Burnley Women 1-4 Nottingham Forest Women (FA Womens National League North) 22.08.21

An emphatic finish to the game would see Nottingham Forest come away from their trip to Burnley, and the Wham Stadium, with a 4-1 win at the weekend, and this after picking up a point in the season opening, goalless draw against Huddersfield Town the previous week.

In putting out an unchanged, starting eleven, from those that earnt the club its first point of the season, Forest actually fell behind within the opening twenty minutes, Dominique Cooper opening the scoring for the Clarets, a cross from a raid down the left finding her free at the far post – the lead however, would not last too long.

In fact, the hosts’ lead lasted but a matter of minutes before Lyndsey Harkin found Sophie Bramford with a deep ball into the hosts’ box and, although it was cleared, it only reached Freya Thomas found the back of the net with a volley that took a slight deflection on its way in, level pegging again.

Although both sides continued to have chances, it would be the visitors who would go into the break with the upper hand.

A little over five minutes before the break, Jade Arber finds her effort playing ping-pong off the woodwork, before bouncing into Lauren Bracewell’s goal, the hard-working nature from both sides prominent throughout the first half.

The hosts would come out strong in the second, searching for an equaliser, one which nearly arrived through Nic Worthington, but it would be the visitors substitutions that would pay dividends, the hosts rocked by an injury to ‘keeper Bracewell, she being replaced early in the second by Lucy Farrell.

As the game progressed, Cook’s charges found more space and, as the closing minutes beckoned, they put their hosts to the sword, adding a quick-fire double from two of their four substitutes.

First, Mai Moncaster, who’d only entered the fray around ten minutes earlier, made it 3-1 when she followed up an effort from the ever-industrious Arber, she finding an effort coming back off the bar only for Moncaster to grab her first of the campaign.

Then, as the game headed towards stoppage time, there would be a customary goal from Rosie Axten, in her first appearance of the season, slotting home to wrap up an impressive, come-from-behind, 4-1 win.

Although early days, victory lifted Forest into joint second, two points behind the joint leaders Fylde Ladies, and Wolverhampton Wanderers Ladies, both of whom boast early, 100% records – next up for the Garibaldi Ladies, a home game on Thursday night, when Sheffield FC visit Eastwood (KO 19:45), before visiting Hull City Ladies on Sunday afternoon.

Forest: Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Rachel Brown, Olivia Cook, Jade Arber, Amy West (Georgia Hewitt, 63), Sophie Bramford (Charlotte Steggles 88), Laura-Jayne O’Neill, Freya Thomas (Mai Moncaster 76), Becky Anderson, Charlotte Greengrass (Rosie Axten 63).

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFCWomen the reds were in scoring form on Sunday.