This match was oh so close to being the one were Doncaster Rovers Belles secured promotion back to the top tier of women's football, were so close to taking the 3 points away to 2nd placed Reading FC Women on Saturday only for the home side to score an equalising goal in injury time the match ending 2-2 and the gap between the two remaining 2 points.
Both Doncaster Rovers Belles and Reading FC Women remain on course for promotion with two sides going up, have a healthy gap between themselves and 3rd place Yeovil Town Ladies with both having 4 games left to play. Are into the final straight almost over the line, now more than ever focus and determination are required to ensure they get themselves over the line.
Top of the table on 35 points the goal for Doncaster Rovers Belles has been #OperationPromotion this season to that end they can take a huge stride to that tonight by securing 3 more points against Everton Ladies. At this stage of the season their are still 4 sides in contention to claim one of the two promotion place at the top of FAWSL 2. The table below shows the 4 contenders, Doncaster Rovers Belles are in pole position, Reading FC Women aside it's 3rd and 4th that can still cost them a place in FAWSL 1.
| Top of the Table FAWSL 2 | |||||||||
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 45 | 11 | 34 | 35 |
| 2 | Reading FC Women | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 49 | 12 | 37 | 33 |
| 3 | Yeovil Town Ladies | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 20 | 14 | 27 |
| 4 | Everton Ladies | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 14 | 13 | 22 |
An unlikely scenario as it would take a huge collapse in form for either Yeovil Town Ladies or Everton Ladies to catch them. Everton Ladies are still in the promotion shake up because they have 6 matches left to play following postponements as the league resumed after it's mid season break. Have 22 points, with 18 to play for would need maximum points coupled with one of the top two dropping alot of points. They do though have a game left against all 3 of the sides above them and that means they get to have a huge say in how it will end.
Has been another season of transition following their relegation from the top tier of women's football after a 23 year stay. Lost a host of their top players once again and manager Andy Spence has stepped down from the managers role. Nicola Anderson has taken over until the end of the season, have always produced young talent and brought it through to the 1st team is a testament to the club that they had to postpone fixtures earlier in the season due to the fact they had so many away on international duty.
A big game for both sides under the lights at the Keepmoat Stadium, as the two sides walked out onto the pitch a rapidly cooling evening following a warm and pleasant day.
Doncaster Rovers Belles starting XI - Nicola Hobbs, Sophie Barker, Hope Knight, Rhiannon Roberts, Leandra Little (C), Kasia Lipka, Jade Lorton-Radburn, Emily Simpkins, Emily Roberts, Beth England & Courtney Sweetman-Kirk.
subs - Sam Tierney, Lyndsey Cunningham, Nicole Dale, Ashleigh Mills, Lauren Cresswell, Molly Johnson & Sophie Stamp
Everton Ladies starting XI - Kirsty Levell, Lyndsay Johnson, Paige Williams, Ellie Stewart, Gabrielle George, Michelle Hinnigan (C), Kelly Jones, Lauren Davies, Danielle Turner, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah & Simone Magill.
subs - Megan Walsh, Vicky Jones, Jess King, Emily Hollinshead, Danielle Lea & Claudia Walker.
One change for Doncaster from the side that started against Reading FC Women on Saturday with Emily Roberts coming in for Sue Smith who isn't even named amongst the subs, is there but track suited up not taking part in the warm up. Everton to kick off the 1st half attacking left to right wearing Blue shirts and socks with white shorts against Doncaster wearing yellow shirts and socks with blue shorts.
Doncaster win the ball from the start, England is playing up top the furthest forwards as she did on Saturday is the target for Courtney Sweetman-Kirk as she has the ball on the right hand side looks to play England in, Everton centre back Gabrielle George comes across and shields the ball into her goalkeeper, Kirsty Levell's gloves.
With Sweetman-Kirk looking to play wide on the right and Emily Roberts providing the width on the left for Doncaster it is Emily Simpkins looking to push on through the middle to support England in attack. For Everton Simone Magill is the central attacker with support left from Danielle Turner and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah out on the right.
