Regional Leagues round-up…
East Midlands League
Northampton Town's hopes of a league and cup double were ended on Sunday when they were beaten 1-0 by Lincoln Utd in the semi finals of the League Cup. Substitute Lucy Farrow was the heroine for Lincoln as she scored the winner against the league leaders deep into injury time. Lincoln's opponents in the Final will be Derby County Academy who are chasing a double of their own, the Division One South leaders having defeated Notts County 4-1. Olivia Edwards, Marli Rhodes-Andrews, Iesha Rollins and Kelsey Wragg all netted a goal apiece for the Ewe Rams, with Emily Stretton replying.
The Final of the League Plate will be an all-Premier Division affair, with Mansfield Town having won 5-2 against Anstey Nomads. Georgia Gladwin hit a hat-trick for Mansfield along with Ellie Marshall and Jessica Parker, with Anstey's consolations coming from Gemma Ball and Carmelina Colangelo. Mansfield will be up against Rotherham Utd, for whom Amelia Beckett and Rayanne Haywood scored as they triumphed 2-1 at Grimsby Borough, who replied through Laura Flecknor.
Arnold Eagles have opened up a lead of five points at the top of Division One North following their 3-1 victory away to third placed Nottingham Trent University. Eve Shaw, Jennifer Lorimer and Amy Gauvrit all netted for Arnold, whilst the home side's reply came from Jodie Lodge.
In Division One South, third placed Oadby & Wigston won a high scoring affair 7-4 against Ilkeston Town. Emma Aspinall and Danielle Gilbert each scored twice, with Lily Cocking, Samantha Hargrave and Holly Moore adding the others, whilst Georgina Shaw netted four times for Ilkeston but ended up on the losing side. Emma Robinson and Sophie Warren meanwhile scored the goals as Thrapston Town won 2-0 against Coalville Town Ravenettes.
Eastern Region League
Although they have already landed the title, Wymondham Town are showing no signs of slowing up and they notched up another victory on Sunday, 5-3 against Bowers & Pitsea. Kyla Love scored twice along with Francesca Catchpole, Hannah Waters and Natasha Youngs, whilst the home side replied through Courtney Fraser, Georgia Fraser and Danielle Sillitoe. AFC Dunstable meanwhile notched up their second victory of the season, 5-2 against St Ives Town.
Newmarket Town have returned to second place in Division One North, but they will have to wait and see if they will finish in the runners-up spot. Katie Hayes and Kate Spiers each scored twice, with Lidiya Mykhaylechko also on target, as Newmarket completed their league fixtures by winning 5-3 against Cambridge City Development and only Biggleswade Utd can now deny them second spot behind title winners Needham Market.
One match was also played in Division One South and remarkably it produced the same result - 5-3 to the away team! This time it was Leigh Ramblers who were victors over Wodson Park, the result taking them up to third place.
London & South East League
Dartford have gone level on points with Premier Division leaders Ashford Town (Middlesex) following their 3-1 victory over Dulwich Hamlet. Nicha Dyett netted twice for the Darts and Paris Smith added the other, with Lucy Monkman replying. Worthing FC Women climbed up to third with a 3-0 win away to New London Lionesses, in which Rebecca Bell, Hannah Hewlett and Katie Young all scored. Georgia Bridges (2), Rebecca Thompson-Agbro, Paige Walder and Billie Phillpot were all on the scoresheet as Saltdean Utd ran out 5-0 winners over Aylesford.
Brentford are the new leaders of Division One North after they defeated Sport London e Benfica 7-2. In front of a crowd of 1,010 at Bedfont, Rebekah Edwards and Sophie Troth each scored twice for the Queen Bees along with Ellen Wardlaw, Chloe Webb and Sara Lopez Ezzahiri, whilst Hannah Summers and Evellyn Torres Diniz netted for the visitors. Brentford have hit top spot as a result but are running out of games, whilst Dorking Wanderers missed an opportunity to return as leaders the following day when they were beaten 1-0 by Hackney, Amy Nicholson grabbing the only goal of the game.
AFC Acorns have gone five points clear at the top of Division One South following their 11-1 victory over Parkwood Rangers. Sami Phillips scored a hat-trick and Eleanor Killick-Bird contributed a brace, with one apiece from Meg Allard, Janine Daly, Emily Kendall, Samantha Rowland and Lauren Tyler. Elise Killick and Grace Mayhead accounted for the goals as Maidstone Utd defeated Meridian Ladies 2-1 to climb out of the bottom two.
