Carly Davies’ Nottingham Forest maintained their 100% start to the season when they followed up their midweek cup win over local rivals Notts County, with another six-goal hammering, this time over league rivals, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Coasting to a four-goal interval lead, the Reds, who’ve now netted twenty-two goals in their opening four matches, are joint-top of the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division, behind Rugby Borough and Burnley on goal difference.
A near new-look Reds side has now seen ten different players find the net this campaign, and it was one of their new signings, Katie Longhurst, who got the ball rolling, bundling home following a corner from club stalwart and captain, Lyndsey Harkin.
A quick-fire double from Mel Johnson, just after the half-hour mark, saw the Reds move into cruise control, before Sophie Domingo got in on the act minutes before the interval.
Less than ten minutes had elapsed after the restart and Forest were at it again, Johnson completing her hat-trick in the 52-minute, to take her early season tally to four, she firing into the top corner after a pass from Charlie Wellings.
Although the hosts grabbed a consolation effort shortly after, the first goal conceded by a resolute, Reds backline this campaign, Amber Hughes heading home in the 56-minute, the visitors added a late sixth through substitute Hollie Olding, the wrap up an emphatic 6-1 win.
Having departed Nottingham for Wolverhampton this past summer, the hosts fielded two former Reds in Rebecca Anderson and Charlotte Greengrass, but it would be their former team-mates who’d prevail as Davies’ sides’ early season momentum continued with aplomb.
It’s back-to-back, City Ground home games, for Forest next, with Stourbridge visited Trentside on 8 September, and current joint-leaders, Burnley, visiting a week later, in 15 September.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST – Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Natalie Johnson, Katie Longhurst (Amy Sims, 60), Sophie Domingo, Mel Johnson (Bridget Galloway, 86), Charlie Wellings (Katie Dungate, 79), Mollie Green, Freya Thomas, Caragh Hamilton, Millie Chandarana (Hollie Olding, 79)
FAWNL Division One Midlands side, Notts County, put their midweek lost to rivals Forest to one side with a hard-fought, battling, 1-0 home win over Sutton Coldfield Town.
Goalless at the break, the contest was settled early in the second period when summer signing Toni McHamilton fired home following a breakaway from Shoniqua Barnes.
Summer Reece would find herself going off injured less than ten minutes, the incident causing a lengthy delay to proceedings, whilst there was a delay with fifteen remaining to a visiting player; home defender, Evie Brooks, kept the three points, and clean sheet, intact, with five minutes of normal time remaining, blocking well to deny the visitors an equaliser, and Holly Fowler headed over in stoppage time.
NOTTS COUNTY – Ashleigh Hind, Evie Brooks, Mollie Crump, Holly Fowler, Rhea Bailey, Leah Hardy, Jessie Knott, Toni McHamilton (Nicola Russell, 81), Shoniqua Barnes (Laura Monk, 88), Neve Hincks, Summer Reece (Lily Stevenson, 56)
County also saw their Reserves side progress in the FAWNL Reserve Cup competition, winning 5-2 away to Hull City Reserves in the First Round.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NFFCWomen Mel Johnson netting a hat-trick for Forest.
