Just three games were played in the counties women’s football scene on Sunday afternoon as Nottingham Forest Women are within touching distance of lifting the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division, Notts County picked up another victory in Division One Midlands, and SJR Worksop celebrated safety in East Midlands Women’s Premier Division with a battling win over hosts Mansfield Town.

Away to Liverpool Feds, Carly Davies’ side put on another masterclass, with Melanie Johnson firing four-goal salvo, and that after Natalie Johnson had opened the scoring from the edge of the area after 26 minutes.

Mel Johnson would score two of her four goals, with an effort from Charlie Wellings sandwiched between, in the space of twenty, first half minutes; Mel’s first came after a Wellings corner was only cleared as far as MJ who fired home.

Wellings then added the third with a lovely strike, before MJ notched her second, and Forest’s fourth, five minutes before the break, after being set up by Sophie Domingo, the Reds leading by four at the break.

Inside five minutes of the second and four was soon five, MJ charging the home shot-stopper to complete her hat-trick; Domingo then turned provider for Wellings to notch her second of the afternoon just before the hour mark, as the visitors turned on the style.

Then, with twenty minutes remaining, MJ wrapped up the scoring with her fourth of the game, Wellings and second half substitute Amy Sims linking up before playing in Johnson to finish the game off, and put one hand firmly on the title.

Nottingham Forest – Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Natalie Johnson (Amy Sims, 63), Kate Longhurst, Sophie Domingo (Katie Dungate, 78), Melanie Johnson, Charlie Wellings (Caragh Hamilton, 78), Hollie Olding, Mollie Green (Naomi Bedeau, 54), Freya Thomas, Millie Chandarana (Holly Manders, 63)

With two games remaining for the Reds, they are now just four points off the title, and with it, promotion, although rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers continue to run them close.

Daniel McNamara’s side eased to a 6-1 win of their own when away to Halifax, former Reds scorer, Charlotte Greengrass, again among the Black Country sides’ scorers with a devastating, first half hat-trick.

In Division One Midlands, Notts County picked up their tenth won of the season to move into sixth place, easing to a 3-0 win away to bottom of the table, Lincoln City.

All three of County’s goals came in the second half with Emily Brett opening the scoring eight minutes after the restart; a quick-fire pair as the game passed into the final twenty minutes to wrap up the points – Leah Hardy added the second on 74, and Evie Brooks the third on 77, they looking to seal a top half finish.

Notts County – Ashleigh Hind, Evie Brooks, Eve Shepherd, Leah Hardy, Jessie Knott, Shoniqua Barnes, Lily Stevenson, Emily Brett, Nikki Russell, Takiah Parkes, Annie Taylor (subs – Holly Fowler, Nya Chambers, Rhea Bailey, Millie Quaintance, Toni McHamilton)

Meanwhile, the big game in the EMWRFL Premier saw Mansfield Town and SJR Worskop clash in the visitors’ final league game of the season, the two will meet again next month in the final of the League Plate, at Eagle Valley.

Mansfield, who still have two league games, and two cup finals in which to play, can still finish as runners-up, although it’ll be a tall ask; visiting SJR though, they live to fight another day in the Premier, following substitute Laura Ferguson’s second half goal sealed a gutsy, 1-0 win.

Mansfield Town – Amy Price, Martha Roper, Chloe Hutsby, Monica Bowley, Georgina Clements, Millie Edwards, Olivia Wheatcroft, Libby Bartlett, Amy Dawson, Olivia Standeven, Shannon Purdy (Maia Taylor, Williamson, Grace Shipman, Mathilda Evans, Gabriella Foulkes)

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

SJR Worksop now prepare for next month’s League Plate final, whilst Mansfield Town face two, huge league games, away to Chesterfield and Rotherham United, before a County Cup final with Basford United, and that Plate final, over the next four weeks.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFCWomen celebrations as Forest hit seven in Liverpool Feds win.