Nottingham Forest Women reached the third round of this seasons Vitality Women’s FA Cup where they’ll play Barclays Women’s Championship side, Sheffield United (away, 11 December) following an eventually comfortable, 5-1 win, away to Shropshire side, Wem Town.

Level at the break, the hosts equalising on the stroke of half-time after the visiting Reds had opened the scoring, through Sophie Domingo, just after the half hour mark, the second period would see Andy Cook’s side assert their dominance, in devastating fashion.

The Reds, who are finding goals in abundance this campaign, proceeded in a devastating, five-minute spell just after the hour mark, turn the score from 1-1, to a 4-1 advantage, Amy West with the first two, and Rosetta Taylor chipping in with one of her own.

Taylor, she’d only been on the field a matter of minutes before registering, the Reds impacting emphatically throughout; progress to the third, and that trip to Sheffield was nailed on thirteen minutes from time when the final, fifth goal was scored, West completing her hat-trick, in just fourteen, second half minutes.

The Reds next match is a trip to Stoke City (4 December) in the FA Women’s National League, League Cup, before travelling to Sheffield the following week (11 December), where they’ll be welcome by several, former Reds in Rebecca ‘Bex’ Rayner, Rachel Brown, as well Tamara Wilcock and Charley Docherty, the latter two who were on a dual registration with Forest in the second half of the 2021/22 season.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST – Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Georgia Hewitt, Olivia Cook, Sophie Domingo, Mai Moncaster (Becky Anderson 63), Yasmin Mosby, Amy West, Niamh Reynolds (Charlotte Greengrass 63), Hayley James (Rosetta Taylor 63), Naomi Powell.

Forest’s Reserves were also in devastating, goal-scoring form, racking up a 9-1 win away to Loughborough Lightning Development, in the Reserve Midland Division.

With a game or two in hand on those above them in the table, Forest are third to leaders Derby County, and second place West Bromwich Albion Development sides, the Reds’ second string found themselves 6-1 up at the interval.

Takiah Burnett helped herself to a first half, twenty-seven minute hat-trick, after Olivia Edwards (her fifth of the season) had opened the scoring for the free-scoring visitors; Summa Betts also chipped in during that devastating first, as did Isabella Hodson, the visitors constantly on the front foot.

Substitute Mia Chiarizia continued the scoring within minutes of coming on early in the second period but, with the points wrapped up, the Reds took their foot off the gas as Betts added her second of the game, she and Burnett are on nine apiece, and Chelsea Bailey, added further goals.

In the East Midlands Women’s Regional League, Notts County remained top of the Premier Division following a 5-2 home win over Arnold Eagles after an opener from Summer Gayle, and a brace from Alice Hayes, had County 3-1 up at the break, Natasha Leach pulling one back late in the first period.

Goals continued to flow upon the restart for the hosts, Nya Chambers bagging their fourth a little over ten minutes in; whilst the decisive fifth, defender Libby Quinn did brilliantly at the back before lifting a perfect ball through to Gayle, she wasting little time in doubling up on the afternoon herself.

Eagles substitute, Hannah Daniel, added a second consolation late on in the game, but it was too little, too late for the visitors, their high-flying hosts holding a one point advantage on second place Lincoln United, and four on third place Chesterfield, Mansfield Town a little further back in fourth.

Three Notts sides were in action in Division One Central, and all three suffered big defeats at the hands of the division’s top three sides; leaders Asfordby Amateurs won 6-3 against West Bridgford Colts, Amber Hill with a brace, Sherwood fell 4-2 away to second place Dronfield Town as Kristine Humble notched two, and bottom club, Notts County Development, they were on the end of a 5-0 thumping away to third place Ilkeston as Jade Eaglefield scored twice.

The games between Mansfield Hosiery Mills and Nottingham Trent University, and SJR Worksop’s home game with Grimsby Town, were postponed.

Meanwhile, Retford Women continue to lead the way in the Nottinghamshire Girls & Ladies League Seniors One, goals from Emily North and Isabella Thorpe affording them a 2-1 home win over Nottingham Trent.

Trent substitute, Naomi Palmer, pulled a goal back for the visitors, but Retford held on for their seventh win in eight, and boast a five-point advantage on second place Keyworth United, they leapfrogging there after a 5-2 win away to Mansfield Town Development.

Fourth placed Arnold Eagles Flyers, who’ve games in hand on the sides above them, enjoyed victory in a nine-goal thriller at home to University of Nottingham, Claire Goater and Asmirah Jalloh with braces in the 6-3 win, and Teversal eased to a 2-0 home win over Radcliffe Olympic, Ellie Horsman and Poppy Gordon with the goals.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFCWomen Reds skipper Lyndsay Harkin in action.