It turned out to be a pretty bad day for women’s football across Nottinghamshire on Sunday afternoon, with only two, positive results, emanating from the key fixtures in the pyramid, both coming from Nottingham Forest.
Their senior side lost in the FA Women’s National League Premier North, in the East Midlands derby, away to Derby County Women, in a game that became a tale of two penalties, the hosts succeeding from twelve, the visitors not.
As both sides created early chances, the only goal of the game would arrive after seventeen minutes, Emily Joyce adjudged to having been fouled in the box, Sherry McCue stepping up to send Emily Batty the wrong way.
Early in the second half and Forest would get a penalty of their own, Megan Tinsely shown a straight red after she stops a goal-bound effort on the line; the resulting penalty however, from Gianna Mitchell, is blazed over the crossbar.
Lining up for the Reds in their East Midlands derby defeat, for Forest, was that of – Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Georgia Hewitt, Rachel Brown, Charlotte Steggles, Rosie Axten (Niamh Reynolds 82), Gianna Mitchell (Grace Walters, 82), Becky Anderson, Hayley James, Charlotte Greengrass (Mai Moncaster 56), Naomi Powell (Tamara Wilcock 68)
Meanwhile rivals Derby County lined up at their Pride Park home as follows – Amy Burle, Amy Sims, Megan Tinsley, Sarah Jackson, Nikki Miles, Sherry McCue, Emilia Wilson, Ellie Gilliatt, Emily Joyce, Jade Formaston (Ellie May 90), Precious Hamilton (Sophie Domingo 69)
In the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League it was a relatively bad day across the board for Nottinghamshire sides, and, as Mansfield Ladies saw their game way to Northampton postponed, there was defeat for Notts County Women, 3-0 at Chesterfield, and Rise Park Ladies were on the end of an 11-1 thumping at home to Lincoln United Women.
Among the Lincoln United scorers was Abigail Murrell, she bagging five of the eleven goals, Katie Platts with a mere consolation for the hosts.
In Division One North, Sherwood Women were held to a 1-1 draw away to Cleethorpes Town, Mikaela Noriega netting for the visitors, whilst Nottingham Trent University were felled 7-2 away to Grimsby Town.
One of just a few bright lights on the Sunday afternoon saw the Nottingham Forest Development side win 2-1 at home to Ilkeston, in Division One South, Jessica Shaw with a late brace for the Reds, whilst their Reserves side won 4-2 at home to Lincoln Development in the Midlands League.
Continuing to pick up the victories is paramount as they look up at runaway leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers Women (Forest Reserves are second), the Black Country side a mammoth fourteen points clear, even if the Reds have a game in hand.
Meanwhile, in the Nottinghamshire Girls & Ladies League Plate competition, Keyworth United Ladies progressed 4-3 when on the road at Nottingham Trent University, whilst in the League, Mansfield Hosiery Mills won 6-3 at home to WBC Women, Rebecca Beech and Amy Jones both bagging braces for the victors.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NFFCWomen Hayley James in action for Forest Women at Derby.
