A goal in each half gave Carly Davies’ Nottingham Forest side a 2-0 WSL2 win over second bottom Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon.

Victory, courtesy of goals from Joy Omewa and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, sees the Reds level on points with seventh placed Sunderland (who won 1-0 at Portsmouth) and two points behind sixth placed Southampton (held to a goalless draw at Durham).

The opening goal came following a break on the Forest right, with the resultant ball into the box from Cerys Brown cleared the visiting defence, and Omewa flicked the ball, back-heel style, with her right foot, and into the Ipswich net.

The second goal in the opening exchanges of the second half, Boye-Hlorkah bursting through the middle, evading a couple of challenges, before finishing right-footed into the bottom corner of Natalia Negri’s goal.

Ipswich did create a couple of good chances late on, Sophie Peskett being denied by Reds captain, Georgia Brougham after great work from Lucy Ashworth-Clifford and Natasha Thomas, then Ashworth-Clifford saw her cut inside and shot saved by Emily Batty in the Forest goal.

The Reds though, they held on for what was their seventh league win of the season, and, with Durham next up at the City Ground on Sunday 29 March, another three points is needed is they’re to push back towards the top five.

Nottingham Forest – Emily Batty, Jessica Stapleton, Georgia Brougham, Chloe Mustaki, Ebba Hed, Rachel Rowe (Amy Rodgers, 88), Joy Omewa (Tove Almqvist, 65), Cerys Brown, Leanne Kiernan (Deanne Rose, 88), Alana Murphy, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (Aimee Claypole, 83)

Adam Dunleavy’s Notts County were involved in a tough contest away to Northampton Town in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands.

Goalless at the break, Kat Morrison opened the scoring early in the second half, with Leah Hardy levelling up with a header seven minutes from time; County came close to snatching the points as the game ticked into stoppage time before a penalty was awarded the hosts.

That was in the 95th minute, Alex Dicks being brought down by Ashleigh Hind and needed medical treatment, which both sets of staff provided before she was stretchered off; the resultant penalty came in the 111th minute, Fay Noble sending Hind the wrong way for a dramatic winner.

Mansfield Town slipped up in their bid to close the gap on the top three of the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division, Andi Bell’s side going down narrowly, 2-1 away to runaway leaders Chesterfield.

All three goals arrived in the opening half hour with Elisha Whittaker’s Stags goal sandwiched between efforts by Lauren Brogan and Evie Carter; they’re now three points off third place Rotherham United, with three games in hand.

Second bottom SJR Worksop helped Mansfield’s cause with a stunning, 5-1 win on the road, with goals coming from Millee Clarke, Sarah Roberts, Toni McHamilton, Amelia Shafer-White, and Emma White, as they look to move out of the bottom two.

Three points separate the top four in the EMWRFL Division One Central, leaders University of Nottingham winning 2-1 at Coalville Town, second place Long Eaton United picking up a 3-2 win at Basford United, and third place Asfordby Amateurs easing to a 5-0 win over visiting West Bridgford Colts.

As for EMWRFL Division One North, the two Notts sides in action both won on the road as mid-table duo, Newark Town and Notts County Development, won 3-2 at Belper Town and 4-0 at Dronfield Town respectively.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFC Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah celebrates scoring for Forest.