The FAWSL season is in full swing now and the games are coming thick and fast and with 18 teams spread over 2 divisions the fixture lists are producing new dates and opportunities to go and see top flight women's football. This evening was the 1st of a number of games Doncaster Rovers Belles will be hosting on a Saturday evening over the coming season and in doing so gives me an opportunity to take in 2 games over the weekend. Heading further north tomorrow I decided on an overnight stay in Doncaster the time better spent asleep rather than driving back to Norfolk.
The venue Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium the visitors were Oxford United WFC whom I had seen in the opening match of WSL 2 where they had been beaten 3-0 by London Bees. Doncaster Rovers Belles WSL 2 campaign had started with a midweek 2-0 win away to Aston Villa LFC. Could the home side continue their winning start with maximum points or would the visitors get their 1st points on the board?
Doncaster Rovers Belles starting XI - Nicola Hobbs, Lyndsey Cunningham, Leandra Little, Rhiannon Roberts, Lauren Cresswell, Beth England, Kasia Lipka, Millie Bright, Sue Smith, Reanne Thomas, & Jess Sigsworth
Oxford United WFC starting XI - Demi Lambourne, Steph Mobbs, Amy Chivers, Jemma Connor-Iommi, Rosie Lane, Sahara Osbourne-Ricketts, Kayleigh Hines, Katie Stanley, Helen King, Laura Low, & Lauren Allison
The visitors in their away kit of purple shirts with white strip, white shorts and white socks were welcoming back into their starting line-up captain Sahara Osbourne-Ricketts who had to serve a suspension last Monday. It was the home side Doncaster in their yellow shirts and socks with blue trim and blue shorts that kicked the evenings match off the weather cool a little overcast but otherwise perfect for a football match.
It was Doncaster with the early attacks Reanne Thomas out wide right with a good run plays ball into the onrushing Millie Bright her attempt at goal is blocked by Oxford keeper Demi Lambourne the lose ball coming back to Thomas who blazes it over.
Oxford's Lauren Allison is fouled 25 yards out to the right the ball flighted in but lands on the top of the crossbar. Doncaster look to play the ball out quickly from the back with purpose Jess Sigsworth recieves it wide left drives into the middle central to goal she unleashes a shot but it is screwing away from goal and wide for a goal kick.
Doncaster were piling the pressure on Oxford pinning their defence back but with Sigsworth, Thomas and Sue Smith all looking to recieve the ball wide it was up to the midfield to make central runs Millie Bright was looking to get into the box as often as possible. Got her head onto a Sigsworth free kick played in from the left heading in down into the ground the ball cannons up and wide.
With Sahara Osbourne-Ricketts in midfeild Oxford were looking to disrupt Doncasters build up but the Belles attack was proving very difficult to mark. Sigsworth delivers a vicious cross from the left across the six yard box Oxford's Jemma Connor-Iommi makes a vital interception to prevent Reanne Thomas scoring.
Out wide right for Oxford Katie Stanley with her pace presented the biggest danger, Doncaster left back Lauren Cresswell with good support from Kasia Lipka were doing a good job preventing her making many dangerous runs when she did get a cross in Doncaster keeper Nicola Hobbs was on hand to claim.
It was looking like Oxford's best opportunity might come from a set piece captain Sahara Osbourne -Ricketts with a good deilvery. One free kick from the right launched into the box forces Hobbs to punch away it falls to an Oxford player the shot however is blazed over.
Despite all their good build up play and the pressure they had been putting on their opponents it was Oxford who took the lead. The home side make a mess of trying to clear their lines as a dangerous ball is whipped into the box a scramble ensues on the goal line Sahara Osbourne-Ricketts profiting as she stabs the ball home from close range. 1-0 Oxford
Scored late in the half the lead was not to last long however as with the minutes almost up the Oxford defense plays the ball back to Demi Lambourne who catches it the referee blowing for a free kick 2 yards inside the penalty box. Sue Smith standing over the ball rolls it to the right into the path of the running Lauren Cresswell who strikes the ball perfectly with power driving it up over the Oxford defender on the post before she can react and into the net 1-1.
Half-time Doncaster Rovers Belles 1-1 Oxford United WFC
Oxford kick off the 2nd half looking to be more direct and build up play with purpose. Doncaster in comparison were looking to be more clinical in the final third when they had the ball and it was the home side who had the 1st real attack Sue Smith out wide right whipping in a cross that goes over the onrushing Reanne Thomas near post and strikes her team mate Beth England at the far post to roll wide.
Outside the Doncaster penalty box Oxford's Kayleigh Hines sights up a curling effort, defender Rhiannon Roberts stoops low to head the threat clear. Soon after Oxford are forced into a change replacing Demi Lambourne the keeper injured in an incident in the 1st half replaced by Hannah Cox. Millie Bright comes off for Doncaster to be replaced by Ashleigh Mills.
Sahara Osbourne-Ricketts then pulls down Sue Smith to earn the home side a free kick in a good position 20 odd yards out of goal it's Lauren Cresswell to deliver the strike is magnificent placed into the right corner of the net beating Cox to make it 2-1.
Kasia Lipka has time to line up a shot her effort goes over, minutes later Sigsworth who has been a threat all game is in on goal Cox is out quickly to smother the ball at her feet. The pressure though is all coming from Doncaster, Oxford can not retain the ball. Doncaster score again this time Reanne Thomas plays the ball through to Sigsworth who runs into the box is drawn right takes two defenders with her and gets it a cross that Thomas continuing her run drives into the roof of the net 3-1
3-1 become 4-1 moments later a free kick is floated out wide right to Ashleigh Mills in acres of space on the right drives into the box almost to the by line she shoots from the acutest of angles and scores the ball cannoning off the far post and into the net.
With a 3 goal cushion Doncaster are in complete control of the game bring on Emma Johnson for Kasia Lipka. Oxford bring on Ella Franklin-Fraiture for Osbourne-Ricketts and Lindsay Pinker for Laura Low it makes little difference, rather than sit back Doncaster ruthless continue to press forwards looking to add to the scoreline Sigsworth putting in another dangerous cross that Thomas puts onto the bar.
The final whistle blows and Doncaster Rovers Belles win 4-1 with 2 wins out of 2 and go top of WSL 2 equalling last season's points tally already.
A fan of the sport doing my small part to help promote the women's game
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