Nottingham Forest extended their unbeaten start to the 2024/25 season to sixteen matches in all competitions, with a comprehensive, 19-0 rout, of visitors Long Itchington, in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup at the weekend, on what was goalkeeper Emily Batty’s 100th appearance.
Carly Davies’ side, who’ve now won fourteen and drawn two of those sixteen, will face Burnley in the next round, after they also won big, picking up an 11-0 success at home to Bradford City – Burnley are one of only two sides to hold Forest to a draw this term.
Against Long Itchington, who are ninth in the West Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Division One South, Forest held nothing back, and were ten goals to the good after just twenty-seven minutes.
Goals from Bridget Galloway, Freya Thomas, and Sophie Domingo, had them three-up inside ten, before Thomas notched he second on eleven minutes, Charlie Wellings then added number five, and Amy Sims, with her first for the club, took the early tally to six.
A quick-fire double from Galloway saw her complete her hat-trick by the twenty-second minute, with Mollie Green striking home number nine from range minutes later; the first half-rout was completed before the half-hour mark when Thomas completed her hat-trick as well, the Reds going in ten goals to the good at the break.
The second half continued in the same vein as the first for the rampant Reds, and was but a matter of minutes old when the scoring started again, Holly Manders getting in on the act in the forty-seventh minute.
Another set of quick-fire braces took the score to 15-0 before the hour mark, Thomas and Galloway with two apiece to take their respective tallies for the game to five each, the latter moving into double figures for the season (the fourth red to do so).
Captaining the side, Reds shot-stopper, Emily Batty, presented with a centenary shirt, and kept a clean sheet on her hundredth game for the club, was brought off on 64 minutes, making way for Georgie Ferguson to see out the final twenty-five or so minutes.
And still the scoring at the other end continued, Domingo adding her second with fifteen remaining, and Wellings completing her hat-trick with a brace in the final ten minutes; the scoring being wrapped up at the last when Hollie Olding grabbed the nineteenth of a productive afternoon for the hosts.
It’s a quick turn-around in the FA Cup for Davies’ charges however, they now readying themselves for the visit to Grange Park of Burnley this coming Sunday (8 December) – third in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division, four behind Forest, and with a game in hand, they progressed with an 11-0 win at home to Bradford City, captain Heide Logan opening and closing the scoring, and Laura Elford claiming a five-goal haul of her own,
Nottingham Forest – Emily Batty (Georgie Ferguson, 64), Lyndsey Harkin, Jessica Hennesy, Sophie Domingo, Amy Sims, Holly Manders (Millie Chandarana, 59), Bridget Galloway (Mel Johnson, 59), Charlie Wellings, Hollie Olding, Mollie Green (Katie Longhurst, 53), Freya Thomas
With Notts County’s Seniors, and Reserves sides, inactive, focus beneath Forest’s FA Cup adventure turned to that of the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League, with seven Notts-based sides in action.
In the Premier Division, Mansfield Town are keeping up the pressure at the top of the division after their 3-0 home win over bottom club Ilkeston Town sees them third, two off the joint-leaders of Chesterfield and Sheffield, but having played more games.
The Stags would score through Grace Shipman, Chloe Foster, and Monica Bowley, as the goals continue to be spread about ahead of the next match, in the League Plate Second Round, away to Division One South side, Wellingborough Town – at the Dog and Duck!!
Following seven straight defeats in all competitions, SJR Worksop returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win at Basford United, moving level with them on nine points, at the bottom end of the table, Emily Murphy and Millee Clarke netting for the victors.
Meanwhile second bottom Nottingham Trent University, they lost 2-0 when home to leaders Chesterfield, former Worksop ‘keeper Olivia Walker keeping a clean sheet for her new side.
In Division One Central it was defeat for West Bridgford Colts, they going down 2-1 at Sleaford Town, and in Division One East both Arnold Eagles, and Notts County Development, also lost on the road, the Eagles losing 2-1 at Dronfield Town, and County 1-0 at Gainsborough Trinity.
A handful of games were also played in the Notts Girls & Ladies League Seniors One, a division that sees the top five sides separated by just three points, the leaders, Mansfield Town Development, having played more games than the chasing pack, and lost badly away to Newark Town.
Jessica Hogg bagged herself a hat-trick as Newark, in fourth, won 5-1 at home to Mansfield, Hollie Green and Paxton Johnson also scoring, Elexis Steel with the reply; second place Radcliffe Olympic were held to a 2-2 draw at fifth place Calverton Miners Welfare, and in the battle of the uni’s, that finished goalless between hosts Nottingham Trent Pink, and University of Nottingham.
There was also a League Cup match played, Arnold Eagles Development progressing with a 2-0 home win over Sherwood Development, goals coming in each half from Lilly Oldershaw, and in the last minute from Shannon Birkett.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NFFCWomen Emily Batty made it 100 appearances for Forest with a 19-0 win.
