By Charlie Hopper
Here’s a rundown on how all three York City Ladies sides got on over the past weekend.
First Team
The MinsterBelles’ run in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup came to an end on Sunday Afternoon after two second-half goals from Ella Ritchie helped FC United of Manchester Women progress into the second-round proper of the FA Cup.
Ladies’ manager Steph Turnbull was dealt an early blow before kick-off with Holly Findlay forced to miss out on the game due to injury and she was replaced by Danielle Nanga, who made her first start for the club.
The MinsterBelles were backed by 230 supporters, which set a new record attendance for the Ladies at the York Sport Stadium.
City almost took the lead in the 4th minute when Ella Duffield cut inside and took a curling shot, which clipped the top of the crossbar as the visitors were able to escape danger.
The visitors then took full control of the game and had arguably the best chance of the half three minutes later. Ritchie capitalised on a mistake but her shot, towards an open goal, drifted wide of the post.
Ritchie was involved in another great chance just minutes later, but Becky Sidwell made a fantastic save to turn it wide of the post and out for a corner.
FC United of Manchester Women continued to press hard, in search of the opening goal, and were denied by Sidwell who came rushing off her line to deny Chaneece Reeves.
Rebecca Jeffels then made a superb clearance off the line to keep the game level before Sidwell was called into action again, this time making a routine save.
FC United of Manchester Women took the lead early on in the second half after Ritchie connected with a cross and headed past Sidwell.
The MinsterBelles, in search of an equaliser, then had their best chance of the half when Alice Hughes whipped a dangerous ball into the box only for it to fly through and go out for a throw in.
The lead was doubled in the 66th minute when Ritchie nicked the ball off a defender and took an ambitious shot from distance, which nestled into the back of the net as FC United of Women booked their place in the second round of the competition.
The MinsterBelles are next in home action on Sunday 3rd December when they return to league action and welcome Middlesbrough Women to the LNER Community Stadium. Tickets will go on sale shortly.
Development Team
The Development team continued their fine run of form as they beat Farsley Celtic Juniors Ladies, 5-1 on Sunday afternoon.
The Dev’s made a slow start to the game and found themselves behind, inside 10 minutes, when a cross was tapped in by the Farsley forward.
York grew into the game and forced the Farsley goalkeeper into several strong saves with Grace Sykes also hitting the bar from a lobbed effort.
The Dev’s brought the game level just minutes later when an inviting cross from the right found Beth Mclaughlin, who was unmarked in the area, and she made light work of the finish to level up the game.
Grace Sykes was at the heart of her sides second goal of the game when her corner, from the left, was parried into the net the Farsley keeper.
York’s pace down the wings continued to cause Farsley problems and again a dangerous ball into the box found Ruby Watt who’s placed header found the bottom corner, to give her side a 3-1 lead going into the break.
The second half was more of the same with York controlling possession but were still being tested in defence when a Farsley player broke through but rolled her shot inches wide of the post.
The game was then put beyond doubt when two goals in two minutes from Mclaughlin and a long-range strike from Sykes made it 5-1.
The result means that the Dev’s makeit five games unbeaten, with four of those games being victories.
U23’s
York City Ladies returned to winning ways on Sunday afternoon as they beat Poppleton Ladies in emphatic style.
It was an excellent start with the U23’S making an immediate impact. Georgia Sutcliffe opened the scoring in the second minutes, then Kazia Walby scored her first goal of the season just three moments later.
The first half was end-to-end with both teams looking to grab the next goal, but it was Poppleton who grasped the next opportunity, with the opposition player intercepting a pass and lobbing the goalkeeper from distance.
The MinsterBelles restored their two-goal advantage in the 39th minute when Chloe Harris scored, ensuring they headed into the break with a comfortable lead.
The U23’s then scored three goals in three minutes early on in the second half, which took the game away from Poppleton’s reach.
Sutcliffe added her second and third goals of the game, before Emia Hendrickson-Eastwood scored to make it, 6-1.
Continuing to push forward for more, Beatrice Mattique added a seventh goal with a well-executed lob over the keeper, before Sutcliffe went to secure a double hat-trick with some excellent finishes in the 66th, 72nd and 85th minute to round of a dominant display.