that lead was finally added to.
This time Brown gets herself on the scoresheet, flicking home from the edge of the box, the ball dipping under the crossbar at the last; she’d have further attempts herself to add to the score-line later in the game.
With the game heading into the final minutes, there was still time for number four, and it was Bonser, who’d returned to the fray minutes earlier, who was at hand to bulge the back of the net.
Levelling up with Charlotte Greengrass and Charlotte Steggles, Bonser’s second afternoon, her fourth in post-season, was a neat little placement onto the bottom corner from close range to put the seal on a third, 4-0 win on the road.
Andy Cook’s side face their final, post-season outing this coming Sunday, 30 May, when they travel to Oxford United Women of the FA Women’s National Southern Premier Division.
Forest: Lucy Jones, Hayley James, Lyndsey Harkin, Olivia Cook (Dexter 84), Kirsty Matthews, Alice Higginbottom (Farthing, 63), Rosie Axten (Bonser, 84), Rachel Brown, Niamh Reynolds, Sophia Bonser (Betts, 63), Laura Dexter (Fisher, 46).
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NFFCWomen Poppy Scholefield after Forest’s win.
