The Round-Up
Sunday 25th November
ERWFL Premier Division
With league leaders, Cambridge City Ladies distracted by cup competition for the 3 Sunday run the chasing pack has caught up and a new side take over at the top of the ERWFL Premier Division, with Peterborough Northern Star Ladies recording a 7th straight league win to climb to the top of the table. At home this Sunday Northern Star were hosting bottom side Haringey Borough Women at the Branch Bros Stadium. A hat-trick from Vicky Gallagher winning the 3 points for the hosts as Northern Star won the game 3-1 to see them top the table.
Another side going into the weekend with the potential to lead the ERWFL Premier Division table were Royston Town Ladies as they took their unbeaten record up to Norfolk to play Acle United Women. A 3-1 win at home for Royston in the reverse fixture. A competitive 1st half seeing the sides holding each other to a 0-0 draw. A different story 2nd half as Acle went on to complete a comprehensive win. Olivia Mungham-Gray opening the scoring for Acle in the 53rd minute. The lead soon doubled with Grace Birchall firing home. Birchall getting her 2nd of the game scoring from the penalty spot, captain Megan Todd on target with 6 minutes left to see Acle win the game 4-0 climb up to 4th spot as Royston losing for the 1st time this season drop to 5th, just 4 points between the top 5 now.
Above Royston and Acle in 3rd place in the Premier Division are, Brentwood Town Ladies, returning to winning ways last weekend travelled to Bedfordshire this Sunday to take on AFC Dunstable Ladies. Top scorer Georgia Holdaway continuing her great form in front of goal scoring 4 more to take her tally to 17 for the season. Leah Cowan also on target with her 8th of the season along with a 4th goal of the season from Marie Barker seeing the Essex side take the 3 points home with a 6-2 victory. Victoria Allen and Chelsea Forde scoring for Dunstable.
AFC Sudbury Ladies were short on numbers as they played host to Wymondham Town Ladies on Sunday in the Premier Division. The Norfolk side coring plenty of goals have several attacking options and ran out comfortable winners to move back into the top half of the table. Laura Nicholls top scorer for Wymondham adding another 5 goals to her name against Sudbury. Mollie O’Callaghan scoring a hat-trick for the 2nd successive game too. There was a brace a piece for Alice Collins and Hannah Waters with Kayleigh Holloway scoring in a 13-0 win.
Colney Heath Ladies getting a bit of form behind them now after riding out a difficult spell after making a positive start to the season, unbeaten in 3 games now were hosting Harlow Town Ladies this Sunday having lost 4-1 to them back in September. A point a piece this time around. Poppy Binding firing Harlow into the lead, Colney Heath coming back to level just before half-time Sophie Gardiner scoring from a free-kick. 1-1 it remained both sides with chances to win it taking home a point each.
ERWFL Division One
The ERWFL is a great league to watch, entertainment guaranteed, a good level of football, good for player development, the title race in Division One as exciting as that in the Premier Division. It was here that Women’s Football East ventured on Sunday to watch a top of the table clash in Essex with Bowers & Pitsea Ladies the new side in 2nd spot in the table hosting league leaders Stevenage Ladies Reserves. A 5 point gap between the sides, Bowers & Pitsea got off to a positive start it was Stevenage though who would take the early lead, Emily Schofield breaking in behind to send the ball under the keeper and score. Bowers & Pitsea kept coming on and got back on level terms Danielle Styles played in on the ball inside the box lashing the ball home to make it 1-1. Stevenage came back again against the run of play to score two quick goals to go 3-1 up. Schofield with both shooting from the angle having taken the original corner, than fouled in the box stepping up to complete her hat-trick from the penalty spot.
Danielle Styles with 4 goals this Sunday for Bowers & Pitsea
Bowers & Pitsea kept up their positive approach attacking well and with the first half moving into the latter stages pulled the scores level at 3-3 with two quick goals of their own both from corners, Georgia Fraser sneaking in unmarked to send the ball through a crowded six yard box and in, Taylor Parrish rising to head the ball in moments later. A complete turn around late on the half as Bowers & Pitsea took the lead Styles stealing the ball off the Stevenage defence and running in on goal to send the ball past the keeper at in.
Stevenage’s Emily Schofield on target for 5 goals
4-3 at half-time Bowers & Pitsea started the 2nd half as well as they finished the first extending the lead early on, Sophie Dowman setting up Styles to slot the ball home and complete her hat-trick. Styles going on to get a 4th trying her luck from distance making it 6-3. A comfortable lead going into the final 10 minutes, it turned out to be a nervy climax in the end, Schofield a threat all game running in behind one on one with the keeper to make it 6-4, it was 6-5 moments later, Schofield with her 5th of the game again beating the keeper to score. Bowers & Pitsea holding their nerve to win the game 6-5 close the gap to Stevenage to 2 points.
St Ives Town Ladies 3rd in Division One are the only unbeaten side in the league, a 2 points back on Bowers & Pitsea Ladies and 4 off leaders Stevenage with 2 games in hand on both. At home on Sunday were taking on Bishops Stortford Ladies. Tierney Coulson continuing her good form in front of goal at the start of the season hitting another 4 goals into the back of the net to take her onto 14 goals now for the season, top scoring for St Ives. Emily Smith also on target for a brace with Georgia Stancombe also scoring her 8th of the season in a 7-0 victory.
Joining St Ives Town on 17 points in 4th spot are Essex side Hutton Ladies, were taking on Newmarket Town Ladies at home on Sunday. It was just Newmarket’s 3rd away game of the season. A competitve game Hutton in the end running out convincing winners with some quality strikes, if I said Vicky Kinsman didn’t score you wouldn’t believe me… and you’re right was on target for another brace this Sunday taking her onto 26 for the season (and it isn’t Christmas yet). Sally Appleton also netting two goals in the game, there was a 1st goal for Hutton for Hayley Piggott to since joining from Billericay. Hutton winning 5-1, Brooke Wickens scoring for Newmarket.
Hoddesdon Town Owls Ladies make the trip up to Norfolk on Sunday to play King’s Lynn Town Ladies. The Hertfordshire side capitalising on a slow start from the home side to race into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 19 minutes. Natasha Crick on 8 minutes making it 1-0 Kristina O’Connell scoring Hoddesdon’s 2nd a minute later. Crick making it 3-0 with her 2nd of the game in the 19th minute. King’s Lynn rallied and late in the first half pulled it back to 3-1 with a goal from Olivia Baker. The 2nd half a much better performance from King’s Lynn according to my undercover reporter at the game the hosts dominated but were unable on convert there chances. Hoddesdon had two good chances to extend their lead as well but in the finish the opening 19 minutes proved the difference Hoddesdon winning 5-1 climb up to 5th place in the Division One table.
Lastly in ERWFL Division One, Hatfield Peveral Ladies were hosting Cambridgeshire side, Histon Ladies on Sunday. The visitors having the better of the first half getting into a 2-0 lead at half-time. Hatfield Peverel fighting back in the 2nd half creating chances couldn’t find a reply as Histon took home the 3 points to move up a place to 8th.