Sunday 18 October 2015

Match Report - Doncaster Rovers Belles v Millwall Lionesses

  Today's the final day of the season in FAWSL 2 and the race for the title has gone down to the wire with either Reading FC Women or Doncaster Rovers Belles lifting the trophy as newly crowned champions. Trip to the Keepmoat Stadium this Sunday afternoon to watch Doncaster Rovers Belles as they play their final match of the season against Millwall Lionesses.

   Doncaster Rovers Belles had one goal this season #OperationPromotion the aim to get themselves back into FAWSL 1 after 'relegation' in 2013. Having narrowly missed out last season have achieved it this time around and will be back playing in the top tier of women's football in England in 2016. Have been in a battle at the top with Reading FC Women all season, but with 2 promotion spots up for grabs this season as the league looks to expand both clubs have achieved promotion.

   Reading FC Women and Doncaster Rovers Bells are neck and neck going into the final day on 42 points each, some 14 points clear of the rest. Identical records after 17 matches played 13 wins, 3 draws and a single loss. In the race to nail the title Reading FC Women have the edge leading the way on goal difference 7 better than Doncaster Rovers Belles have scored 5 more goals too so there would need to be a massive swing to turn that around. Doncaster Rovers Belles can only focus on their game today secure the points against Millwall, whilst Reading FC Women travel to Aston Villa Ladies.

   Millwall Lionesses will be looking to finish on a high haven't had the season they were hoping for 8th in the table with just 2 wins in the league this season, are on a poor run in the league 5 defeats in a row going into today's match, also missing a few 1st team regulars in Naomi Cole, Lily Agg and Ashley Hincks.

   Good atmosphere building at the Keepmoat Stadium prior to the match, weather's not playing ball overcast and chilly as the cheerleaders assemble to welcome the two teams onto the pitch. 

  Doncaster Rovers Belles starting XI - Nicola Hobbs, Lyndsey Cunningham, Sophie Barker, Rhiannon Roberts, Leandra Little (C), Kasia Lipka, Emily Simpkins, Sue Smith, Emily Roberts, Bethany England & Courtney Sweetman-Kirk.
  subs - Sam Tierney, Lauren Cresswell, Nicole Dale, Ashleigh Mills, Hope Knight, Molly Johnson & Sophie Stamp.

  Millwall Lionesses starting XI - Sarah Quantrill, Leanne Cowan, Frankie Strugnell Danielle Charlton, Dionne Lennon (C), Grace Fisk, Lily Maple, Fliss Gibbons, Bethany Hertford, Megan Goss & Rinsola Babajide.
  subs - Anna Williams, Ciara Sherwood, Francesca Ali, Jordan Butler.

   It's Doncaster to kick off the game wearing yellow shirts and socks with blue shorts with Millwall lined up opposite wearing navy shirts with white sleeves, white shorts and navy and white hooped socks. Millwall press Doncaster for the ball early on forcing Sophie Barker playing at left back today to play the ball all the way back to goalkeeper Nicola Hobbs, soon after Megan Goss is stopped by the offside flag as the visitors look to attack down the right.

   Doncaster get some meaningful possession in and around the Millwall box the ball is switched out to the right, Sue Smith plays the ball into the box with Bethany England looking to attack the near post gets onto the end of the ball the angle is tight sends her shot over the crossbar. Smith attacking down the right wing once again cuts back inside and looks to play the cross in from the corner of the area the ball is headed behind for a corner kick. The ball is played into the congested far post area, no one can get a meaningful touch before Millwall scramble the ball away.

   Millwall look to counter attack down the left, Rhiannon Roberts comes across from centre back to win the ball back on the half way line, sends the pass forwards plays in Courtney Sweetman-Kirk breaking behind the Millwall defence, the flag is raised stopping her in her tracks. Sweetman-Kirk is involved in the build up in the next attack in front of the Millwall area takes on a couple of players before passing to Smith to her right, corner of the area Smith is given the space and opportunity to shoot, cuts back inside pulls the trigger the shot going wide across the goal.