A quiet opening exchange with both sides looking to make progress down the flanks get the ball into the area, the defences winning the ball back and setting up a counter attack. Hobbs launching a clearance up the left Sweetman-Kirk is almost in beyond the Everton but for a vital tackle from Lyndsay Johnson at full back, gets the ball up the pitch into captain Michelle Hinnigan who plays the diagonal ball out to Boye-Hlorkah in space wide on the right she looks to put the early ball into the box with Magill making up the ground, is too close to Hobbs allowing the Doncaster goalkeeper to get there first.
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Everton pile players forwards as Kelly Jones gets hold of the ball in the centre fires her pass into Magill in front of her back to goal she sweeps it out to the left for Danielle Turner as she spins off her defender looking to get into the area. Turner puts a good cross into the area central to goal it's Boye-Hlorkah who rises highest, gets a firm header on the ball however can't turn it towards goal sending the ball out behind. 15 minutes played.
Emily Roberts sends the ball into England who attempts to knock it beyond George and burst into the space behind, is body checked by George awarded a free kick. Just inside the Everton half Doncaster send players up as the ball is sent in towards the far post area to be attacked, captain Leandra Little wins the header knocking the ball down in towards the edge of the area, Sweetman-Kirk gets a toe to it as Everton try to clear shoots wide.
GOAL! Doncaster take the lead and it's by an unlikely scorer, but is nevertheless a beauty of a strike. Kasia Lipka gets her name on the score sheet. There aren't too many match reports I write covering Doncaster Rovers Belles where Lipka doesn't try her luck from distance tonight she finds the back of the net. Doncaster have possession of the ball down the right, Lipka has got forwards is supporting the attackers as the ball is fed into her 30 yards out, takes on the strike is a scorcher flies into the top left hand corner of the goal, nothing the diving Levell can do 1-0. 23 minutes played.
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| Kasia Lipka |
Simpkins races down the right channel chasing a hopeful ball forwards does well to retrieve it, shifts it between her feet to cross, the ball is blocked rolls to Sophie Barker up with Simpkins she sends a waist high ball into the near post area, England is there on the six yard line, is falling back as she attempts to get her head on the ball can't get over it to get the power needed to beat Levell who dives to her left and saves.
Boye-Hlorkah is the player most likely to make something happen for Everton is looking to make herself available wide right take the ball down and drive to the by line to put the cross in. Hobbs is equal to it coming to claim the ball. A long pass out of midfield is nodded on by Boye-Hlorkah with Magill looking to chase it down can't reach it before Hobbs collects inside the box.
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| Doncaster's Courtney Sweetman-Kirk |
Jade Lorton-Radburn breaks up play in the middle of the park winning it of Kelly Jones looks to put England through for a run at goal, England takes it in her stride looking to shoot early 25 yards out right of the goal puts the shot straight into Levell.
Into the last 5 minutes of the half Everton press forwards the ball with Turner on the left she gets the cross in towards the near post Boye-Hlorkah has come over to meet it gets a touch with her head as Hobbs looks to punch it clear, beats the keeper, the ball is off target goes wide.
Half time Doncaster Rovers Belles 2-0 Everton Ladies
Doncaster with the 2 goal lead at half time have created the more chances in the 1st half have gotten in behind the Everton defence, whereas the visitors haven't been able to get in beyond the home sides defence as often their final ball only picking out a yellow shirt, has been an open game competitive in the middle of the park.
Doncaster get the 2nd half under way. Is an even start to the half with both sides looking to take it to the opponents defence. Doncaster have the 1st chance of the half as Sweetman-Kirk takes the ball down the left looks to sweep the diagonal ball into the area pick out England, gets the better of George before turning and hitting her shot over the cross bar.
