By Charlie Hopper
Here is a rundown on how the York City Ladies teams got on over the weekend.
First Team
The MinsterBelles were edged out 3-2 in an entertaining game at Norton & Stockton Ancients in the Women’s National League Division One North yesterday afternoon.
The Ladies were on the front foot in the early exchanges of the game with both Felicity Jones and Ella Duffield going close. In the 11th minute, Sophie Tinson turned in the area, but was brought to the ground to give her side the best possible chance of taking the lead as she won the MinsterBelles a spot kick. Tinson stepped up herself, but had her penalty excellently saved by the Norton & Stockton goalkeeper.
In the 26th minute, the home side should have scored the opening goal, but a strike from within the area sailed wide of the far post.
Jones broke the deadlock for the MinsterBelles in the 30th minute after she managed to chip the ball over the keeper from the byline.
The home side then turned the game on its head with two quick fire goals. Captain Bianca Owens headed past Becky Sidwell after the corner was whipped in, before she doubled her tally a minute later after she connected with a cross and smashed it past Sidwell.
The second-half got off to the perfect start as Jones added her second of the match. She capitalised on a defensive error and slotted past the keeper to level up the game.
Despite pushing hard to retake the lead, the Ladies found themselves behind again as Owens completed her hat-trick from the penalty spot.
The MinsterBelles went in search for an equaliser but couldn’t quite find the way through the defence and were left frustrated when the final whistle was blown.
The MinsterBelles are next in action at the LNER Community Stadium as they play host to Middlesbrough women on Sunday 3rd December. Both general admission and Hospitality tickets are still available to purchase here
Development Team
Sunday saw the Dev’s first away game in quite a few weeks as they travelled to Lower Hopton.
The hosts dominated the first ten minutes as the Devs adjusted to the circumstances and the fact they had to play a different style due to pitch conditions.
Lower Hopton took the lead after an indirect free kick in the penalty area was given for an alleged back pass.
The second half saw the Devs start as the better team and after a few promising attacks, Ruby Watt managed to find the back of the net to level the score.
This encouragement saw the Devs gain even more of a foot in the game and they took the lead when Rosie Bell added a second.
Lower Hopton then tried to raise their game, but the Devs defence stood firm limiting them to hardly a real chance.
Beth McLaughlin then finished the game when she converted from close-range after a through ball to give the Devs a 3-1 victory.
U23’s
York City Ladies U23’s hosted Skelton United Ladies on Sunday looking to continue there fine form from recent weeks.
It was York who started quickly, and it was on the 7th minute that Georgia Sutcliffe saw her shot hit the back of the net from 18 yards out, for the 23’s to take an early lead.
This was soon followed up on the 13th minute, when a corner taken from Maya Baxter-McPhie was fumbled into the goal from the Skelton keeper.
The third of the afternoon was scored on the 21st minute by Emia Hendrickson-Eastwood, then a great solo run from Lucy Cooper down the right saw her beat the full back, drive into the 18-yard box and her shot across goal was helped in by a Skelton defender to add a fourth.
Less than a minute later, Sutcliffe added her second by dribbling past 2 defenders before sliding the ball into the bottom left corner, before Skelton United managed to pull a goal back in the 44th minute to score a consolation goal before the break.
Kazia Walby continued her goalscoring run of form on the 49th minute with a front post header from a corner, making it 3 goals in her last 3 appearances.
Sutcliffe soon afterwards added her 3rd and 4th goals of the game, the latter being a right footed curling shot from 18 yards out into the top right corner.
On the 57th minute, the U23’s scored from another corner after Adrianna Czerwinska saw her shot hit the side netting.
The final goal of the game was scored by Emia Hendrickson-Eastwood in the 67th minute. Emia received the ball 30 yards out from goal, turned and struck a thunderbolt of a shot into the roof of the net to seal the victory in emphatic fashion.