The Round-Up
Sunday 11th November
ERWFL Premier Division
With Premier Division leaders, Cambridge City Ladies flying the flag for the ERWFL in the FA Women’s Cup this Sunday it was an opportunity for the chasing sides to try and close the gap at the top of the table. 2nd placed Royston Town Ladies were on the road taking on Bedford Ladies. The visitors dropping points for the first time this season in a 4-4 draw against Wymondham Town Ladies last time out, took the lead against Bedford, Danielle Carty striking the ball in from a free-kick. Hayley Elderd doubling the advantage for Royston with a volley into the top corner. Bedford fought their way back into the game coming back to level the score with Michelle Byrne and Sophie Mulvihill on target to make it 2-2. Royston’s getting back into the lead with a strike from Rebecca Scott, her 4th goal of the season winning the game for Royston who move to within 2 points of Cambridge City Ladies.
Also joining Royston on 19 points, moving into 3rd on goal difference are Peterborough Northern Star Ladies. An 88th winning goal from Emma Pollard seeing them fight back from being 3-1 against fellow title hopefuls, Acle United Women on Sunday. Acle travelling to Peterborough 4th versus 5th in the Premier Division. Grace Birchall putting the Norfolk side into the lead 11 minutes into the game. Peterborough’s Katie Steward getting the scores back on level terms before Acle restored their 1st half lead from the penalty spot, Birchall with her 2nd of the game. Acle 2-1 up at half-time extended the lead early in the 2nd half with a goal scored by Kate Pasque. Peterborough again finding a quick reply to get it back to 3-2, Steward with her 2nd of the game. Into the final 10 minutes, Peterborough awarded a free-kick, Steward taking it scoring from 30 yards out to complete her hat-trick taking her onto 8 for the season, briefly level with top scorer Emma Pollard who bagged the winning goal 2 minutes from time running onto a through ball beating the keeper and scoring the 4-3 win moving Peterborough up to 3rd.
Wymondham Town Ladies won at the weekend to take them up into the top half of the Premier Division table. Hosting bottom side Haringey Borough Women on Sunday. Mollie O’Callaghan opening the scoring for the hosts in the 15th minute. Top scorer Laura Nicholls putting Wymondham 2 nil up 5 minutes later added another in the 36th. 3-0 up and deep into 1st half stoppage time Wymondham were awarded a penalty, vice-captain Leah Newcombe sending the ball home from the spot to put Wymondham 4-0 up. Further chances created but no more goals until the final minute, Hannah Waters finding the back of the net for 5-0, time for another in the 90th minute Nicholls completing another hat-trick to secure a 6-0 win.
Also winning by 6 goals at the weekend were Essex side, Harlow Town Ladies as they to move up a place to 7th in the Premier Division table winning away to Suffolk’s AFC Sudbury Ladies. Lily Bruno scoring a hat-trick moves onto 8 goals for the season. Goals to for Abbey Dell, Tayla Handscombe and Chloe Bassett to seal a comfortable 6-0 away win.
Harlow Town Ladies, Lily Bruno
A win at last in the league for Colney Heath Ladies after a promising start taking 4 points from their opening two league games, haven’t got a point since then losing 5 in a row in the Premier Division. The bad run halted at home on Sunday as Colney Heath played host to AFC Dunstable Ladies who themselves were coming into the game off the back of their 1st win of the season. The hosts opening the scoring from a free-kick a 2nd goal coming through Nicola Hollick, Colney Heath 2-0 at the break.Kelly Glynn making it 3-0. Dunstable pulling a goal back Sophie Bailey with a long range shot to make it 3-1. Adrienne Milton firing in a goal late on to secure a 4-1 win for Colney Heath.
ERWFL Division One
In ERWFL Division One, leaders Stevenage Ladies Reserves open up a 7 point lead at the top of the table coming out on top in a 7 goal thriller away to Lawford Ladies on Sunday. Emily Schofield putting Stevenage into the lead, Lawford coming back quickly to make it 1-1 had further chances in the 1st half, Stevenage though getting back in front Nicole Emmings scoring to make it 2-1. Lawford scoring a further two goals with Jasmine Cox, Daisy Canny and Ella Boyden all on the scoresheet a goal from Hannah Marshall plus a 2nd from Emmings seeing Stevenage clinch a 4-3 to pull away at the top.
That defeat for Lawford, coupled with no game for 3rd placed Newmarket Town Ladies and County cup action for 2nd placed St Ives Town Ladies presented an opportunity for 5th and 6th placed Hutton Ladies and Bowers & Pitsea Ladies to make ground in what is a very tight race behind the leaders. The Essex pair meeting at Bowers & Pitsea on Sunday. Sophie Dowman opening the scoring putting Bowers & Pitsea 1-0 up in the 1st half with her 5th goal of the season. Hutton came back to level the scores top scorer Vicky Kinsman finding the back of the net for her 23rd goal of the season. The score all square at 1-1 at half-time it was Hutton who took the lead early in the 2nd half, Kinsman with her 2nd of the match. Bowers & Pitsea’s turn to pull the scores level as 12 minutes later their top scorer Danielle Styles scored from an acute angle to make it 2-2 with her 7th of the season. Both pushing for a winning goal late on neither could having to settle for a share of the points, enough to move Hutton into 3rd position in the table whilst Bowers & Pitsea climb to 5th spot just a point behind the 3 sides above them.
Hoddesdon Town Ladies in 7th position are just 2 points of that group themselves won the 3 points at home on Sunday to win for the 3rd time in the league this season at home to Hertford Town Ladies. Rebecca Scola scoring her 1st goal since her return to Hoddesdon putting them into the lead in the 14th minute. 1-0 it remained until the final 22 minutes, Kristina O’Connell netting for the 6th time this season to double the lead and secure a 2-0 win for Hoddesdon.
At long last Bishops Stortford Ladies can celebrate a victory in the league, their last ERWFL Division One win coming at the very start of last season’s campaign. Has been a tough time for the club since the players and staff sticking together through those difficult times often short on numbers. 3 points on the board after more than 12 months. Were at home taking on Hatfield Peverel Ladies, themselves struggling in the league since promotion this season. A purple patch for Bishops Stortford with 5 goals scored in the space of 7 first half minutes doing the damage, Jemma Good scoring her 1st of the season in the 28th minute. Captain Brogan McHale scoring a minute later, Teigan McHale not long after with her 1st of the season. Broghan McHale getting a 2nd then Heather Martin making it 5-0 in the 35th minute. Broghan McHale going on to add her 3rd and complete a hat-trick on the hour to see Bishops Stortford win the game… and finally get a tag in The Round-Up.