FA Women’s National League
Northern Premier Division`
Nottingham Forest claimed the result they needed to lift the Northern Premier Division title when they ran out 7-2 winners over West Bromwich Albion in front of 1,918 at the City Ground. A four-goal second half blast by Melissa Johnson fired Forest to victory and an unbeaten season, she was joined on the scoresheet by Charlie Wellings, Sophie Domingo and Holly Manders.
Sunday was a day of mixed fortunes for Wolverhampton Wanderers who take the runners-up position for the second year in a row, rounding off their campaign by scoring six times without reply past Liverpool Feds. Destiney Toussaint opened the scoring, with Amber Hughes and Anna Morphet adding further goals ahead of the break. Substitute Rachael Quigley finished matters off by grabbing a late double, either side of a strike from Charlotte Greengrass.
A 4-0 victory over Halifax FC Women ensured that Stoke City finish in their highest ever position, taking third place. The first half goalless but Shannon Stamps put Stoke ahead two minutes after the restart, Evie Priestley quickly added a second and they went on to crown the win with further strikes from Molly Holder and Sophie Thompson.
Burnley FC Women made sure that their season ended on a winning note when they scored seven times against Sporting Khalsa. Seven different players got on the scoresheet for the Clarets, Jade Richards and Heidi Logan putting them two ahead at half time, before Amelia Hazard, Brenna McPartlan, Danielle Maxwell, Aimee Kelly and Claudia Walker all weighed in with a goal apiece.
Hull City meanwhile claimed an eighth place finish after they shared a 1-1 draw with Rugby Borough. Ellie Tanser was on target for the Tigresses, with Rugby netting a late equaliser through Mai Moncaster.
Derby County ended a run of four straight defeats with a 4-0 success away to Stourbridge. The Ewes went ahead through Charlotte Steggles, midway through the first half, and Rebecca May added a second on the stroke of half time. Kira Rai made it three shortly after coming on as a substitute and Camille Jenkins rounded off the scoring late on.
Southern Premier Division
Ipswich Town are crowned as Champions after scoring eight times past Cheltenham Town in front of an attendance of 2,150. Natasha Thomas scored a goal in each half and the others came from Lucy O’Brien, Ella Rutherford, Ruby Seaby, Sophie Peskett and Kaci-Jai Bonwick, with an own goal completing the tally.
The Tractor Girls finish on top by a margin of six points after second placed Hashtag Utd went down 2-0 at Oxford Utd, who end the campaign in fifth. Nicole Barrett netted both goals, giving the U’s a third minute lead at Court Place Farm and adding the second in first half injury time.
Exeter City met Watford in the battle to decide who finished in third place and the honours went to Watford after the match finished in a 2-2 draw. The match at St James Park attracted a healthy attendance of 3,791 but it was visitors Watford who soared into a two-goal lead inside the opening five minutes, thanks to Isabella Fisher and Flo Fyfe. Exeter fought back after the break and got back on level terms with Sarah Stacey and Ishbel Zuurmond scoring but Watford saw the game out for the point they required, stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches in the process.
Lewes finish in the top half following their 7-0 victory against Milton Keynes Dons. Paul Howells led the scoring with a hat-trick and also on target for the Rookettes were Lois Roche, Hannah Godfrey, Lucy Connolly-Brame and Adekite Fatuga.
The battle to avoid the drop went the way of Plymouth Argyle who won 2-0 away to Gwalia Utd to lift themselves out of the bottom two. Argyle went into the match needing at least a point to stand any chance of staying up and after a goalless first half, Lulu Jarvis broke the deadlock just after the hour and Georgia Wilson scored the goal that secured safety with three minutes remaining.
The unfortunate team which ended up on the wrong side of the line was Billericay Town, who lost 4-0 at AFC Wimbledon. The match attracted another good crowd of 1,261 at Plough Lane and they saw Ashlee Hincks score a goal in each half for the Dons, with Emily Donovan and Hannah MacKenzie joining her on the scoresheet.
