The Round-Up
ERWFL – Sunday 5th March
In a weekend hit right across the board by postponements the Eastern Region Women’s Football League programme survived virtually unscathed with just the Premier Division match between Histon Ladies and Royston Town Ladies falling foul of a water-logged pitch. A few sdies having access to a 3G surface helping matters.
ERWFL Premier Division
In the ERWFL Premier Division, Haringey Borough Women were looking to return back to the top of the table whilst leaders Bedford Ladies weren’t in action. A trip into Essex to play Brentwood Town Ladies at the Len Forge Centre. Amongst a host of sides below the top 3 looking to end the season strongly Brentwood Town had seen their recent good form dented with a couple of defeats in league and cup. Picked up a good point against Haringey Borough as the sides contested a 2-2 draw, a goal each for Leah Cowan and Georgia Holdaway cancelling out a brace for Haringey Borough’s Klesha Darroux who move to within a point of Bedford who have played 2 games more.
A goal for Megan Partridge was enough to see AFC Sudbury Ladies win all 3 points away to Colchester Town Ladies on Sunday the result lifting the Suffolk side above Billericay Town Ladies into 4th place. Have played 17 with 3 to play are now 5 points behind Bedford Ladies who they play next at home, close the gap to 2 points and thing’s will get very interesting.
Below AFC Sudbury Ladies are a host of sides who all have more games left to play and all of them with a strong finish could yet cause a upset in the title race. 3rd placed AFC Dunstable Ladies headed up to Norfolk at the weekend to play the side with more games left than everyone having just played 12 going into this weekends match Acle United Ladies need every Sunday left plus the odd midweek game to get their fixtures in. A good run of games is just what the squad needs however to mount a late challenge. Dunstable have been a strong side all season gunning for the title 3 points off the lead with 4 games left to play missed the opportunity to close the gap on the leaders as Acle United some times slow starters to a game got off to a flyer this Sunday as striker Jody Wells gave them the lead inside 2 minutes. AFC Dunstable pulled it back all square at 1-1 late in the 1st half. Wells scoring again early in the 2nd half her brace seeing the 3 points won moves Acle United up a place to 7th on 23 points 10 behind the leaders but have 4 games in hand. The business end of the season and the ERWFL Premier Division will see a few dramatic results before the end to be sure.
One of those came this very Sunday in Essex. Just a week ago Billericay Town Ladies claimed the 3 points away from home against Essex rivals Writtle Ladies winning 4-0. This Sunday saw the reverse fixture and both sides having been strongly represented by the Essex FA Women’s Representative side on Thursday night’s 3-0 win against Hertfordshire. At home this time Billericay Town Ladies found themselves 3-0 as the game entered the last 10 minutes. A brace for Sophie Vale and a goal for Abigail Fry seemingly putting Writtle in control of the game. Billericay Town were to stage an extraordinary comeback however as Vicky Kinsman reduced the deficit to 3-1 with 8 minutes left. Straight from the restart Paris Smith (pictured) lobbed the Writtle keeper to make it 3-2 then Paris found the back of the net again moments later to score the equaliser and see Billericay Town take an unlikely point from the match.
ERWFL Division One
Joint leaders, Cambridge City Ladies and Colney Heath Ladies in ERWFL Division One remain locked on the same points as they both extend the gap on the rest with contrasting away wins at the weekend. Both on 33 points look strong as they push for promotion to the Premier Division with 2 sides likely to be promoted. Cambridge City Ladies hold the advantage for the title as they have 8 games left to play before the end of the season 4 games more than Colney Heath. Cambridge City were away to 4th placed Silver End United Ladies on Sunday, a single goal seeing the league leaders leave Essex with another 3 points in the bag. Top scorer, Bella Simmons taking her goals tally to 17 for the season from 12 appearances.
Colney Heath Ladies in contrast were involved in an 8 goal thriller as they travelled to Bedfordshire to play Offley & Stopsley Women. The home side getting off to a great start going 2-0 up early on. Colney Heath responded immediately to pull it back to 2-1 with Holly Sheridan scoring the goal. Offley & Stopsley scored again however to lead 3-1 at half-time. A strong 2nd half performance from Colney Heath saw them come back into the game and claim all 3 points. Annie Hickey grabbing a goal to pull it back to 3-2 before Sheridan scored her 2nd of the game and draw her closer to 20 goals for the season to make it 3-3. Christina Freestone found the back of the net to put Colney Heath into the lead with Hickey scoring her 2nd goal of the game to see Colney Heath win 5-3.
Stevenage Ladies Reserves climb up into 5th place in the Division One table with a good result away from home on Sunday travelling into Suffolk to play Ipswich Wanderers Ladies. Sarah Payne scored twice in the game with a goal each for Leah Littlechild and Sherrie Evans to see them win the game 4-1 and move up into the top half of the table for the 1st time this season.
Little Thurrock Dynamos Ladies were hosting Hutton Ladies on Sunday and it was a welcome 3 points gained after a long spell without picking up points in the league. Plenty of cup games interrupting in between. A narrow 2-1 win for Little Thurrock Dynamos their goals scored by Sophie Dowman and Rhianne Holmes.