Nottingham Forest Women 1-0 AFC Fylde Women (FA Women’s National League North) 26.09.21
One goal may have been all that was seen, but, quite often, one goal is all that is needed, as Nottingham Forest Women returned to winning ways on Sunday afternoon, seeing off tough opposition in Fylde Women.
Victory would see Andy Cook’s Garibaldi move into second place in the league table, with their fourth win in six outings, on goal difference from their opponents, the only goal of the game arriving midway through the first half.
It would be summer signing, Jade Arber, who’d notch the only goal of the game; twenty-two minutes on the clock, and after some back-and-forth action between the two sides, the Forest striker would see herself rounding the visiting ‘keeper, Savannah Smith, following a quick break, and, staying composed, placed the ball into the back of the net.
Laura Merrin would be a constant threat for the visitors, but the home defence, marshalled well by captain Lyndsey Harkin, and another summer signing, ‘keeper Emily Batty, held firm; at the other end meanwhile, both Arber, and strike partner Rosie Axten, were also causing problems.
As the opening half edged towards its conclusion, both sides would have chances to score, first Forest, and Freya Thomas, another of Cook’s summer signing, would capitalise on confusion in the visiting defence, but her effort goes over the crossbar; this was quickly followed by several, good chances for Fylde as Amy Hughes, Jodie Redgrave, and Hannah Forster, all came up short.
The second period begun with one-way traffic, for the hosts, as Forest flew out of the blocks, looking to extend that interval lead.
Arber, Axten, and a penalty claim following a free-kick from Becky Anderson, all featured in the opening ten of the half, Fylde’s defence, on occasion, at sixes and sevens.
The visitors would also see a penalty claim waved away, past the hour mark, as Hughes finds herself going down in the box, but it’s also waved away, that slender advantage still holding.
Heats in mouths for the Garibaldi with a little under twenty to go as Fylde, from a corner, sees the effort cleared off Batty’s line, whilst Arber sees an effort, moments later, soar over Smith’s bar, whilst Merrin, along with Emily Hollinshead, would be seen to spend the last quarter of the game foraging away at the Forest defence.
There would be a deluge of chances even in the last five minutes, for both, that’s the last five before the near ten minutes of stoppage time also allocated, but neither side could muster up another goal, no matter how hard they tried to.
After that first-half effort from Arber, that’s all that counted for Forest, they picking up another three points in a narrow, 1-0 win, against a side who, along with the likes of Wolverhampton, and Forest’s upcoming opponents, be there, or thereabouts, come the seasons’ end.
Next up for Forest Women, it’s the big one, and at the City Ground, as Andy Cook sees his side face East Midlands rivals, Derby County, on Sunday 3 October, 2pm KO, tickets available from HERE.
Forest: Emily Batty, Charlotte Greengrass (Katie Middleton), Lyndsey Harkin (capt), Olivia Cook, Laura-Jayne O’Neill, Becky Anderson, Amy West, Freya Thomas (Sophie Bramford), Rachel Brown (Naomi Powell), Jade Arber (Mai Moncaster), Rosie Axten (Georgia Hewitt).
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NFFCWomen the Reds next face Derby County at the City Ground on Sunday.
