Forest Beaten For First Time

Wolverhampton Wanderers Women 1-0 Nottingham Forest Women (Women’s National League North) 05.09.21

The Manger of the Month Award curse struck at the CKW Stadium, Wolverhampton, on Sunday afternoon as Andy Cook’s Nottingham Forest Women lost for the first time this season, falling to a lone goal defeat against top-of-the-table rivals, Wolverhampton Wanderers Women,

Fielding an unchanged starting eleven to that which saw off, emphatically, Hull City Ladies last weekend, Sophie Bramford making her way onto the bench; this though, was as tough on the field as it was on paper.

The visitors would have their backs against the wall both from the off, and throughout, as Wolves inserted their dominance, showing why they dismissed Forest from the FA Cup last season.

Although it took a little over ten minutes before the first real chance was witnessed, a Forest corner resulting in a quick counter-attack which finished with Summer Holmes firing over Emily Batty’s bar.

Only five minutes elapsed before Batty pulled off one of several, brilliant saves in the visitors goal, this at full-stretch from an Amber Hughes header, before Jade Cross fires over just five minutes later, the East Midlands side finding themselves very much under the cosh.

But for some action from corners and free-kicks, Wolves’ backline, marshalled well by shot-stopper Shannon Turner, quelled the Forest attacking prowess well, meanwhile, at the other end, with a little over five minutes left in the first, visiting captain Lyndsey Harkin pulled off a brilliant, recovery challenge, putting a sliding tackle to play back to Batty.

Goalless at the interval, the second period was, maybe damage limitation, or just moving through the motions, either way, once the hosts’ had taken the lead on the hour, that was pretty much it.

The hosts’ Anna Morphet found herself with a little time, but at distance, but the movement was kind to her when out on the left, unleashing a left-foot effort which loped its way over Batty, and into the back of the net – it’s all they wanted, more with their stingy defence so far this campaign.

Forest though, were a shadow of the side that had been firing goals for fun in previous outings, Turner though, equal to any attack, and her defence restricting a usually potent, Forest attack, to free-kicks.

Unfortunately for Forest, the game ended in defeat after a strong Wolves edged a 1-0, home win, a result that, couple with AFC Fylde’s 3-0 home win over Hull City, drops Forest to third.

Next up for Forest, a National League Cup Determining Round clash, away to Liverpool Feds, on Sunday 12 September, before another table topper in the League, against AFC Fylde, the following week (26 September).

Forest: Emily Batty, Charlotte Greengrass (Georgia Hewitt 80), Lyndsey Harkin, Olivia Cook (Katie Middleton 86), Laura-Jayne O’Neill, Becky Anderson, Freya Thomas, Rachel Brown (Mai Moncaster 56), Jade Arber, Rosie Axten (Sophie Bramford 76).