Division One North
The title race has seen the top two go neck-and-neck for the line in the last few weeks and it was Middlesbrough who just got over the line first, taking the title on goal difference with a 3-0 victory away to Barnsley FC Women. Millie Bell, Jessica Mett and Sharna Wilkinson scored the goals to give ‘Boro the victory they needed for a goal difference which was five goals better than the runners-up.
Cheadle Town Stingers have had a great season, their first in the league following promotion, and they came agonisingly close to going up for the second year in a row but will have to settle for second place. The Stingers did all they could but a 2-1 victory over AFC Fylde was not quite enough, Imogen Porteous-Williams scoring an injury time winner for Cheadle to add to Georgia Plant’s earlier strike, after Lois Moore had put the Coasters in front.
Chorley made sure of achieving a third place finish, thanks to a 2-0 success away to Norton & Stockton Ancients. Faye Stanhope and Molly Wood both scored as the Magpies finished off a fine season on a winning note.
Leeds Utd follow on in fourth, they ran out 4-1 winners at York City. The MinsterBelles had reached safety with a victory in their previous game and went ahead after three minutes through Ocean Rolandsen, but Leeds hit back strongly with Amy Woodruff netting a goal in each half, whilst Ellie White and Alice Hughes joined her on the scoresheet.
A second half fightback from Stockport County took them to a 3-1 win away to Durham Cestria, which sees them finish level on points with the Wildcats. Nicki Gears gave Durham the lead ten minutes before half time but after the break, the match was turned on its head as Maria Figueiredo levelled the scores and substitutes Levi Rathburn and Aisha Nsangou completed the turnaround in County’s favour.
A disappointing campaign for Doncaster Rovers Belles did end on a happy note as they defeated Huddersfield Town 4-0, but ultimately it was too late to save them. The Belles led at the interval through a goal from Laila Abadi and shortly after the restart, quickfire strikes from Arianne Parnham and Hannah McWilliams put them three ahead before Abadi netted her second late on.
Division One Midlands
The title race in this division has been between four teams for virtually all of the season but Loughborough Lightning proved to be unstoppable in their quest and finish on top by a margin of eight points after finishing off with a 1-0 win against Boldmere St Michaels, Emily Jacobs scoring the only goal of the game midway through the second half.
The runners-up spot was on offer in the clash between Northampton Town and Peterborough Utd and it was Northampton who claimed second place by a point as the match finished level at 1-1. The Posh Women went into the game needing to win and things started well for them as Niamh Reynolds gave them a first half lead but seven minutes after the interval, Hannah Samuels scored the goal which ensured that Northampton took the place in the top two.
Leafield Athletic have had a good season, finishing off in fourth place, and they rounded it off in style by beating Sutton Coldfield Town 4-0. Evie Gallop spearheaded the win as she netted a first half hat-trick and then added a fourth in injury time.
Barnsley Women claimed a top half place with a 2-0 victory away to Lincoln Utd. Jodie Michalska scored both goals, either side of half time, as her team recorded their tenth league victory of the season.
The result took Barnsley above Notts County who were held to a 2-2 draw by Solihull Moors at Meadow Lane. All of the goals came during the first half, with Moors twice taking the lead through Georgia Neath and Alex Liddiard, and County equalising on both occasions with goals from Shoniqua Barnes and Leah Hardy.
It has been a tough first season in the league for Worcester City but their fight to stay up has ultimately been a successful one, and they finished off with a 5-0 victory over Lincoln City who will no doubt be glad the campaign is over. Jessica Fassnidge gave Worcester a first half lead at the Sixways Stadium and two further strikes in the last twenty minutes saw her complete her hat-trick, with Olivia Mitcham and Evie Billingsley joining her on the scoresheet.
Division One South East
Real Bedford landed the title last time out but they could not end the season with an unbeaten record as they went down in their final match, 3-1 to Dulwich Hamlet. Real did take a first half lead through Breon Grant but after the break, Hamlet staged a strong fightback and goals from Natalie Taylor, Iesha Swaby and Ceylon Hickman earned them their best result of the season.
Norwich City picked up the result they needed to secure the runners-up position for the second year in row, winning 3-0 against Queen’s Park Rangers. In front of an attendance of 3,107 at Carrow Road, Holly Kennard netted twice and Freya Symonds added the other to put the seal on another good season for the Canaries.
