Reds Women Back To Winning Ways

Football Nottingham Forest info@nottinghamsport.com January 24, 2022

Stoke City Ladies 0-1 Nottingham Forest Women (FA Women’s National League North) 23.01.22

Again ringing the changes, Andy Cook swapped three of his starting eleven from the previous outing, the defeat at Huddersfield Town Women, bringing in Olivia Cook Charlotte Greengrass and Naomi Powell, the Reds looking to immediately get back to winning ways.

It would be a lone strike from Rachel Brown that would give the visitors all three points, both sides battling throughout but neither making any real headway in-front of goal, both sides trying to get in amongst it in the opening exchanges, but to no vail.

The better chances of the opening half in fact saw fans wait until the latter stages, the hosts first having a couple of efforts in quick succession, the first seeing Emily Batty claim the ball from Roisin Kivel, whilst the second saw Reds captain, Lyndsey Harkin, clear at the back after Naomi Bedeau bids to get on the end of a cross from Callan Barber.

Beth Roberts then had a burst down the left, delivers a cross for the rising Barber in the box, who connects on the volley, but her effort flies over, before Nic Hudson and Kivel link up, and see a penalty appeal waved away.

Forest’s best chance of the half would come as the game headed towards injury time, Naomi Powell being seen to lose her marker who then releases Brown, however, her shot is blocked and Charlotte Steggles collects the loose ball, only to squeeze the chance past the upright, with Lizzie Craven’s goal begging to be bulged.

Andy Cook’s side would charge out the blocks early in the second period, perhaps knowing the one goal would be enough to kill the game off and, after efforts from Georgia Hewitt, Rosie Axten, and Steggles, Brown struck, what would prove the winner.

Just eight minutes had elapsed in the second period, and with the hosts pretty much under the cosh, the Reds eventually took advantage, making it count when Greengrass would be seen to drive forward with the ball, evade an incoming challenge, before releasing Brown, she wasting no time in firing home the only goal of the game.

Roberts would be seen to start an attack shortly after the goal, connected to by Sophie Garratt effort saved well by Batty in the visitor’s goal.

The hosts would continually find themselves limited to chances, few and far between, from dead-ball situations, the Reds maintaining their grip on the game with Axten being seen to put an effort over after Powell had won possession and released her teammate through on goal.

Jade Arber would take to the field with a little over a quarter of the game remaining, she returning to the fray after an injury lay-off, the game petering down to corners and efforts from range before another of Cook’s changes, Mai Moncaster, would try her luck with around five minutes remaining, the home ‘keeper though equal to it.

Brown’s goal was all that was needed to claim the three points, and ensure that the Reds quickly returned to winning ways ahead of Thursday’s trip to Yorkshire, and Sheffield FC, for another league encounter.

Forest: Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Georgia Hewitt (Sophia Bonser 68), Rachel Brown (Jade Arber 66), Olivia Cook, Charlotte Steggles, Rosie Axten (Mai Moncaster 78), Amy West, Becky Anderson, Charlotte Greengrass (Grace Walters 58), Naomi Powell (Niamh Reynolds 66).