A league and cup double, for the second time in three years, but this time with the added bonus of promotion to the Championship, all means that Nottingham Forest have wrapped up a season to remember.

And they did it in style, eventually; despite falling behind early on against City Ground visitors West Bromwich Albion, Carly Davies’ charges romped to a 7-2 success to win the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division, by three points from runners-up Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It would be the visitors who’d open the scoring, Phoebe Warner slotting Ellie May’s through-ball past Emily Batty in the home goal; once Forest got into their stride though, there was no looking back.

A penalty would get the Reds back into the contest, ten minutes before the interval, Charlie Wellings firing into the bottom corner to level proceedings; then, on the stroke of half-time, Davies’ side took a lead they never looked like losing, a well-worked free-kick saw Wellings’ effort saved by the visiting shot-stopper, but the ball fell to Sophie Domingo, who wasted little time in netting.

Leading at the break, the second half was just minutes old when Forest extended that advantage, Melanie Johnson netting the first of her four goals in what became a title procession for the Reds.

Her first of the afternoon would see her lob the advancing ‘keeper, then she netted her second, and Forest’s fourth, just before the hour mark, when rifling the ball into the top corner.

Minutes later and the hosts were out of sight, Holly Manders heading home the fifth, whilst Johnson completed her hat-trick with more than twenty minutes remaining; a plethora of changes for the Reds, and a second goal for visiting Albion, made for the usual, closing stages, Davies bringing on that of Amy Sims, Caragh Hamilton, Megan Bell, Bridget Galloway, and Jessica Hennessy for a run-out.

Albion’s second of the game, with nineteen left, was a highlight of it’s own, Marli Rhodes taking aim from just inside the Forest half, and lifting the ball over Batty, but it was the champions who had the final say on things, and Mel Johnson with her fourth of the day, at the death, to put the cap on what has been an incredible season.

Nottingham Forest – Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Natalie Johnson (Amy Sims, 67), Kate Longhurst (Megan Bell, 85), Sophie Domingo (Bridget Galloway, 85), Melanie Johnson, Holly Manders (Jessica Hennessy, 85), Charlie Wellings (Caragh Hamilton, 67), Hollie Olding, Mollie Green, Freya Thomas

Undefeated, Nottingham Forest have won eighteen and drawn four of their twenty-two matches, finishing the campaign with a goal-difference of +71, and finishing, just three points ahead of Black Country outfit, Wolves, who were led to runners-up by former Forest

striker, Charlotte Greengrass – their only defeat, a 6-1 hammering off Forest at the start of September.

The Championship will revert back to it’s twelve team quota for the 2025/26 season, following Reading’s withdrawal, and Sheffield United’s relegation this time around, Forest being joined in the second tier by Southern Premier champions, Ipswich Town, who won their title by six points from runners-up, Hashtag United.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFCWomen the Reds celebrate their title success.