As the football season continues to wind down, eyes are, understandably turning towards cup finals, although more silverware was won in the women’s game this past weekend with both SJR Worksop (East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Division One North) and Arnold Eagles Flyers (Notts Girls & Ladies League Seniors One) lifting their respective titles.
In the EMWRFL Premier Division, Mansfield Town wrapped up their season with a 3-0 home win over Long Eaton United the previous week, Chrystal Smiley with a brace alongside one from Maia Taylor, whilst on Sunday Basford United concluded their campaign with a battling 2-1 home win over Dunton & Broughton.
Goalless at the break, Basford could have taken the lead on the hour but failed to convert a penalty, the visitors taking advantage to open the scoring on 72 minutes; this spurred the hosts forward and they equalised minutes later, Maja Kocik with her first goal of the season, in the final game.
Having snapped up the ball in midfield, Kocik proceeded to shake off her marker before unleashing a thirty-yarder into the top corner; Dunton came close to regaining the lead with ten minutes remaining but Devonn Cousins headed off the line, before the winner finally landed.
With three minutes left on the clock Zoe Meyrick was put through on goal, she wasting little time in sneaking through and firing the winner into the bottom corner; Basford are now looking towards the EMWRFL League Cup final, on late May, at Eagle Valley, where they’ll face champions Lincoln United.
In the EMWRFL Division One, SJR Worksop wrapped up the North title with a battling 4-3 home win over lowly Notts rivals, Retford.
Needing a win to crown themselves champions they were made to fight for the three points that saw them best runners-up Dronfield Town by two points, and in doing so bagged their fiftieth goal of an enjoyable season.
Worksop therefore claimed the title with goals from Emily Murphy, Shannon Brookes (first of the season), Leah Hardy and Emily Myatt, the goals from Murphy and Myatt meanwhile, that pushed them onto fourteen and sixteen respectively.
Meanwhile in the Central Division, Arnold Eagles still have a game to play and can finish runners-up with victory over a Sherwood side, who won 4-2 away to bottom club Sandiacre Town, Katie Fish with a hat-trick for the victors.
The other title winners crowned at the weekend, that went to Arnold Eagles Flyers, who eased to a 5-1 win on the road at mid-table Mansfield Town Development in the NGL Seniors 1; leading 3-1 at the break the Flyers took a two-goal lead through Chloe Cockayne and Stacey Pearce before Jessica Waplington reduced the deficit.
Claire Goater however reduced the two-goal margin going into the break and it was added to in the second half with further goals from Fern Williams and Dani Keetley; Goater’s effort was a good win, their X/Twitter describing it thus –
“This time it was through a moment of individual brilliance from striker Claire Goater. A great pass into her feet was received with a beautiful first touch turn, taking her defender out of the game. Then on the swivel, she struck a peach of a shot with bend, curl and dip, over the keeper, under the bar and into the back of the net. An absolutely outrageous finish! Feed the Goat and she will score!”
Elsewhere, and in the FA Women’s National League, Nottingham Forest were beaten 2-1 away to Halifax in midweek, despite taking an early lead through Freya Thomas; the Reds will face Stoke City at home in their final game of the season (5 May) and will finish either third, or fourth, results dependant.
Notts County meanwhile, having lost their last two outings, host Northampton Town on the final day knowing victory is paramount in order to stave off relegation, whilst hoping results also go their way elsewhere in the games involving the bottom tow of Sheffield, and Leek Town.
So, with the league games coming to their conclusions, focus for some is on cup final days, and, with several involving Notts clubs, there are as follows –
Nottinghamshire FA Women’s County Cup: Basford United vs. Arnold Eagles Flyers (TBC)
East Midlands Women’s Football League Cup: Basford United vs. Lincoln United (Eagle Valley, 26 May)
Notts Girls & Ladies League Seniors Cup: Newark Town vs. University of Nottingham XV (Mansfield Town Academy, 19 May)
Notts Girls & Ladies League Seniors Plate: Mansfield Town Development vs. Nottingham Trent University Pink (12 May, Mansfield Town Academy).
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @Basfordutdfc action from Basford’s 2-1 win over Dunton & Broughton.