The last remaining League Cup quarter final tie produced a 1-0 victory for Millwall Lionesses away to Fulham FC Women, courtesy of a goal from Maisie Joyce.
North East League
League leaders York City went through to the Second Round of the League Cup after they defeated Millmoor Ladies 7-1. Shannon Durkin led the scoring with a hat-trick, Rebecca Hunt added a brace and there was one apiece from Eleanor Hall and Sophie Tinson. Ossett Utd won on a penalty shootout against Harrogate Town after the teams had battled out a goalless draw, whilst a solitary goal from Alisha Smith earned Hartlepool Utd victory at Sunderland West End. Farsley Celtic's win over Sheffield Wednesday included hat-tricks from Dee Swales and Rachael White, with Ellie Casper, Jessica Heald and Hannah Brierley also getting on the scoresheet. A close tie was in prospect as Bishop Auckland met Boro Rangers and this turned out to be the chase, finishing in a 3-3 draw. Emma Wright (2) and Beth Vasey scored for Auckland, with Rangers netting through Jade Featherstone, Jade Danks and Isabelle Doyle, before Auckland triumphed on penalties. Blyth Town meanwhile defeated Washington Association 4-1 thanks to a Steph Ord hat-trick and Shannon Carlin. Another tie which went to penalties was that between Norton & Stockton Ancients Res and Spennymoor Town, with Norton eventually going through. Neve Robinson and Jess Tucker scored for Norton, with Spennymoor's replies coming from Autumn Colledge and Kira Whittle. Chloe Roylance also hit a hat-trick, along with Michaela Sewell and Samantha Deverdics, as Wallsend BC Res beat Guisborough Town 5-1. Tamryn Dunlop, Anna Whitehead and Jodie Langstaff all scored as York RI edged past Farsley Celtic Juniors 3-2 whilst Barnsley FC Ladies beat Wakefield Trinity U23 8-0, Sadie Hooper and Lynn Goodman netting four and three times respectively and Amy Lassu completing the scoring. Hull Utd were 5-0 winners away to Bradford Park Avenue thanks to Amy Ward (2), Millie Sharp, Jade Newlove and Jamie-Leigh Neale-Wright.
North West League
Merseyrail Ladies have clinched the Premier Division title after results went their way on Sunday. First, they ran out 3-0 winners away to Mossley Hill and the news that second placed Tranmere Rovers had drawn 2-2 with Salford City Lionesses, and the match between Crewe Alexandra and Cheadle Town Stingers finished goalless, it meant that Merseyrail were in an unassailable position. The other game played saw Fleetwood Town Wrens win 1-0 away to West Didsbury & Chorlton, which takes them up to fourth.
Blackburn Community SC are still setting the pace in Division One North, they beat Carlisle Utd 7-0 to keep themselves six points in front of Blackpool, who netted five times past Workington Reds to maintain the chase. Molly Kelly led the scoring with a hat-trick, while the others came from Emily Cardwell and Cloe Warbrick. Preston North End's most realistic target is the runners-up position and they made sure of staying six points behind Blackpool by beating Sir Tom Finney 4-0. Haslingden edged out Morecambe Res 2-1 and this lifts them into fourth, whilst Accrington Stanley beat Penwortham Town by the same scoreline.
Division One South leaders Curzon Ashton defeated Alder FC Women 3-0 and this keeps them six points ahead of Chester FC Women, who won 2-1 against Didsbury Ladies, whilst Warrington Wolves Foundation are a further point adrift in third following their 2-0 success away to Altrincham. Hindley Juniors Women edged out Runcorn Linnets by the odd goal in five, whilst the game between Wythenshawe Amateurs and West Kirby was goalless.
South West League
Ilminster Town's huge victory over Bideford on Sunday has taken them back to the top of the Premier Division. Abi Carslake scored six times whilst Jodi Cornwall and Abi Meyer contributed a further four apiece, whilst Colette Martin, Charlotte Pettinger, Sarah Stuckey and Harriet Kelly also got on the scoresheet. Previous leaders Torquay Utd went down to only their second defeat of the season, 1-0 at the hands of Sherborne Town, Jemma Tewkesbury scoring the only goal of the game. Just one point now covers the top three teams with AFC St Austell five points behind but with games in hand, following their 3-2 success away to Wootton Bassett Town. Chevonne Johanning, Francesca Thornton and Charlotte Whitmore were all on target for St Austell, with Libby Davies and Laura Jefferies replying. Bishop's Lydeard and Forest Green Rovers met for the second successive week and this time the game finished 1-1, Imogen Miller was on target for Lydeard and Forest Green netted through Faith Pound.
