Notts County Women have had a mixed start to the new season, across all three of their senior sides, with Sunday gone seeing a trio of tough defeats registered, heart-breakingly for the first team when taking a 3-0 lead, were 3-1 up at the interval, before dropping their game in the second and losing 4-3, in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands.
Their reserves also suffered a narrow loss, in the Reserve Midlands Division, going down 3-2 when home to Sporting Khalsa Reserves, and the Development side were emphatically beaten when home to Anstey Nomads, 4-1 in the opening round of the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League’s League Cup (where only three Notts clubs progressed).
County’s firsts, home to early leaders Peterborough United, raced into a three-goal lead, Shoniqua Barnes and Nicola Russell bringing up a two-goal cushion after just twenty minutes, before Toni McHamilton added a third five minutes before the break.
Somehow though, the hosts couldn’t hold onto what was a commanding lead, Lauren Wilshaw, with the first of her two on the afternoon, pulling one back to give hope going into the break; upon the restart however, it was all Peterborough and, with Evie Driscoll-King making it 3-2 eight minutes after the restart, it would be a late, late show for the leaders.
Renai Bennett would be seen to level proceedings with ten minutes left on the clock and, with both searching a winner, it would be the visitors, and Walshaw, who’d get it, grabbing the games’ seventh with four minutes left.
Defeat for County sees them remain in fifth place, having won four of their seven league outings thus far, and travel to Crewe Alexandra next, in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
NOTTS COUNTY – Ashleigh Hind, Evelyn Brooks, Mollie Crump, Leah Hardy, Jessie Knott, Toni McHamilton, Shoniqua Barnes, Laura Vine, Lily Stevenson, Neve Hincks (Laura Monk, 46), Nicola Russell (Rhea Bailey, 69)
With both County’s Reserves, and Development sides also suffering defeat, the onus was on the other Notts clubs to see if they could do any better, the opening round of the EMWRFL League Cup throwing up its usual thrills and spills.
Only Basford United, Arnold Eagles, and West Bridgford, progressed to the next round, with five of the region’s clubs falling at the first hurdle.
Prolific scorer, Natasha Leach, was on-hand to score twice for Basford as they won 5-2 away to Sleaford Town, other goals coming from Georgia Gladwin, Laura Porritt, and Emma Scoffham; Ysmine Uppal scored twice and Kitty Ward the other as Arnold eased to a 3-0 home win over Buxton; and Bethany Clark also bagged a double as West Bridgford won 4-2 at Cardea, Sommer Button and Grace Bradford also netting.
Of those exiting the League Cup (dropping into the Plate), alongside Notts County Devs, are Sherwood who lost 3-0 at Asfordby Amateurs, SJR Worksop firmly beaten 4-1 at Leicester City, Mansfield Town who were edged 2-1 at New Bradwell St Peter’s, and Nottingham Trent University after they lost 4-0 at home to Sheffield.
Meanwhile, in the Notts Girls & Ladies League Seniors One, there was the usual glut of goals netted, three Notts clubs registering four each – Radcliffe Olympic currently have their noses out in front, three clear of the chasing pack after a handful of games, they winning 4-0 when home to Arnold Eagles Development, Isabella Payne with two along with an own-goal, and one from Hope Kierna.
University of Nottingham are second, on goal-difference, after they also won 4-0, doing so at Mansfield Town Development, and Basford United’s U23s who won 4-2 at Retford; Calverton Miners Welfare won 3-2 at home to NTU Pink, and Lowdham Colts edged visiting Blidworth Welfare 2-1 – the top two of Radcliffe (4 wins) and Basford U23s (3 wins) boasting the only, hundred percent records.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @theposhwomen Notts County lead a 3-1 lead slip to lose against Peterborough.