  Rinsola Babajide is running the line for Millwall up top today with Goss looking to support her when the visitors get on the ball, has had little opportunity to run with the ball goes after a ball played into space on the left drives to the byline gets the cross into the box, Hobbs is 1st to it intercepting, dropping on the ball inside her six yard box. Barker has little to keep her occupied at left back with Millwall keeping players back is able to get forwards makes a move up the flank which is seen by her captain Leandra Little receives the ball on the run looks to play the pass forwards to put Emily Roberts through, Millwall captain Dionne Lennon gets to the ball 1st. Doncaster keep coming Roberts again on the ball on the left sees her cross put behind for a corner kick. Put in from the left just a little too high for England as she leaps for it in the middle, keeping hold of the ball it comes to Kasia Lipka outside the box her pass drops onto the chest of England just inside the box she looks to turn and find space for the shot, Millwall's Bethany Hertford gets tight on her prevents the shot puts in the tackle to concede a throw.


Rinsola Babajide leading the attack for Millwall Lionesses today

   Doncaster are pressing forwards knowing they need goals if they want to challenge Reading for top spot, haven't really troubled Quantrill in the opening 20 minutes, looking to bring the ball out from the back are caught out as Babajide steals the ball and looks to make a move towards the area, Lipka is quick to react close enough to get back on Babajide prevent her lining up a shot, the ball comes loose outside the area is latched onto by Goss, Rhiannon Roberts is in position to get he head in the way of the ball make the clearance. 


Doncaster Rovers Belles, Kasia Lipka

  Up the other end Lipka is encouraged to travel with the ball has support from Smith to her right the two exchange passes before Lipka takes on the shot 20 yards out plays the ball straight into Quantrill's midriff. Good combination play between Sweetman-Kirk and Smith with Sweetman-Kirk playing the cross into the box from the left is just over the head of England in the centre dropping behind her, Emily Simpkins is racing in looking to meet the ball hit it hard smashes it straight against a defender.

   Defending deep at times Millwall aren't leaving much space behind for Doncaster to exploit down the wings, Emily Roberts and Smith as they often do switch sides with Smith now attacking down the left channel. Barker plays a great ball into Sweetman-Kirk 25 yards out from goal has space to make the shot goes for placement sends the ball narrowly over the bar. For all their attacking Doncaster hearts are in their mouths as they almost score at the wrong end with Millwall attacking down the right the cross is fired in along the six yard line Roberts goes to clear slices the ball Hobbs dives to her right the ball past her thankfully though the right side of her post corner given.

   Sweetman-Kirk does spring the offside trap this time is through after the ball, Quantrill reads it early is off her line quickly out to gather before the striker can pounce on the ball. Lyndsey Cunningham getting forwards from right back for Doncaster goes beyond everyone out on the flank cuts back inside sends the ball into towards Simpkins looking to attack the near post hits the shot smashes the ball off the post.

  GOAL! 41 minutes into the half and Doncaster find the back of the net. Barker brings the ball into the Millwall half then plays a great diagonal cross into the box looking to pick out England at the far post, she gets her head to the ball flicks it on past Quantrill and into the back of the net 1-0. 


Bethany England  getting hold of the ball for Doncaster Rovers Belles

  Late pressure by Doncaster with Smith taking on the shot from distance comes in low in front of Quantrill she makes the save pushes it out to her right along the by line not going out of play Sweetman-Kirk retrieves it digs the cross back in with England inside the six yard box gets her head to the ball looking to turn her attempt across the keeper also takes it wide of the far post.

                           Half-time Doncaster Rovers Belles 1-0 Millwall Lionesses
  
  Doncaster eventually getting the goal all their attacking play deserved 1st half, finally breaching a stubborn and hard working Millwall defence. Had the edge in the race for the title for a couple of minutes before Reading FC Women scored at Aston Villa Ladies to leave things as they were going into the 2nd half. Doncaster make a change at the break bringing on Hope Knight for Emily Roberts on the left side of attack as Millwall get the 2nd half under-way. 

   Millwall come very close to levelling the scores early in the 2nd half winning a free kick wide on the right inside the Doncaster half Charlton is over the ball sends it in towards the far post area drops inside the six yards box, Babajide is there, can't turn it home, comes through to Goss behind her connects with the ball pushes it the wrong side of the post. Rhiannon Roberts makes two blocks in quick succession getting in the path of a blast from Lily Maple from 25 yards out, falls to Fliss Gibbons on the edge of the area, Roberts is there again making the block at point blank range.


