Radcliffe Through In FA Cup

Several local sides in women’s football kicked off their new season this past weekend, with Notts County victorious in the first FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands outing, and four of six Notts clubs progressed from the Preliminary Round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

Of those on FA Cup duty, Notts Girls & Ladies League Seniors One side, Radcliffe Olympic, runners-up last season, came through a tough test at home to Leicester City Ladies to progress.

Under the new managerial duo of the experienced Tim Wilmott, and former Nottingham Forest, Notts County, and Rise Park player, Lauren Pritchard, Radcliffe claimed a hard-fought, 2-1 win, both goals coming from Fran Godbehere with the second, a sumptuous free-kick.

East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League trio also progressed; Sherwood eased into the next round when notching up a 4-0 win on the road at Allexton & New Parks, whilst Basford United and Arnold Eagles both received walkover progressions against Anstey Nomads and River City respectively.

The two local clubs exiting the competition were Newark Town, and University of Nottingham, both doing so on penalties.

Newark lost 4-2 in the shoot-out to visiting Long Eaton United following a 2-2 draw, Lucy Wright and Connie Forman goals keeping them in the hunt, whilst UoN fell 5-4 on penalties to their visitors, Wellingborough Town, following a goalless draw between the two sides.

The draw for the first qualifying round of the Women’s FA Cup, to be played on 6 September, sees the following in regards Notts club (in CAPITALS) –

SHERWOOD vs. Netherton United, Corby Steelers vs. ARNOLD EAGLES, Long Eaton United vs. RADCLIFFE OLYMPIC, BASFORD UNITED vs. Higham Town

Following on from this, the second qualifying round is scheduled for 20 September, and the third qualifying round on 4 October.

The EMWRFL has also announced the draw for the opening round of their League Cup competition, set to take place on Sunday 11 October – in regards Notts clubs (in CAPITALS) see as follows –

Stanground Cardea Sports vs. SHERWOOD, Dronfield Town vs. HUCKNALL TOWN, NEWARK TOWN vs. Stamford, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM vs. Northampton Town Development, MANSFIELD TOWN vs, Grimsby Town, SJR WORKSOP vs. Wellingborough Town, NOTTS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT vs. Oakham United, Thurmaston DPC Vixens vs. ARNOLD EAGLES, YP (Sheffield) vs. BASFORD UNITED

Elsewhere, Notts County kicked off their league season in the FA Women’s National League with a 3-0 home win over visiting Kidderminster Harriers, at Meadow Lane.

A contest that was looking like it was heading to goalless at the break, sprang to life in first half stoppage time when Takiah Burnett netted not once, but twice, in the space of a minute, for a two-goal lead.

The score remained that way until late on, heading towards the final ten minutes and Shoniqua Barnes popped up with the hosts’ third, and sealing an impressive, opening day victory.