Mixed Fortunes For Mansfield & Notts

As the season edges towards its end, both Notts County and Mansfield Town were in action on Sunday afternoon, with mixed fortunes for the two sides.

County, eighth in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands, ended a run of four straight losses following a stoppage time equaliser away to fourth place Barnsley.

The hosts took the lead after just ten minutes, Ruby Ormiston netting, and it stayed that way until the death; with the result looking like it was going to go against Adam Dunleavy’s side, Emily Brett snatching a deserved equaliser in stoppage time as the visitors, despite growing more into the game, ran out of time to claim maximum points, settling for just the one.

Now, with just one game left to play for the season, at home to mid-table Sheffield in two weeks (Sunday 26 April), the Magpies know they can prepare for another season in the National League, their advantage over second bottom Stourbridge sitting at four points.

Meanwhile, in the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division, any form of luck hasn’t been with Andi Bell’s Mansfield Town side, they now winless in their last three outings.

A narrow defeat to Chesterfield, and a draw at Gainsborough Trinity, at the end of March, ended any hopes of a run at the title, and that misfortune continued on Sunday when being edged, 3-2, away to runners-up Loughborough Foxes Vixens.

Leading 2-1 at the break, through Katie Platts and Ainsley Allan, the Stags were undone by two, second half goals, and slipped to defeat; they now have two of the bottom three to play to close out their season, and a possible third place finish.

SJR Worksop, who lost 2-0 away to champions Chesterfield on Sunday, are next up for Mansfield, at SJR this coming Sunday (19 April), before SJR finish their season with further games, against Stamford (a) and Wellingborough Town (h).

Mansfield, they close their campaign with a home game against Anstey Nomads on 26 April, along with a pair of cup finals, contesting both the EMWRFL League Cup with Loughborough Foxes, and the Nottinghamshire FA County Cup against Notts County Reserves.

There was also action in the EMWRFL Division One Central on Sunday afternoon, the top two both picking up wins on the road; both Nottingham Trent University and University of Nottingham can win the title, they’re separated by two points.

NTU registered a thumping, 9-1 win away to bottom club Sherwood, Mia Bradley firing five and Sarah Newton a brace, whilst UoN edged hosts Asfordby Amateurs 1-0, to keep up the pace at the top.

There was also plenty of action in the Nottinghamshire Girls & Ladies League Seniors One, with all three of the home victors doubling up thanks to braces from Elisha Gourlay (Hucknall Town), Evie Barr (Radcliffe Olympic), and Sophie Juby (Arnold Eagles Development).

Hucknall won 2-0 at home to mid-table Mansfield Town Development, and opened a seven-point lead at the top, Radcliffe Olympic inched ahead of Mansfield with a 5-2 win over Lowdham Colts, and Arnold Devs won by the same when home to NTU Pink.