Everton win the 1st corner of the match following another strong run from Boye-Hlorkah on the right, the ball is swept in towards the goal is cleared Doncaster have a break on as Emily Roberts looks to run clear is taken out by Paige Williams who earns herself a yellow card for her efforts. Possession is retained by Doncaster down the right win a throw the ball played into Simpkins inside the area she headers it out to the corner of the area for Barker who slices her attempted volley wide.
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| Doncaster's Jade Lorton-Radburn with Everton captain Michelle Hinnigan |
Paige Williams is the 1st player substituted by Everton as they bring on Vicki Jones on 53 mins. Magill pushes forwards with the ball before laying it off to the right for Boye-Hlorkah, she cuts it back to the edge of the area where Hinnigan has arrived looks to hit the ball goal wards pulls the shot wide, must have touched a Doncaster player on the way through as a corner is given. The 1st corner from the right is cleared for a 2nd corner on the left another in swinger Hobbs has to punch it away as it threatened to creep in under the bar.
Everton are getting more players into advanced positions 2nd half are putting the pressure on Doncaster, Johnson gets forwards on the right in support of Boye-Hlorkah puts the ball into the middle, Magill the target, Hobbs is 1st to the cross again. England robs the ball from Vicki Jones at the back heads out to the right into space sends in the early cross Sweetman-Kirk has raced up with her leaps and heads the ball onto the cross bar, play is halted by the linesman's flag offside. Everton bring on Emily Hollinshead for Lauren Davies a move that sees Turner move out to the right with Boye-Hlorkah coming central to support Magill.
GOAL! Everton pull a goal back following a Doncaster attack the ball is won back and played out to Turner wide on the right is beyond her full back, Little needing to come across to slide in put the ball out for a corner. Is another got in swinging ball from Hinnigan flies over Hobbs coming to Boye-Hlorkah beyond for a simple nod down at close range to make it 2-1.
GOAL! No sooner had I written 'nervy finish' in my notes then Doncaster go up the other end and restore their 2 goal lead. As Everton press forwards Lipka wins the ball back manages to poke it into Lorton-Radburn who sends the ball forwards looking for Sweetman-Kirk to race onto, springs the offside trap, Ellie Stewart is after the attack as the pair race into the box is to the right Sweetman-Kirk goes for powers hits it hard the ball flying over Levell and into the back of the net 3-1. 78 minutes on the clock.
Lorton-Radburn is Doncaster's 1st change as they bring on Sam Tierney. Everton make their final change taking off a defender in Johnson and bringing on an attacker Jess King who takes up a position on the left. Emily Hollinshead drives forwards with the ball keeps hold of it as she runs across the face of the Doncaster box can't find any room to shoot.
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| Everton's Ellie Stewart & Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah |
GOAL! Everton come back at Doncaster again. The ball is on halfway no danger it seems as Stewart has the ball, she goes for goal lobbing it in from a long way out, Hobbs back pedalling can only throw a glove up in vain as the ball dips late creeping under the bar and in 3-2.
GOAL! Into the last minute of normal time and Everton Ladies complete the comeback as they score an equalising goal! Everton are pressing hard looking for the goal have it on the left Hinnigan manages to send the cross/shot into the box comes to Boye-Hlorkah on the six yard line who hooks her foot over the ball turns it into the back of the net 3-3.
Both sides look to press on in injury time look for a winning goal, Tierney has the ball played into her in the centre turns laying it into Simpkins to her right sends in a low cross along the six yard line Levell comes to scoop it up. Everton counter with the ball played out into King on the left racing towards the are looks to shoot put it across the keeper can only send it wide at the far post.
The final whistle blows and the points are shared the game ending 3-3 a great comeback at the death for Everton who keep their slender chances of promotion alive, have taken points off one of the sides above them play 3rd placed Yeovil Town Ladies away on Sunday with all still to play for, a game against Reading FC Women to come.
Another stumble on the road to promotion for Doncaster Rovers Belles conceding 2 late goals to peg the scores back. Operation Promotion is still well on course with 3 matches left the opportunity to seal it may come when they travel to London Bees on the 27th September.
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