It was a first league defeat of the season for Nottingham Forest, whilst Notts County picked up a hard-fought home win, on what was Pies women’s captain Holly Fowler’s 100 appearance for the club, in the FA Women’s National League at the weekend.

In seeing off Leafield Athletic 2-1, the hosts’ Takiah Burnett opened the scoring inside fifteen minutes when she cut in from the left and fired into the visiting ‘keepers bottom corner, whilst just five minutes later the lead was doubled after a great run-and-cross from Emily Brett was smashed home by Elle Rowson.

The visitors pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time following a speculative effort which beat Pip Davies in the home goal; the second period should have seen both sides add to their tally with the respective back-lines standing firm.

Rowson came close to adding a third for the hosts with twenty remaining but was flagged for offside, substitute Katie Platts saw her effort well-blocked, whilst the visitors saw an effort fly over the bar from the edge of the box in the closing minutes.

Still time for more action when, in stoppage time, another County sub, Nya Chambers, looked to combine with Platts, but the ball from the latter is too high, and the visitors nearly snatched a point at the death when, following a corner, County put it all on the line (literally) to block.

It was a second successive win for County who sit fifth in Division One Midlands (joint-second) on seven points, two points behind leaders Sporting Khalsa; next up for County, the second of three, consecutive home games, this against Solihull Moors (24 September).

NOTTS COUNTY – Philippa Davies, Mollie-Mae Crump, Holly Fowler, Laura Steele (Summer Reece, 87), Annie Taylor, Emily Brett (Laura Vine, 64), Elle Rowson, Emma Scoffham, Emily Stretton, Takiah Burnett (Nya Chambers, 72), Nicola Russell (Katie Platts, 76)

Meanwhile it was defeat, for the first time this season, for Carly Davies’ new-look Nottingham Forest, they crashing 4-2 on the road at current National League Premier North leaders, Burnley.

Five of the games’ six goals were netted in a hectic, see-saw first half as the hosts led via Millie Ravening’s first of the game; Forest equalised through Freya Thomas’ second of the season before Natalie Johnson added her second as well to give the Reds a 2-1 lead – less than 25 minutes having been played.

Three minutes after the Reds’ second of the afternoon, the hosts levelled proceedings through Amaya Colemen-Evans then, with eight minutes to go in the half, they grabbed a third with Brenna McPartlan also netting, the hosts leading 3-2 at the break.

A quick-fire fourth was added by Burnley early in the second period when Ravening beat Batty thirteen minutes after the restart, for her second and taking the hosts’ tally to a dozen in their last three outings.

Next up for Forest, who are joint-second on nine points with Newcastle United, and Liverpool Feds (four behind Burnley with a game in hand), is the first of three home games, they welcoming the Feds on 24 September.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST – Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Natalie Johnson, Olivia Cook, Mai Moncaster, Holly Manders (Cowie 65), Chloe Dixon (Worsey, 65), Mollie Green, Freya Thomas, Becky Anderson, Hayley James

A crowd of over a hundred turned up in Worksop as SJR put visiting Sleaford Town to the sword in the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Division One North.

Leading as early as the second minute, with Emily Myatt’s first of the game, the hosts soon picked up the pace, adding two more before the interval through Emily Murphy and Lilly Brown.

The goals kept flowing in the second period for the hosts, who top the table after two matches with back-to-back victories; within fifteen minutes of the restart Lilly Brown added the fourth, before Murphy’s second of the game, five minutes later, put the hosts all but out-of-sight.

It wasn’t the end of the scoring though, SJR going on to add three more goals to their afternoon’s work with Myatt doubling up with twenty left on the clock, then Brown competed her hat-trick five minutes later; Abbie Lister wrapped up the scoring for the free-scoring hosts with ten minutes to go and, although the visitors grabbed a late consolation, the work had already been done and dusted.

Following back-to-back home wins, SJR find themselves on the road for their next two matches, with a League Cup outing at Cardea Ladies (Peterborough) first up, on 24 September.

SJR WORKSOP – Olivia Walker, Lauren Cundy, Lucie Spendif, Abbie Lister, Aimee Roper, Lauren Bell, Tammy Hessey, Shannon Brookes, Amy O’Brien, Emily Murphy, Emily Myatt (subs – Ayesha Stead, Rachael Bell, Abbie Kent, Lilly Brown)

Elsewhere in the EMWRFL, Mansfield Town picked up a big three points in their Premier Division clash away to local rivals, Basford United, leading by one at the interval the Stags eventually ran out 3-0 victors thanks to Eve Shaw, Monica Bowley, and Maia Taylor.

In Division One North Retford suffered a 6-3 defeat when on the road at Lincoln United Development, April Hallam with a hat-trick for the hosts whilst Retford’s replies came via Isabelle Thorpe, Harriet Hill, and Emily Crompton.

There was plenty of action seen for Notts clubs in Division One Central, with mixed outcomes as Arnold Eagles and West Bridgford both won local derbies away from home; the former won 2-0 at Notts County Development thanks to Natasha Leach and Demi-Leigh Crofts efforts, and the latter won 2-1 at Sandiacre Town.

Nottingham Trent University also won on the road, they 3-1 at Loughborough Foxes Vixens, and Sherwood, thanks to a brace from Kitty Ward, won 2-1 at home to Asfordby Amateurs.

In addition, there was two games in the Nottinghamshire Girls & Ladies League Seniors One, and with a plethora of goals; Newark Town defeated visiting Keyworth United 8-3 with Connie Forman (3) and Jessica Parker (2) among the goals, Jodie Ellis two in reply, whilst Arnold Eagles Flyers picked up a 6-3 win over Mansfield Town Development, Claire Goater with a hat-trick and Chloe Cockayne two.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NCFC_Women the Notts County team lines up to celebrate 100 not out for Fowler.