Chatham Town were another team to push for the title until the latter stages of the season, falling just short with a third place finish but, just like Norwich, were only beaten three times during the campaign. Their final match resulted in a 1-1 draw with Cambridge Utd at the Abbey Stadium, Sarah Wiltshire scoring for the U’s whilst the Chats netted through Amelia Woodgate.
London Bees finished the season on a previous note, running out 6-2 winners away to Chesham Utd and they should have plenty of optimism for next season. Lily Whitelock and Hayley Hoare each scored twice for the Bees and their others came from Aria Heil and Samantha Lanza Gabian, whilst the Clarets replied through Kiyana Fryer and Gemma Fraser.
A top half finish was secured by Actonians Ladies when they won 4-0 away to Ashford Town (Middlesex), their tenth victory of the seaso which was given to them by doubles from Hana Lalani and Jasmine Williamson.
AFC Sudbury meanwhile netted nine times without reply past London Seaward, who will be able to put the season behind them. Jess Allen led the scoring for Sudbury with a hat-trick and Emily Newcombe weighed in with a brace, with Leonnie Bezant, Lina Nagib, Megan Edwards and Ellie Rossiter also getting on the scoresheet.
Division One South West
AFC Bournemouth completed another unbeaten season, but this time with the league title, when they defeated Portishead Town 5-1. Helen Bleazard - on her final appearance before retiring - opened the scoring and the Cherries went on to add further goals through Jenna Markham, Gemma McGuinness, Molly Barron-Clark and Ellie Strippel, with Emily Lindsay netting a consolation for the visitors from the penatly spot.
Moneyfields had already been confirmed as runners-up but their season ended in defeat, beaten 3-2 by Swindon Town who claimed a top three place as a result. Isabelle Cook bagged a brace and Annabelle Colston the other to give the Wiltshire side a fine result to end the campaign, whilst Charley Wilson-Wilton scored twice in reply for the Moneys.
Victory for Swindon means they will finish one place above Bristol Rovers despite them winning 2-0 against Bournemouth Sports. Abi Todd opened the scoring for Rovers on the stroke of half time and Emily Bayliss wrapped up the win with the second goal late on.
After four straight defeats, Worthing made sure that their season finished on a winning note with a 4-0 success away to Maidenhead Utd. Tierney Scott led the scoring for the Sussex side by hitting a hat-trick, before Danielle Lane put the seal on the victory with the final goal.
A thrilling match at Abingdon Utd saw visitors Keynsham Town return with a 4-3 victory under their belts. Abingdon took the lead on no less than three occasions, Molly Lygo-Jackson netting two early goals and Mimi Hodges adding the other, but Keynsham replied each time through a double from Beatriz Kretteis and Kerry Bartlett scored twice in the last twenty minutes to turn the match in Keynsham’s favour.
Southampton Women ended a largely forgettable season with a win, beating Bridgwater Utd 3-1. Elle Elkins, Eliska Lynn and Lucy Mear all found the net to give the Sirens only their second victory of the campaign, whilst Bridgwater replied through Connie Pengelly.
Reserve Section round-up
Newcastle Utd continue to head the way in the Northern Premier Division after second half goals from Hannah McIntosh, Ella Baker and Lucy Plews took them to a 3-0 victory away to Notts County. The Magpies lead the table by a single point from Leeds Utd, they were 3-1 winners over Stoke City thanks to Sian Gibrill-Keating, Alex Rigg and Lacey Ogley. Middlesbrough are a further point adrift in third, Amber Rodgers bagging a brace as they beat York City 2-1.
In the Southern Premier Division, Watford closed the gap on leaders AFC Bournemouth to three points with a 5-2 success away to Swindon Town, Kaya Bamber and Chloe Kabo were both on target twice along with Jada Deane, who added the other goal.
One match was also played in the Southern Championship, Queen’s Park Rangers and Keynsham Town battling out a 1-1 draw which means that the whole of the table is covered by just two points. Brianna Gilbert-Lawal gave Rangers a first half lead that was cancelled on the hour mark by Maddie Iles.
