BLUES FALL TO DEFEAT AGAINST LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Chesterfield Ladies suffered their first home defeat of the season on Sunday afternoon as they lost 2-1 against title winners Notts County Women in the East Midlands Women’s Premier Division.

Georgina Williams’s goal inside the first 20 minutes gave the hosts an excellent start but late goals in each half from skipper Holly Fowler and Elle Rowson condemned the Blues to defeat at Shirebrook Academy.

This was a tough result to take for Mike Noon’s side as Chesterfield Ladies played well for large parts of the game and created some great chances in the final third.

The Blues made a wonderful start to the game when they took the lead after 14 minutes following a lovely move. A smart pass from teenage centre-half Millie Jebb-Geer found full-back Steph Warren on the left wing. An excellent first touch from Warren allowed her to split the County defence smartly and put Blues top goal scorer Georgina Williams clean through on goal with just the goalkeeper to beat. Williams showed great composure in rounding the Notts goalkeeper and she stroked the ball home into an empty net to give Chesterfield the lead and secure her 18th goal of the season in all competitions.

Matters seemingly went from bad to worse when County goalkeeper Philipa Davies was forced off with an injury before the game could restart. With no substitute goalkeeper on the bench, the visitors called on outfield player Amy Wells to deputise in between the sticks. Remarkably, she would be the only goalkeeper in the match to not concede a goal following an inspirational performance for her side.

The Blues continued to control the game for the rest of the first half. Just after the half hour mark, a through ball from Kel Fidler allowed Williams space to shoot on target from the edge of the penalty area but County’s new goalkeeper did well to save and retain the ball.

A couple of minutes later, Chesterfield went very close to doubling their lead after Williams caused the opposition defence yet more problems. A dazzling run from the striker saw her eventually cut inside a Notts defender and her close range shot from an acute angle was unlucky to cannon off the foot of the post and out of play for a goal kick.

At this stage of the match, the league champions were reeling on the ropes and Mike Noon’s side will still be wondering how they didn’t increase their lead before the interval. Their best opportunity to score a second goal came materialised in the 36th minute when a smart pass from Williams from the right flank found an unmarked Millie Standen inside the penalty area who had only the goalkeeper to beat. Frustratingly, Standen’s 12 yard effort was too close to Amy Wells and she was able to stop the ball with her leg to prevent her team from falling 2-0 down. It was a golden opportunity for Chesterfield and they were left to pay the price when the visitors managed to equalise with virtually the last touch of the first half. An in-swinging corner from Notts County was met by captain Holly Fowler and she bundled the ball home from close range to make it 1-1 just before the interval.

Despite the setback, the hosts continued to impress throughout the second half and they’ll still be wondering how they ended up losing the game.

After 54 minutes, Hannah Baker came agonisingly close to scoring one of the goals of the season when her superbly struck 30 yard free-kick smacked off the woodwork with the goalkeeper well beaten.

Two minutes later, the woodwork was hit once again when Williams fired an effort on target which resulted in Wells tipping the ball onto the post before going out for a corner.

In the final ten minutes, the hosts produced two more great chances which somehow didn’t see the Blues re-take the lead. In the 81st minute, a County defender produced an incredible block to deny another Williams effort which was heading for the back of the net following a corner. Only a minute later following a free-kick delivery, Williams saw a firm effort pierce through the crowded penalty area only for Amy Wells to produce an excellent save to tip the ball around the post.

Remarkably, it was the visitors that took the lead against the run of play in the 86th minute. A superb through ball following a quick counter-attack saw a County forward in a one on one situation with Chesterfield goalkeeper Nic Watson. Watson came off her line to make a superb block to seemingly thwart the visitors from securing a late winner; however, to Chesterfield’s dismay, the ball rebounded to midfielder Elle Rowson who expertly struck the ball from over 20 yards out and it dipped just under the bar to give County a 2-1 lead.

With Chesterfield throwing everything forward to try and secure a very late equaliser, the visitors came really close to a third goal in the first minute of stoppage time when a 15 yard effort whistled narrowly wide of the post.

Sadly for Chesterfield, time ran out and the final whistle marked their first home defeat in any competition for this season. Mike Noon’s side now find themselves three points behind second-placed Lincoln United Women with three league games remaining for both teams.

Chesterfield Ladies team: Watson, Cook, Warren, Anderson, Pascoe (Purdy 66), Jebb-Geer, Frances-Creaser (Marshall 46), Fidler, Standen, Williams, Baker.

Unused subs: Ratcliffe, Phillips, Smithurst.