It was a mixed week in WSL 2 with the Belles claiming one win from two, Sheffield struggling to find their best as Everton and Durham registered two big wins and Watford and Millwall found kept thier good form going.
Sheffield 0-2 Doncaster Belles
Able to dominate away to local rivals Sheffield, Doncaster took a step closer to Spring Series glory with a convincing win in Dronfield, the visitors up twenty minutes in courtesy of goal-machine Courtney Sweetman-Kirk. Improvements after the break for the hosts weren’t enough as Kirsty Hanson netter her first goal for the Belles, fittingly against her former team, the young Scot a real bright spark in the side. Not always easy against a gritty Sheffield team in driving rain, the Belles were able to close out the win and start climbing the table once more.
Durham 3-0 London Bees
Looking for their seventh win in eight against the Bees, the table-topping Wildcats looked the business against the London side who’d never beaten them. With the wind figuratively and literally blowing in their favour, Nicki Gears gave the hosts the perfect start when she flicked the ball in at the near post at a Beth Hepple free kick, five minutes in.
The game disrupted for five minutes due to a serious injury to Anne Meiwald, the Bees struggled across the pitch, Jo Wilson routinely caught offside by a well-regimented defence as the hosts looked to find pockets to play in. A fine volleyed goal from Hepple ten minutes after the break all but sealed the tie before Zoe Ness confirmed the win ten minutes later. Ness’ goal from outside the area the pick of the bunch as she lashed her shot over Sophie Harris and into the back of the goal, Durham riding high, with a win to put distance between themselves and the chasers.
Everton 5-0 Brighton and Hove
After a breath-taking 3-3 draw against Doncaster last time out, Andy Spence was looking for a solid response from his Blue Girls to get them back to winning ways; their commanding win over the Seagulls the perfect tonic.
Able to take the lead thirteen minutes in from the spot as Simone Magill tucked her penalty away, the hosts went from strength to strength, Dan Turner’s direct free kick five minutes later enough to have Brighton looking off colour. Claudia Walker made it three with ease with the game just a quarter done and despite Faye Bryson catching the woodwork later in the half, the Blue Girls were cruising at the break. With the majority of the attacks only going one way it took Turner just four minutes to get her second after the break when the midfielder found herself in space in the area to tuck the ball past Emma Byrne.
With the game well won, Gabby George left the frame of the goal rattling with a bullet from range before Georgia Brougham capped off the scoring with a deft header from Turner’s late corner.
The win has rather steadied the ship, Kirstie Levell’s clean sheet a boost for the Widnes based team too who are once again in a position to finish as Spring Series champions.
Millwall 2-1 Doncaster Belles
After a commanding win against Sheffield in the midweek, the Belles were dealt a surprise loss against a Millwall team going from strength to strength.
Dominant from the get-go in London, the Belles took an early lead when Sweetman-Kirk added her eighth of the campaign with a neat header following an inch-perfect cross from Hanson. With a narrow advantage, the Belles hit the woodwork from distance before Millwall responded from similar range with the same results.
The hosts continued to grow in the game and inspired loanee Charlie Devlin found an equaliser ten minutes after the break with a cheeky chip on the keeper from the top of the box. Millwall found luck was on their side after Sophie Barker was dismissed for a second bookable offence – though it would seem that the first yellow was a case of mistaken identity – and they found a way of making their man advantage count.
Certainly brighter in the second-half, Millwall found the winner fifteen minutes from time when Billie Brooks poked the ball home from an Ashlee Hincks free kick after Nicky Davies had denied the attacker a previous dead-ball delivery. The game didn’t pass without further incident however as Georgie Giddings was shown a straight red in stoppage time for a robust challenge on substitute, Rachel Newborough.
Sheffield 1-3 Aston Villa
Looking for their fourth win of the series, Aston Villa got off to a flying start when Chloe Jones’ seventh minute corner was able to evade everyone in the box before slipping into the goal. Sheffield responded well and soon found themselves level after a composed finish from Liverpool loanee Hannah Dale as she opened her account for the year.
With the referee unmoved by calls of hands from the hosts, Sheffield still struggled to make the best of their chances and were once again on the back foot just before the hour when Tash Baptise rose well to head her side in front at another corner. With both sides going hammer and tong the crowd were treated to one last goal when Lucy Shepherd slipped her ten-yarder underneath Julianna Draycott to at the death, the net rippling and the three points going back in the Midlands.
The win enough to take Villa to second in the table, tied for points and goal difference with Millwall, edging ahead on goals scored alone, Sheffield consigned to finishing the Spring Series in the bottom half.
Oxford United 1-2 Watford
Still looking off of the pace in the league, Oxford took the lead at the Northcourt against the run of play after Ellie Noble directed Lauren Allison’s deep cross beyond Jo Fletcher, with little more than five minutes on the clock. The visiting Golden Girls responded well and drew level through Charlotte Kerr when the hard-working attacker diverted Rinsola Babajide’s header past Demi Lambourne by way of the crossbar.
Able to push themselves to the front foot, Watford found their attacks a little lacking with Lambourne equal to all they could throw at her until a moment of magic fifteen minutes from time when Kerr finished off a neat one-two with Babajide, her backheeled goal worthy of all three points in Oxford.
The result confirms that Andy Cook’s team will finish dead last in the Spring Series, no matter how their last match against the Belles unfolds, conversely, Keith Boanas’ side are gaining momentum and are poised for a strong finish.