Bristol Ladies Union battled out a 1-1 draw with Cheltenham Town Development on Sunday, a result which means that Almondsbury will finish as runners-up in the Northern Division. Holly Finch netted for Cheltenham, whilst Union's goal came from Henna Butcher. Downend Flyers were 2-0 winners in their local derby clash with Oldland Abbotonians, a goal in each half from Faith Flynn leaving her side on course to end up in fifth. The other local derby in the division went the way of Weston Mendip who defeated Weston-super-Mare 6-3. Amy Clark scored a hat-trick for Mendip with Josie Cherson, Erin Duffy and Lilly Stephens adding the others, whilst the visitors' replies came from Natasha Crew, Summer-Lily Robinson and Katie Sharkey.
Swindon Town Development maintained their six point lead in the Eastern Division with a 3-1 win away to Keynsham Town Res. Lucy Scrannage, Annabelle Colston and own goal earned Swindon the win, with Charlotte Morrison replying. Warminster Town are keeping up the chase in second, thanks to a 3-0 success at Chipping Sodbury Town. All of the goals came in the second half, Shannon Redhouse and Mia Blazey scoring in quick succession before Brooklyn Cheal-Ferris added the third with a powerful strike from the edge of the area. It was a good day for Frome Town as they won for the first time, 3-2 against Paulton Rovers. Maisie Harris, Koran Atkinson and Ann-Marie Harvey netted the goals for Frome, with Eleri Webber scoring twice in reply.
One match was played in the Western Division, Plymouth Argyle U23 extending their lead to six points with a 6-0 victory over Helston Athletic. Emily Mousley led the scoring with a hat-trick, Taylor Ford weighed in with a brace and Ruby Murphy was also on target.
Southern Region League
Moneyfields are one win away from lifting the league title, moving themselves to the brink by winning 2-0 against Abingdon Town, thanks to goals from Ellie Kirby and Kim Whitcombe. Abingdon Utd defeated Woodley Utd 4-1 to keep their hopes alive, Lauren May hitting a hat-trick and Beth Chapman adding the other. Eastleigh need to win one of their two remaining games in order to secure a top three finish, enhancing those chances with a 3-1 victory over third placed Ascot Utd. Lucy Nightingale, Gabrielle Ewing and Hannah Peachey all scored for Eastleigh, with Sarah Leonard replying.
Newly crowned Division One Champions AFC Bournemouth Development completed their successful season with another win, 3-0 against AFC Stoneham. Larissa White, Hannah Hughes and Grace Morgan all scored a goal apiece for Bournemouth. Liane Folkenstern (2) and Lauren Brewer accounted for the goals as second placed Bournemouth Sports won 3-1 at New Milton Town. Megan McGarvey and Isobel Saunders gave Abbey Rangers a 2-0 victory over Chichester City and Milton Utd won 7-2 away to Woking Ladies, Mollie Dyer hitting a hat-trick along with Charlotte Comley, Edie Stilwell-Garrett, Georgina Stone and Rebecca Bostock.
West Midlands League
The top two in the Premier Division table met each other in the Premier Division Cup on Sunday and they produced a close tie, Sutton Coldfield Town going through on penalties after they finished level at 1-1. An own goal had given Lichfield a first half lead, with Niamh Deasy equalising shortly afterwards. Stourbridge were 2-1 winners away to Lye Town whilst Kidderminster Harriers scored ten times without reply against Tamworth. Dani Selmes hit a hat-trick, Sarah Lojko added two and there was one apiece from Jen Anslow, Mia Badland, Molly Maguire, Charlotte Arrowsmith and Tilly Pearson.
AFC Telford Utd have moved back into second place in Division One North after they won 6-2 away to Coventry City. Jaime Duggan scored four of the goals, with the others coming from Tania Prior and Kim Williams. Telford leapfrog Shifnal Town who battled out a 1-1 draw with Port Vale, who took a first half lead through Amelia Whitehouse before Jenna Boddison salvaged a point for Shifnal after the break. Honours were also even in the derby match between Walsall Wood and Walsall Ladies, the game finishing goalless.
Solihull Sporting have gone back to the top of Division One South following their 4-1 victory away to Kingfisher, courtesy of goals from Naomi Melbourne (2), Maddison Scandrett and Leah Williams. Megan Hawley netted a brace with Arshi Zahoor and Chloe Teague adding the others as third placed Sedgley & Gornal Utd won 4-0 at Westfields Women. Rugby Borough edged out Leamington Lions by the odd goal in seven thanks to Danielle Statham (2), Tamara Davies and Suzzie Vango.
