Doncaster Rovers Belles have the unenvied record of 9 straight defeats in the league since their return to top flight football in FAWSL 1 after a two season absence. The celebration upon winning promotion and the positive news that followed superseded by a torrid run of league form, just a single win in the Continental Tyres Cup for the club and fans to enjoy. Have replaced their manager, lost their top scorer from last season, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk to injury early in the season, winger Sue Smith has been injured not featured for the club yet. Others have left the club and most recently striker, Jess Sigsworth has been ruled out with a long term injury.
Many felt they would be competing for a place in the top half of the table, instead they are looking down the barrel of relegation. The silver-lining they aren't gone yet and can still catch the clubs above them have games in hand too the gap 6 points to Reading FC Women who they have to play twice yet and tonight's Sunderland AFC Ladies. Can they earn those 1st oh so valuable 3 points? That single cup victory was on neutral ground against Sunderland.
Sunderland AFC Ladies travel to the Keepmoat Stadium this evening to play their 1st league game since the end of July. Have just the one win themselves in the league to date and 3 draws that win was at home against Doncaster a week after their opponents had knocked them out of the cup. Have players out themselves, midfielders Rachel Furness and Brooke Chaplin. Kylla Sjoman out with a long term injury too. Made the announcement of a new signing before tonight's match with American, Beverly Leon joining a free agent after completing a season in Italy with ASD Valpolicella CF. Was named amongst the substitutes for this evenings match.
The start of a new season meant the pitch at the Keepmoat Stadium looked in fantastic condition. A warm start to September the skies were clear of any dark clouds, the temperature pleasant for an evening kick-off as the two sides walked out onto the pitch.
Before the match everyone came together inside the stadium in a minutes applause in memory of 18-year-old Zoe Tynan who sadly passed away earlier in the week. A shock to everyone in the women's football community and beyond thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.
Doncaster Rovers Belles starting XI - Nicola Hobbs, Sophie Barker, Mayumi Pacheco, Leandra Little (C), Rhiannon Roberts, Emily Simpkins, Sam Tierney, Kasia Lipka, Carla Humphrey, Katrin Omarsdottir & Christie Murray.
subs - Anna Moorhouse, Lauren Cresswell, Marta Bakowska-Mathews, Rachel Newborough, Rebecca Rayner & Bethany O'Donnell.
Sunderland AFC Ladies starting XI - Rachael Laws, Abby Holmes, Stephanie Bannon (C), Hayley Sharp, Victoria Williams, Abbey Joice, Lucy Staniforth, Kelly McDougall, Keira Ramshaw, Stephanie Roche & Beth Mead.
subs - Hilde Gunn Olsen, Emma Kelly, Megan Beer, Charlotte Potts, Danielle Brown, Madeline Hill & Beverly Leon.
Doncaster named two players from their Development squad on the bench for this evenings game, Rebecca Rayner and Bethany O'Donnell. It's the visitors to get the game underway, Sunderland wearing red and white vertical striped shirts, black shorts and red socks with Doncaster lined up opposite wearing yellow shirts and socks with blue shorts. The ball is played long out to the left a throw won inside the Doncaster half Abbey Joice looks to make progress down the wing Doncaster tackle the ball played back for goalkeeper Nicola Hobbs to kick clear.
Emily Simpkins is brought down on halfway as she looks to carry the ball on for Doncaster a chance to push players forwards launch the ball up into the box it's Sunderland's, Keira Ramshaw back defending who gets the winning header. Doncaster keep the ball alive on the edge of the area but can find no way through on goal. Ramshaw has the ball on the right attacking for Sunderland has Beth Mead moving into the channel ahead of her rolls the ball on, Mead looks to whip in an early cross, the ball strikes left back, Sophie Barker the rebound running back to Mead she shifts it down the line making room to whip in another cross along the six yard box, Hobbs parries the ball her touch sending it flashing on across the six yard box, running in Stephanie Roche for Sunderland isn't far away from applying the touch needed to turn the ball home.
Scottish International , Christie Murray is leading the line for Doncaster in attack with support from Carla Humphrey and Katrin Omarsdottir. Positive build up play from the home side, good pass and move football make progress up the pitch Sunderland prepared to sit off them. Victoria Williams has the ball at her feet for the visitors coming forwards on the right, Mead is holding position left ready to run in behind the Doncaster defence the crossfield ball from Williams is weighted perfectly Mead burst in behind the defenders and shots early 20 yards out across the goal, Hobbs throws herself to the left pushing the ball away from goal.
