There was double success for Notts County on Sunday afternoon in the FA Women’s National League, as both the Seniors (Division One Midlands) and Reserves (Reserves Midland), picked up their seventh successes of the season.

In Division One, away to Lincoln United, the Seniors (image by Steven Grocock) battled to a hard-fought, 2-1 success, strengthening their hold on seventh place, and move them withing a handful of points of the top five.

Nicola Russell afforded County the lead inside the opening fifteen minutes, she getting on the end of a cross from Parkes to poke home; Lucy Farrow equalised for the hosts minutes before the interval as the sides went in level.

Russell nearly restored County’s advantage within ten minutes of the restart, but her effort was disallowed before Shoniqua Barnes was introduced, for Parkes, with less than thirty remaining.

It would be the substitute who, as the game headed towards the final ten, notched what proved the winner, she getting to a ball into the back post and firing home from close range to earn a 2-1 win for the visitors.

County now have back-to-back away games upcoming, travelling to Peterborough United and Sutton Coldfield Town, early next month, as they look to push up the table.

Notts County – Hind, Brooks, Crump, Vine, Hardy, Quaintance, Knott, Stevenson, Russell, Parkes, Hincks (subs – Shepherd, Bailey, McHamilton, Barnes, Taylor)

In the Reserves Midland division, County;’s second string, who will contest a semi-final of the Nottinghamshire FA County Cup, also collected their seventh success, this a 5-2 home win against Barnsley Development.

Victory continues to keep them in the hunt for the title, sitting fourth, six points behind leaders Stoke City, and two behind second place Derby County Development, having played two games more.

Mansfield Town took over leadership in the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division, they winning 4-0 at home to Anstey Nomads, whilst the game between the top two, Sheffield and Chesterfield, was postponed.

The Stags notched twice in each half, Olivia Wheatcroft and Ava Williamson in the first, whilst Shannon Purdy and Mathilda Evans bagged in the second, for a valuable, three points.

Mansfield Town – Price, Roper, Hutsby, Clements, Foulkes, Wheatcroft, Shipman, Greaves, Williamson, Standeven, Evans (subs – Taylor, Bowley, Purdy, Pashley, Edwards)

Lowly SJR Worksop meanwhile collected their fourth win of the season, a narrow, 1-0 win away to mid-table Stamford, Charlotte Finch with the only goal of the game late on, whilst Basford United suffered a 5-1 loss at Rotherham United, for whom Aleesha Gale scored twice.

There was one game in Division One involving Notts clubs, West Bridgford Colts claiming a 4-0 success away to Brookside Athletic, with the other game coming in the remaining EMWRFL League Plate game, Nottingham Trent University winning 4-1 at Grimsby Borough, to book a place in the quarter-finals.

With no Notts clubs in the quarters of the EMWRFL League Cup, the League Plate has four clubs from the region, guaranteeing at least one club in the final four; the draw for the last eight being as follows –

SJR Worksop vs. Notts County Development; Brookside Athletic vs, Nottingham Trent University; Mansfield Town vs. Newport Pagnell Town; Sleaford Town vs. Chesterfield

A handful of games were also played in the Notts Girls & Ladies League, with games in Seniors One, League Cup, and League Plate; Mansfield Development and Basford United U23s saw their game abandoned, whilst at the bottom end of the table Hucknall Town won 5-0 at home to NTU Pink, and Blidworth Welfare romped to a 10-1 success at Retford, Hayley Brown with a five-goal haul, alongside a brace from Rebecca Beech.

In the League Cup, Arnild Eagles Development progressed 5-4 on penalties following a goalless draw with Underwood Villa Youth, whilst in the League Plate, Calverton Miners Welfare won 2-0 at home to Sherwood Development, and Lowdham Colts won 2-1 at Sherwood Colliery.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NCFC_Women the Notts team embrace after beating Lincoln United.