The Round-Up
Norfolk – Sunday 12th March
Norfolk Ladies League Cup
Semi-finals day this Sunday in this season’s Norfolk Ladies League Cup competition. Four sides hoping to reach the final on come the end of April, sadly for one side they were forced to concede their match falling foul to a league rule that meant a side could only field players that had played in 5 league matches prior to the semi-final, Brandon Town Ladies didn’t have enough available to meet that criteria conceding the tie in mid-week which saw opponents Bungay Town Ladies awarded the win and passage to the League Cup Final. In good form would have rather played the game but a in a Final and will fancy their chances of lifting the trophy.
Their opponents in the League Cup Final will be Thorpe United Ladies leading Norfolk Women’s Division One were at home taking on runaway Division Town leaders, Gorleston FC Ladies. A close contest this one a singe goal settling the game Thorpe’s captain, Rebekah Lake scoring in the 1st half to see her side into the Final and a potential treble with a semi-final in the Norfolk Women’s County Cup to come this Sunday.
Norfolk Ladies League Plate
The NWGFL launched the League Plate competition last season, now it was at the quarter final stage this time around. 4 games that saw plenty of goals scored and if you’re a Cromer Town ladies supporter you may want to look away now.
As far apart in league placing as you could get in Norfolk, Kings Lynn Town Ladies having been knocked out of the League Cup early were drawn at home against Cromer Town Ladies in the quarter finals of the League Plate. Going for the title in Division One their opponents were bottom of Division Three without a point. A mismatch to be sure and it proved so with King’s Lynn Town racking up 31 goals in the game to reach the semi-finals, captain Shelley Woods top scoring with 12 goals! The other goal scorers were Josie Turner (6) Becky Russell (4), Christina Vivas (3) Natalie Bunton (2) Elle Bocking (2) Louise Coggles and Lisa Wilson.
Some controversy after the game with the game drawing attention from the likes of Jacqui Oatley, some saying it was unfair to score so many against a side. Those who know the league know how much of a gap there was between the sides, King’s Lynn score goals against the best opposition are ambitious favourites to reach their 1st final. I’ll just say this plenty of cup ties this season have been awarded to a side with the opposition unable to play. Cromer Town Ladies travelled to King’s Lynn and played the game so fair play to them no doubt a defeat like that will hurt but I applaud the effort and know from doing Women’s Football East that one day the results will come.
Sprowston Ladies from Division Two are also into the League Plate last 4 after they beat Division One side Fakenham Town Ladies at home on Sunday led 1-0 at the break, enough to edge them to victory with both sides finding the back of the net for a goal each in the 2nd half, Abby Hutchin and Calista Tink scoring the goals for Sprowston.
Elsewhere it was an all Division Two League Plate quarter final tie between Briston Wanderers Ladies at home taking on Bohemians Ladies. Briston Wanderers (in another guise) reached the Plate Final last season and are into the semi-finals again after they edged Bohemians with a 3-2 win leading 2-1 before going on to win it 3-2 in the 2nd half. Vicki Lubbock, Stacey High and Ellen Hutton with the goals for Briston Wanderers. Nicole Sheldrake with a goal in each half for Bohemians.
In the last League Plate quarter final it was an all Division Three, Dereham derby too as in form Toftwood United Ladies hosted Tavern Ladies. A close game the side drawing 1-1 at half time Katie Hart scoring the goal for Toftwood, Rianna Scott putting the ball into the back of the net for Tavern Ladies they went on to score the winning goal beating Toftwood 2-1 to reach the last 4.
The draw for the Norfolk Ladies League Plate semi-finals was live on Twitter this Tuesday and after a slight hiccup they look like this;-
Tavern Ladies v Sprowston Ladies
Briston Wanderers Ladies v King’s Lynn Town Ladies
ties to be played Sunday 2nd April
Norfolk Women’s Division One
Two league games played in Norfolk Women’s Division One and having conceded their League Cup semi-final Brandon Town Ladies were at home taking on 4th placed North Walsham Angels Ladies this Sunday instead. Brandon Town were leading at half-time with Tiffany Forshaw putting them into the lead. North Walsham came back 2nd half to take home a share of the points with Luci Middleton netting her 25th goal of the season.
Aylsham FC Ladies were at home on Sunday hosting bottom side Kirkley & Pakefield Ladies. The home side taking full advantage of a depleted Kirkley Pakefield side to lead 5-0 at half-time before going on to win the game 9-1 to move above Brandon Town into 5th position. A hat-trick each for Abbie Charlton and Leanne Ferdani with a goal each for Emma Gillespie, Nadia Child and Lauren Oliver. Felicity Levett with the consolation goal for Kirkley & Pakefield.
Norfolk Women’s Division Three
East Coast Ladies return back to the top of Norfolk Women’s Division Three after beating Wymondham Town Ladies Reserves at the weekend. With only the bare 11 available East Coast picked up a great result leading 1-0 at half-time doubling the score in the 2nd half to claim the 3 points with Jordan Duke and Lucy Robbens netting the goals. On 25 points have 2 games left both against Cromer Town Ladies. Both 3rd placed Tavern Ladies and 4th placed Wymondham Town have 3 games in hand on East Coast with the gap 4 points and 6 respectfully but they 3rd and 4th placed sides have to play each other twice in their run ins going to be an interesting end to the season.