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| Sunderland captain Stephanie Bannon tussles for the ball with Katrin Omarsdottir |
GOAL! 15 minutes on the clock and Doncaster open the scoring the build up on the right Barker has the ball is allowed to travel a long way with it into the Sunderland half whilst on the opposite side Pacheco has raced down the left side to be the furthest forwards moves into the box is a fantastic long range diagonal ball from Barker to pick her out, Williams with her the ball comes in is turned on towards goal Rachael Laws in the Sunderland goal shifts across her goal far post doesn't get to the ball as it smashes against the frame of the goal, drops favourably for Pacheco to send home into the empty net 1-0.
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| Mayumi Pacheco opens the scoring for Doncaster Rovers Belles |
Buoyed by taking the lead Doncaster continue to pass the ball make progress into the Sunderland half, the visitors patient Mead always ready to receive the ball up top whenever they win it back. Barker has more joy on the right bringing the ball on Humphrey comes across calling for the ball, receiving it 25 yards out has her sights on goal sends the ball arrowing in towards the top corner, on target Laws behind it makes a great save tipping it around her goal for the corner.
Barker forwards has support from Omarsdottir moving right sh picks out Humphrey her shot at goal is held by Laws. Doncaster have an extra zip in their play the energy to get in to win the ball back as Sunderland look to bring it forwards. Kelly McDougall plays the ball up to Mead driving into the Doncaster area is pushed left by the Doncaster defence passes to Joice before getting it back and taking on the shot from outside the box, Rhiannon Roberts with the block.
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| Doncaster captain Leandra Little heading the ball away |
Kasia Lipka her usual busy self in the centre of the park brings the ball on for Doncaster, Simpkins and Samantha Tierney ready to keep possession as they build another attack into the Sunderland half the ball is fed into Murray 25 yards out a smart turn and shot sees a shot flashes over the top of the crossbar. Sunderland win themselves a corner kick on the right played back up the line the cross swept in it's Doncaster captain Leandra Little who jumps and firmly headers the ball away. Half an hour played.
GOAL! Sunderland pull the scores level turn play around quickly clearing at the back as Doncaster commit players forwards the ball played up into Roche in the middle, Mead is already on the way moving out to the left side Roche's long pass finds her and Mead showing her usual strength on the ball pushes for the top of the area, in all of this it's Williams who has surged up the pitch to get into the box coming to the left Mead rolls the ball into her turns the ball on towards goal in a fluid move, Hobbs throws herself to her right, is late the ball past her and into the back of the net. 1-1.
Doncaster pegged back keep going players pushing forwards as they pass their way into the Sunderland half a great ball fed into Omarsdottir inside the D produces a great turn as she controls the ball moving it a foot to her right to open up space for the shot drives the ball towards goal puts it straight into Laws. The full back keep coming on Pacheco on the overlap on the left as Lipka plays the ball into Murray's feet she looks to turn inside 30 yards out drive for the box then plays a clever reverse pass playing the ball out wide left into Pacheco's run taking it on down the line before flashing a cross in is just a little too long for Omarsdottir coming in far post.
GOAL! Closing in on the final 5 minutes of an exciting 1st half Sunderland complete the turn around having gone a goal down to take the lead. Have possession on the left high up the pitch in the corner, Joice with Mead, Holmes up with play to has the ball at her feet breaks clear to take the ball into the area and blasts the ball in towards goal a deflection taking it past Hobbs who has no time to react, 1-2 Holmes the goal scorer.
Lipka has a go from distance for Doncaster her looping shot landing on the roof of the Sunderland net. The visitors send the ball long up the middle for Mead to get after bringing it down gets a shot away even as the challenge comes in on her 30 yards out, loops up but drops early Hobbs behind the ball to catch it.
Half-time Doncaster Rovers Belles 1-2 Sunderland AFC Ladies
Doncaster get the 2nd half started. An early opportunity for Sunderland as Joice steals in on the ball to run in behind the home side defence tries to put the cross into the middle the ball is charged down. Great chance early on in the 2nd half for Doncaster to equalise, Pacheco bringing the ball on down the left sings the cross into the area, Omarsdottir gets to it but is closed down quickly Sunderland captain Stephanie Bannon clearing the ball out of the area comes to Tierney right side outside the area sends a sweet strike hurtling towards the top corner, Laws is equal to it getting a good glove on the ball to tip it over the bar for the corner The corner comes in from the right Roche back defending clears it near post the clearance out to Tierney once more this time her shot back into the box is held comfortably by Laws.
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| Abbey Joice drives forwards with the ball for Sunderland |
Doncaster have started well 2nd half picking up the pass and move football that they did so well 1st half, Omarsdottir with Murray in close support look to drive through the middle, Hayley Sharp steps up to put in the tackle winning the ball. Lucy Staniforth makes a purposeful run through the middle looking to play the ball in between the Doncaster centre back for Mead this time she went too early is flagged offside.
