Sporting Club Albion claimed top spot in The FA Women’s Premier League North Division on goal difference alone by beating Newcastle United 4-1 at Coach Lane.
With leaders Stoke not in action this weekend, Albion grabbed the bull by the horns in a clinical performance which left Newcastle feeling hard done by after having had 16 shots on goal to the visitors’ three.
Leigh Dugmore gave the away side the lead midway through the first half, before Beth Gardener stepped up the penalty spot for the chance to equalise.
The FA Premier League
North Division
Sunday 27 September
By James Gray
However, Bec Thomas made the save, one of 12 on the day for the outstanding goalkeeper, although Gardener did atone for her miss with a goal just minutes later.
And while the Lady Mags had dominated the first half, they went in behind when Dugmore scored her second.
After the break it was much of the same, as Thomas proved in top form, and SCA struck twice on the break, forcing a Megan McKenzie own goal, before Dugmore completed her hat-trick with her tenth of the season.
Stoke fell to third on the day, as Derby County also capitalised on their rivals’ inactivity, putting six past the Guiseley Vixens.
Fresh from beating local rivals Forest in midweek, Derby never looked in trouble as they completed a 6-0 victory in Yorkshire, who have now lost all seven league games this season.
Lauren Steadman was the main thorn in the home team’s side, bagging a hat-trick, while Melissa Johnson, Hannah Ward, and Natasha Hughes all chipped in with a goal apiece.
There was another big away win at Shelley FC, as Huddersfield Town went down 4-1 to Preston North End.
It took 36 minutes for PNE to unlock the Town defence, before Lagan Makin gave them the lead, having only just come on for the injured Jerdine Farrell.
However, after half time, the floodgates opened, with Mel Ball, Keeleigh Savage, and Ella Schickhoff made it 4-0, before Sarah Dobby grabbed a consolation in the last minute of normal time.
The win, Preston’s first away from home this season, takes them up to fourth in the table, seven points off the leaders but with two games in hand.
In the final FA WPL North game of the weekend, Nuneaton Town’s winless start to the season continued as they lost 2-0 at home to Nottingham Forest.
Forest have lost only once away from home this season, and started dominantly, but it wasn’t until just before half time that they broke the deadlock.
It was Natasha Meade’s seventh goal of the season that gave Forest a lead at the break, turning in Mariah Cameron’s cross.
And Meade turned from finisher to provider on the hour mark, playing in Andi Bell to make it 2-0 with a smart finish.
Both sides had opportunities to score late on, Forest goal-keeper Vanessa Kinnerley having to make several sharp low saves, and at the other Bell spurning a good chance, but it remained 2-0, and Nuneaton’s quest for a first point goes on.
