Image by Ian Parker
Here is a rundown on how the York City Ladies teams got on over the weekend.
First Team:
Despite a spirited second-half fightback from the MinsterBelles, an Own Goal alongside a strike from Charlotte Stuart helped Huddersfield Town take all three points at York Sport Stadium.
In the absence of Captain Ocean Rolandsen, Emily Senior handed a First Team debut to 16-year-old Sophie Bentley and her side made a positive start to the game. The first meaningful chance fell to the visitors, with former MinsterBelles Midfielder, Ella Duffield, pulling her shot just wide of goal. The MinsterBelles then had their first chance in the 16th minute, when Alex Gatt fired just over the goal from the edge of the area. The deadlock was broken in the 21st minute when a cross from the right-hand side was sliced into our own net by Emily Cattle. Becky Sidwell was then called into action in the 35th minute, making a smart save to deny Caz Simone.Senior’s side looked to have levelled the game up in the 38th minute when Jess Holder’s strike was parried into the net by Kacey Bolton-Woollam, only for the keeper to flick it out of the goal. Despite protests from several players, the Linesman waved play on.
Senior made a change at half-time, in a bid to find a way back into the game, with Emia Hendrickson-Eastwood replacing Charlie Blythe. But it was the visitors who doubled their lead through Charlotte Stuart. She tapped into the back of the net after Simone had found her in the middle of the area. It was then a moment of brilliance which helped the MinsterBelles half the deficit. Milly Ash’ cross was rifled into the back of the net by Grace Sykes, to give her side a glimour of hope. With the momentum firmly in the home sides favour, they went in search of an equaliser but struggled to carve out any meaningful opportunities. Deep into stoppage time, Gatt had a free-kick on the edge of the area, but it was hit straight into the arms of Bolton-Woollman.
The MinsterBelles are back at York Sport Stadium on Sunday, welcoming Norton & Stockton Ancients in the FA Women’s National League Division One North.
Reserves:
The Reserves began their new campaign in the Northern Reserves Premier against a Leeds United team that were coming off the back of a second-place finish.
There were a number of changes to the squad this week with Summer Harvey, Ruby Watt, Erin Rodgers all missing out through injury. This meant a debut in goal for under 16s goalkeeper Annie Mindenhall.
Both teams went into the game at full pace with both sides creating chances, but it was the away side who had the better of the opening exchanges with Mindenhall being called into action making two vital saves. The first diving to her left to keep out a strike and then another outstanding save to push a free kick onto the crossbar.
Continued pressure from Leeds finally paid off when the ball was won back on the edge of the penalty area and curled into the top corner to give the away side the lead going into half time.
The second half saw the perfect start for the Reserves when Izzy Eaton won the ball high up the pitch and curled delightfully into the top corner to score her first goal since stepping up from the Development Team. This saw the second half begin to open up with both teams trying to find the crucial goal to put them ahead and it was Leeds that found it, when the forward found space in the penalty area and fired home into the far corner. It didn’t take long for York to respond though when some neat play around the penalty area saw Lil Scott gain half a yard of space to fire a shot into the bottom corner via the post to bring the game back level once again and to also score her first goal since stepping up from the Development Team.
The closing moments of the half saw both goalkeepers called into action with Mindenhall making several crucial stops in her Player of the Match performance.
The Reserves now turn their attention to next Sunday’s fixture away at Doncaster Belles.