Mead causing problems on her own up top for Sunderland, her trademark, get hold of the ball commit defenders inside the D the ball is rolled into her feet leaves the defender coming in to close her down on the floor as she opens up her body on the turn to send a shot curling in towards the top corner, Hobbs throws herself at it in vain, is wide but not y very much! Closing in on 60 minutes Doncaster make the 1st chance of the match Rebecca Rayner coming on to replace Emily Simpkins.
A good delivery into the box after she receives the ball from a throw deep on the right for Doncaster's Barker, Bannon puts a firm head on the ball to send it out of danger. Rachel Furness sitting out the game in front of me is getting increasingly excited willing her team on. Barker with the ball right side again comes on whips the ball into the six yard box, Murray tries the overhead kick the ball just behind her misses the chance.
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| Doncaster's Carla Humphrey chased by Sunderland's Lucy Staniforth |
A free kick is awarded to Sunderland inside the centre circle the ball is played long up into the area Roche rises heads the ball out left inside the area bodies converge on the ball, an infringement is spotted by the referee a handball, Sunderland have a penalty much to Doncaster's bemusement. Midway through the 2nd half an opportunity for Sunderland to get themselves a 2 goal cushion, Mead steps up to take the penalty, hits it firmly to Hobbs' right the goalkeeper guesses correctly and diving makes the save the ball pushed wide put behind for a corner before Mead can get after it.
GOAL! The crowd cheer the penalty save however their joy is short lived as Sunderland go on to get that 2 goal cushion from the resulting corner. The delivery is a good one the ball whipped across the face of goal gets a knock on towards the far post, Sunderland have 3 players gathered their the back is powered back across and into the back of the net 1-3 the lead, Kelly McDougall scoring the goal for Sunderland with 20 minutes left to play.
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| Kelly McDougall scorer of Sunderland's 3rd goal |
A 2nd substitution for the visitors, Joice the player coming off enjoys a bit of banter with the home crowd before leaving the pitch is replaced by defender, Danielle Brown. Tierney plays the ball forwards into Rayner up top she spreads the play out to the left with Pacheco bombing on sends the ball into the six yard box looking to pick out Murray, instead it's Bannon who nips in in front of her to intercept the ball. Doncaster continue to have possession of the ball on the left side once more Pacheco curls a cross into the area Humphrey has timed her run perfectly to get into the box clear of the defence headers the ball on towards go on the edge of the six yard box can only pick out Laws who claims the ball.
Both sides make a change, Marta Bakowska-Mathews comes on for Doncaster replacing Omarsdottir. Sunderland bring off Roche, sending on Madelaine Hill to join Mead in attack for the final 10 minutes. The Doncaster fans start to chant 'We're gonna win 4-3!'
GOAL! An immediate impact from the substitute for Sunderland they have a throw on the left inside the Doncaster half the ball is put into Mead who turns towards goal is clattered left hurt on the floor but not before getting the diagonal ball away into the area, Hill runs onto it sends her shot across the keeper to score 1-4. What else can the Doncaster fans do except sing, 'We're gonna win 5-4.'
Mead is okay to continue after treatment the game into the final 10 minutes, Doncaster keep going forwards searching for a goal, Humphrey on the ball carries it inside, Murray making a forwards run calling for the ball, the pass almost reaches her Sharp just gets there to take the ball off her toes. Sunderland break up the other end a shot comes in from distance is locked runs back to Ramshaw she goes for the long range shot sends the ball in Hobbs right behind it to make the save.
Doncaster make their final change bringing on Lauren Cresswell for Murray the switch seeing Pacheco pushed further up the pitch into an attacking role late on. 5 minutes left Sunderland are on the attack McDougall into Hill plays the ball across to Mead left side looks to take it on into the box, just sits up in the turf as she goes to shoot allows Tierney to get back to tackle win the ball. Sunderland make their final change Emma Kelly on for Ramshaw. Pacheco gets onto the end of a diagonal ball lifted into the box from the right sends her shot from inside the box over the Sunderland cross bar.
Full-time Doncaster Rovers Belles 1-4 Sunderland AFC Ladies
The final whistle lows and Sunderland celebrate as they do the league double over Doncaster to record just their 2nd win of the season to move onto 9 points open up a healthy gap from the bottom side. Played well a good all round team performance prepared to sit off Doncaster and attack with pace and purpose when they had the opportunity taking their chances coming back from conceding an early goal.
The search for those 1st elusive league points goes on for Doncaster. 10 loses in a row relegation is looming large, not out of it at all yet still time to save themselves the games are running out however the 2 games against their closest rivals Reading will be crucial. Played some great football today passed the ball crisply, movement was good players got forwards just didn't take their chances and we're caught out defensively at the back. The search for that elusive point goes on.
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