There was little joy for the county’s women’s football teams at the weekend as both Nottingham Forest, and Notts County, suffered defeat in the FA Women’s National League, and Mansfield Town lost in the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League.
On the plus side, there was a taste of success for both Basford United, in the EMWRFL Premier, and for Nottingham Trent University, in EMWRFL Division One Central, the latter hitting seven without reply in a local derby.
Speaking of local derbies though, Forest were narrowly edged 2-1, at the City Ground, in the East Midlands derby, when hosting Derby County, all three goals having been scored in the first half of a tense encounter.
Defeat for last season’s Northern Premier champions sees them in fifth place in the early throes of the current campaign, seven adrift of early pace-setters Burnley, won 4-1 at home to Stourbridge.
As for Forest, a second defeat in five league outings was compounded inside the opening ten minutes, the visitors racing into an early lead from which the Reds never recovered; of all people to score the opener, former Red Yasmin Mosby with her first of the season after just three minutes.
Having been played in by Eleanor Ashton, Mosby proceeded to fire into Emily Batty’s top corner before, seven minutes later, Ashton was on the scoresheet herself to double the visitors advantage; Amy Sims was the provider, she threading the Forest defence for Ashton to slot home.
Both sides had numerous chances throughout the contest, but the only other goal netted came from the penalty spot three minutes before the break, Holly Manders firing home from twelve yards out, for her sixth of the season.
Nottingham Forest – Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Natalie Johnson, Olivia Cook, Mai Moncaster (Chloe Dixon, 90), Holly Manders (Charlotte Greengrass, 74), Laura-Jayne O’Neill (Sophie Domingo, 74), Mollie Green, Freya Thomas, Becky Anderson, Abigial Cowie
Notts County meanwhile, in FAWNL Division One Midlands, are one of four points sitting on seven points apiece, but are third bottom, following a 3-0 defeat away to Boldmere St. Michaels; it was County’s fourth defeat in seven since their return to this level.
In the EMWRFL Premier, Basford United claimed a narrow win when on the road at Grimsby Town, the hosts finishing with ten following a late dismissal, whilst Georgia Gladwin’s goal midway through the first gave them the three points that pushed them into joint-third, behind Rotherham United on goal-difference.
Mansfield Town on the other-hand slipped to fifth place following a tough, 3-0 defeat of their own, they at home to a Lincoln United side who are firing on all cylinders at the top thus far (four-wins-from-four, scored 28, conceded two, maximum points).
Retford are second bottom in Division one North after they went down 2-1 at home to Grimsby Borough, Isabelle Thorpe with the goal, SJR Worksop (inactive) remain top on goal-difference from Sleaford Town.
Meanwhile, in Division One Central, Nottingham Trent have the early advantage, they being one of four Nottinghamshire sides in the division’s top four; NTU moved top following a comfortable, 7-0 demolition of visiting Notts County Development, leap-frogging Arnold Eagles (inactive) and Sherwood (drew at West Bridgford Colts).
Both Abigail Barham and Amy Copley netted twice for NTU, they being joined on the score-sheet by solo strikes from Olivia Hemborough, Alice Rogers, and substitute Piper O’Neill; the other two games in the division saw West Bridgford and Sherwood share the spoils in a 1-1 draw, and Sandiacre Town lost 5-1 away to Beaumont Park.
Newark Town moved top of the Nottinghamshire Girls & Ladies League Seniors One following a 5-3 home win over Arnold Eagles Flyers, who are joint-second with Radcliffe Olympic and NTU Pinks; Connie Forman and Sophie Packer bagged braces for Newark, Shelley Forster also scoring, Rosie Marshall with two and Fern Williams in reply.
NTU Pink moved level with Radcliffe in second following a 2-1 win there, whilst there was nine goals at Keyworth, and seven at Teversal, both hosts suffering defeat; Mansfield Town Development claimed a 6-3 win in the former, Bethany Jones with a four-goal salvo, whilst Hucknall Town won 4-3 in the latter as Rebecca Pepper notched twice.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NFFCWomen it’s Derby’s day as County come away with the win.
