As with Saturday’s football, Sunday’s was a similar scenario, with the majority of matches across the women’s scene also falling victim to the weather, although Notts County did see two games, winning one and losing the other.
Both Jessie Knott and Lily Stevenson bagged braces as County beat Solihull Moors to move into fifth place in the FA Women’s National Division One Midlands, nine points off joint-leaders Northampton Town and Leafield Athletic, but having played more than those around them.
A corner from Evelyn Brooks reached Knott who fired home the opener after seventeen minutes for the visitors, a lead that was doubled shortly before the interval when Stevenson raced clear to score.
Less than ten minutes after the restart and two became three for County, Laura Vine getting on the end to finish off great work from Nikki Russell.
Although the hosts had several chances throughout, the County back-line, marshalled well by Ashleigh Hind and Mollie Crump, kept them at bay, and, whilst they were doing that, the attacking threat continued.
With the home goal under constant threat, the fourth arrived just after the hour mark when Knott added her second of the game to put the visitors out of sight, whilst in the closing minutes Stevenson completed a good move when finishing off a through-ball from substitute Toni McHamilton.
Next up for County, on 8 December, is a trip to lowly Lincoln United, before their next home game sees them welcome Loughborough Lightning, currently fourth, a week later (15 December), ahead of the festive break.
Notts County – Ashleigh Hind, Mollie Crump, Evelyn Brooks, Jessie Knott, Laura Vine, Lily Stevenson, Neve Hinds, Leah Hardy, Shoniqua Barnes, Nikki Russell, Millia Quaintance (subs 0 Holly Fowler, Nya Chambers, Summer Reece, Toni McHamilton, Annie Taylor)
County’s Reserves aren’t in action again until the new year, when they travel to third bottom Sporting Khalsa Reserves (5 January), whilst their Development side, in the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Division One North, suffered a heavy defeat at home to Dronfield Town.
Sitting second bottom, seven points off bottom side Buxton, County lost 5-2, with Charlotte Bennehan netting twice for the victors; County netted twice in the first half, goals coming from Aurelia Burdett and Summer Oliff.
County Development still have four games scheduled this year, their next away to Gainsborough Trinity (1 December), before hosting Buxton in the EMWRFL League Plate a week later (8 December).
A handful of games were also played in the Notts Girls & Ladies League Seniors One as Mansfield Town Development holding a slender, two-point advantage, on joint-second pairing of University of Nottingham and Radcliffe Olympic.
Mansfield drew 1-1 at home to fourth place Calverton Miners Welfare, whilst the other two were inactive; Newark Town strengthened fifth place with a 7-0 beating of lowly visitors Retford, Alice Murphy and Rachel Phillips both bagging braces; and the game between the mid-table pairing of Basford United U23s and Lowdham Colts, finished in a 1-1 draw, Lexi Oliver and Maddie Boyes netting for their respective sides.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NCFC_Women action between Notts and Solihull Moors.
