Nottingham Forest Women played just their second Women’s Super League 2 match in five weeks on Sunday, slipping to a narrow, 1-0 defeat away to third place Crystal Palace.

It was a ninth league defeat in seventeen outings for Carly Davies’ side, who fell behind to an Aimee Everett goal inside the opening ten minutes, the Palace captain heading home Kirsty Howart’s cross on the back of Ashleigh Weerden’s short corner.

It was enough to give the London side all three points, whilst Forest sit in mid-table, a point above eighth place Sunderland, and six ahead of the bottom four sides of Durham, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, and Portsmouth, all tied on fourteen points.

It’s back-to-back home games for Davies’ charges next, with Ipswich Town heading to Trentside on 22 March, followed by the visit of Durham a week later, on 29 March, in two, must-win games for the Reds.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST – Emily Batty, Jessie Stapleton, Georgia Brougham (capt), Chloe Mustaki, Ebba Hed, Rachel Rowe, Joy Omewa (Aimee Claypole, 75), Cerys Brown, Leanne Kiernan (Deanne Rose, 75), Alana Murphy, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah

In the FA Women’s National League Reserves Northern Division, Notts County feel to a 3-1 loss at home to bottom side, AFC Fylde Reserves, County netting through Lacey Holgate; it was the visitor’s third win of the season.

Mansfield Town are within three points of third place Rotherham United in the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division, and with three games in hand on the top three.

Andi Bell’s side were made to fight for the points when away to bottom club, Wellingborough Town, trailing at the break, however, second half efforts from Ainsley Allan and Elisha Whittaker gave the visitors the win.

Meanwhile, second bottom SJR Worksop suffered their sixth defeat of the season, going down 2-0 away to mid-table Gainsborough Trinity, for whom Lauren Crellin netted both goals.

University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University are joint-top of the EMWRFL Division One Central after both picked up their seventh win of the season on Sunday.

UoN lead by a far superior goal-difference, and picked up their win with a 2-1 result away to third place Long Eaton United, whilst NTU registered a 4-2 success at home to fifth place Asfordby Amateurs.

Rejoice Amieghemen’s brace effectively sealed the battle of the bottom two as Sherwood won 3-0 away West Bridgford Colts to move ahead of their opponents on goal-difference, but have played two games more.

As for the EMWRFL Norther, Arnold Eagles won 3-1 away to Chesterfield Community Trust to open up a ten-point advantage between second and third, with Grimsby Town Academy ten points ahead at the top and with games in hand on sides beneath them.

The two games that were played in the Notts Girls & Ladies League saw Lowdham Colts move into third place, and close the gap on second place Keyworth United, with a 3-2 win over their hosts, and Radcliffe Olympic moved into fifth with a 1-0 home win over Arnold Eagles Development.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFC  Forest and Crystal Palace lining up before Sunday’s game.