Frankie Strugnell winning the ball for Millwall Lionesses

   Quantrill makes a fantastic save off Sweetman-Kirk as she stoops to get her head onto a perfectly weighted cross from Smith put into the six yard box, Quantrill is falling to her right Sweetman-Kirk's header looks destined for the back of net however the keeper throws a leg up to make the save deny the change the ball comes out to Knight coming in from the left her shot is wild flashes over the bar. 62 minutes on the clock and Doncaster make a 2nd change with Ashleigh Mills coming on for Simpkins which sees England drop deeper into the middle. Doncaster are laying the Millwall box under siege now as they look to find another goal, Quantrill keeping her eye on a ball from Smith delivered into the centre of the six yard box, isn't distracted by Little as she comes in looking to met the ball with her head takes it cleanly in her gloves.

  GOAL! Smith bags herself a goal is through on goal as a kindly deflection at the back falls her way left of goal inside the area, Quantrill has to close her down, Smith takes the ball around her and rolls the ball into the empty net beyond 2-0. 20 minutes to play need more goals as Reading too extend their lead.


Sue Smith
  Millwall make their 1st change with Ciara Sherwood coming on for Hertford. Knight attacks down the left for Doncaster plays her cross into the box too close to the keeper. Millwall make another change bringing on Francesca Ali for Maple who had landed awkwardly hurting her ankle minutes before. 

  GOAL! Doncaster have a 3rd goal and it's Smith who scores her 2nd on 75 minutes as route one as you can get but highly effective as the goal kick is headed on superbly by Sweetman-Kirk with Smith making the run beyond keeping onside the racing clear of the Millwall defence with the keeper coming again Smith lofts the ball over her and sees it roll into the bottom corner of the net 3-0. 

  The attack is all with Doncaster, the ball is played in from the left is long heading out past the far post inside the six yard box Mills manages to hook the ball back across goal, Quantrill makes another brilliant save at close range as England gets her head on the ball it drops down Sweetman-Kirk is there shoots the ball is kept out goes away for a corner.

  Mills slips over as she goes for a challenge takes out a Millwall player the referee awards the free kick 30 yards out left of goal Sherwood is over the ball sees an opportunity to play it into space to her right, unfortunately for her the referee can't get herself out of the way makes a great interception for Doncaster. Final change for Millwall with Goss coming off and Anna Williams coming on.

   England plays the ball forwards with Sweetman-Kirk in front of her is on the ball has Lennon on her shoulder as the pair race into the box, the Millwall captain doing enough to force Sweetman-Kirk to shoot wide. 

  GOAL! Sweetman-Kirk plays the ball into the right channel for Smith to go after she sweeps the cross into the middle is too high for England in the centre, but drops to Knight also racing in at the far post she meets the ball sending it past the keeper to make it 4-0 with 10 minutes left to play.

   Reading go 3-0 up at Aston Villa, closing stages at the Keepmoat Stadium Nicole Dale comes on for Lyndsey Cunningham, with Radio 5 Live commentating at the match words spreads around the press box that Aston Villa have scored in injury time, not once but twice. Doncaster are pressing forwards, numbers committed Millwall clear it Babajide is clear of the defence closing in on the Doncaster area, Hobbs comes to meet her doesn't commit stays big saves as Babajide tries to hit the shot past her. The counter attack in on down the left Knight on the ball looks to shoot early places the ball over the bar.

   All over the final whistle blows and Doncaster win their final match of the season 4-0. Finish as runners-up as reading FC Women hold on for a 3-2 win to make them champions. A bitter-sweet victory in the end the main objective achieved promotion. Celebrations, presentations and thanks after the match with a good sized crowd of 723 watching today.

   Millwall finish 8th did well to keep Doncaster at bay for so long 1st half, stayed on the pitch to watch the celebrations a good squad of young players the FAWSL 2 with be a different prospect next season.

Doncaster Rovers Belles celebrating promotion back to FAWSL 1
   
  Two years out of the top flight, would have been easy to embrace the negativity that threatened to overshadow the relegation but the club stood together, now the future is bright for Doncaster Rovers Belles the club has seen an overhaul behind the scenes investment and this has born fruit in the form of the club seeing a new training complex being built and 10 players getting the opportunity to become full-time, Project Phoenix. The future looks bright and I'm already looking forwards to seeing Doncaster Rovers Belles back in the top flight next season.

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