Two games remain for FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands side, Notts County, with a top six finish still on their radar, despite a 4-0 loss on Sunday at home to league leaders, and Midlands rivals, Loughborough Lightning.

Sitting in seventh place, it was County’s tenth defeat of what has been a mixed season, and they made their visitors fight for the points in this one; it took the title hopefuls more than half an hour to finally break County’s resistance, Zynia Delglyn with the opener ten minutes before the break.

It would take just a matter of minutes in the second though for that lead to be doubled, Lauren Purchase finding the net, and from then on, it was the visitors to lose; Jessica Collyer then added a third just before the hour mark, and Ella-Mai Coutts notched the fourth.

Lightning’s three goals all came within the space of fifteen, second half minutes, and they now sit four clear of second place Peterborough United – although Posh can’t catch them, third place Northampton Town can, but Lightning, they need just a point from either of their last two and the title is theirs.

Notts County – Ashleigh Hind, Eve Shepherd, Rhea Bailey, Jessie Knott, Shoniqua Barnes, Laura Vine, Lily Stevenson, Summer Reece, Nikki Russell, Annie Taylor, Emily Brett (subs – Nya Chambers, Leah Hardy, Takiah Parkes, Millie Quaintance, Summer Baxendale)

The East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division title race is now a two-horse scenario, between Sheffield, and Chesterfield, with two games to go.

Chesterfield ended Rotherham’s slim hopes of the title with a 5-1 home win, Romy Sheppard netting a brace, whilst Sheffield was made to fight for the points when away to SJR Worksop.

With the bottom three in the division having finished their respective season’s, SJR will again be playing in the Premier Division next season, and, despite a 3-2 loss to the leaders, it was another, hard-fought, spirited performance.

Three goals in five, first half minutes, had SJR on the back-foot, and they were 3-1 down at the break with Alice Hill netting; Lauren Cundy added a second half goal for the hosts, but were unable to find an equaliser.

SJR now have two, huge games to play, away to Mansfield Town in the final league game of the season, and against the same opponent, next month, in the final of the League Plate.

SJR Worksop – Emily Hallam, Lauren Brogan, Charlotte Finch, Rachael Bell, Lauren Cundy, Amy O’Brien, Leah Harrison, Lauren Bell, Rachael Kelly, Millee Clarke, Emily Murphy (subs – Alice Hill, Laura Ferguson)

Third place Stamford meanwhile put second bottom Nottingham Trent University to the sword following a 7-2 home win, Emma Pollard firing a four-goal salvo to take her tally for the season to twenty goals.

The one game played in Division One arrived in the North, goals from Hannah Hughes and Kitty Ward affording Arnold Eagles a 2-1 win away to Grimsby Borough, as they look to take fourth off Sherwood.

There was a pair of 5-0 home wins in the Nottinghamshire Girls & Ladies League Seniors One, University of Nottingham defeating visitors NTU Pink to stretch their unbeaten run to six matches, whilst Hucknall Town defeated Arnold Town Development by the same score.

Keyworth United are Seniors Two champions and finished the season with a 2-1 win away to Underwood Villa Youth, whilst there were home wins for both Shirebrook Rangers, 3-0 against Eastwood & Kimberley, and Southwell City, 2-0 over visitors Sherwood Development.

Seniors Three meanwhile saw second place Gedling Southbank win 2-1 at home to Cotgrave, and Holly Freestone’s hat-trick gave West Bridgford Colts Development a 3-0 home win over Bottesford.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @SJRWorksopFC SJR Worksop celebrate a goal during their loss against Sheffield.