Here is a rundown on how the York City Ladies teams got on over the weekend.
First Team
The MinsterBelles were forced to settle for a point at Doncaster Rovers Belles after a controversial 90th minute penalty saw them draw 3-3 on the road this afternoon.
New signing Charlie Blythe made her first start for the club with familiar faces, Felicity Jones and Jess Holder returning after lengthy spells on the sideline with injury. The home side made a fast start to the game and took the lead in the 7th minute when Arianna Parnham slotted past Sidwell after good work out wide. Emily Senior’s side almost responded immediately through the returning Holder, who was inches away from tapping into the back of the net. It was Holder who would bring the two sides level in the 28th minute, when she tried her luck from distance and her strike found the top corner. The final action of the first half came in the form of a goal for the home side. They retook the lead through Jasmine Saxton, who calmly found the back of the net.
The conditions continued to worsen at Denaby Main and both sides exchanged chances with both Becky Sidwell and Bywater equal to the strikes. The MinsterBelles levelled up the match, for the second time, in the 71st minute when Grace Sykes’ curling shot was parried into the path of Jones and she found the back of the net. It wasn’t long before Senior’s side then took the lead. In the 78th minute a free-kick was met by the head of Karli Smith and she directed it into the back of the net. On the brink of a valuable three points and deep into injury time, Doncaster Rovers Belles snatched a point. The penalty was curled into the bottom corner by Saxton to see both sides settle for a point.
The MinsterBelles travel to AFC Fylde next weekend in the FA Women’s National League Division One North.
Reserves
The Reserves were able to get back to league action after a six week break due to the recent poor weather and the Christmas break.
It was a slow start to the game but the home side managed to create the better chances with Emia Hendrickson-Eastwood and Lucy Lendhill both coming close. Huddersfield started to create chances of their own and deservedly took the lead when the forward found too much space inside of the penalty area and slammed the ball home into the roof of the net.
It took awhile for the Reserves to find their rhythm but were back level when a delightful ball into the box by Imogen Hayhurst found Ruby Watt who’s first touch set her up to volley home into the corner. The scores weren’t level for long though when the pacey Huddersfield forward ran clear to hammer home to put the away side back in the lead at the half time interval.
The Reserves took control of the game for long periods in the second half and were rewarded for their efforts in the last kick of the game when Bella Marshall floated a free kick in towards the far post and with the ball already looking to be heading in, midfielder Katie Varley was able to help the ball into the back of the net to bring the game back level.
The game ended in a draw which was a fair result after both teams battled in tough weather conditions.
Development Team
York City Development looked to get back to winning ways as they travelled South to play Sheffield United Community Foundation.
Included in the squad was Sophie Bentley, who would come on from the bench to make her first appearance after moving up from the U16’s Talent Academy.
On a very cold and rainy afternoon, the Development side started strongly creating a number of opportunities which were stopped by the Sheffield United goalkeeper. Daisy Masefield had the first opportunity to put the Development side 1-0 up after Izzy Eaton was brought down in the box. Masefield stepped up and her shot went wide of the goal.
It was Lucy Fairbank that put the away side in to the lead as her shot found the bottom right corner on the 26th minute. Masefield then put her penalty miss to one side and doubled the lead three minutes after the opener to secure a 2-0 lead at Half Time.
The Development team came out firing in the second half determined to keep a clean sheet and secure the win by adding further goals. Masefield went on to claim her first hat-trick for the club in terrific fashion as she scored her second and third goals of the game in the 53rd and 72nd minute.
Eaton impressed all game down the right hand side beating the opposition full back on many occasions. She scored a brace, with the first goal on the 56th minute from a direct corner which curled over everyone in to the far corner. A second was added on the 65th minute.
In her first appearance, Bentley got straight in to the action. Coming on to the pitch on the 65th minute, her first action was to receive the ball at the edge of the box and place a shot into the bottom left corner to score her first goal.
The game ended 7-0 to the Development team and see’s the side rise four places in the league table.