East Midlands Women's Football League Division 1 North
RETFORD UNITED LADIES (0) 1
Katie Glynn 52
NOTTS COUNTY LADIES (4) 7
Courtney Walters 2, 10, 41, 57
Cath Eyley 43,
Alexandra Johnson 58,
Alexandra Francis 69
So it was awfully thoughtful of Retford United Ladies, to host a game this afternoon, which kicked off 15 minutes after my shift finished.
It was a real shame that bar wasn't open too, because I had a proper thirst on.
But there'll be ample opportunity for that sort of thing later tonight.
It was an horrible afternoon to be be outdoors, with a biting north wind and persistent drizzle getting together to mark the official end of British Summer Time.
But there are plenty of undercover vantage points to choose from at Cannon Park, especially when the players outnumber the spectators and 'our Sandra' still opens up her hot food and drink emporium at these Sunday afternoon games, if you ever fancy treating your other half to a slap up pie, chips and peas Sunday lunch.
I was at school with Sandra, but I can't remember which subject she used to teach me ;-P
Staci Canham saves well to thwart yet another County attack
Today, she got four again, but fancied a bit of change and claimed a first half hat trick instead.
Her first goal, was from a penalty on four minutes and the second came on ten minutes, when she held off a challenge and rolled the ball past the advancing Retford goalkeeper.
The home side actually contained County well for most of the first half, though they did still have a few scares in front of goal at times.
But though the middle bit of the first forty five minutes went well for the Badgers Ladies, the beginning and end of it was their undoing.
Courtney Walters latched onto a poor clearance on 41 minutes and bagged her hat trick.
And before half time, Cath Eyley put the finishing touches to a short corner routine from close range, to give the Magpies a four goal half time cushion.
HT: Badgers 0 v Magpies 4
But they rallied for a while after the restart and took the game to County for the first ten minutes or so, of the second half.
Tara Gaskin intercepted the ball when Notts counter attacked and put the wheels in motion for a Retford move, that saw them force a corner.
From the flag kick, a goal mouth scramble ensued and Katie Glynn forced the ball home to give United a faint glimmer of hope.
A class strike!
A minute later, the wheels really came off for United when Alex Johnson finished off some good work by claiming a goal for herself.
The Retford keeper was possibly slightly impeded in the build up to County's seventh goal in the 69th minute, from Alex Francis, but it wouldn't have made any difference to the final outcome anyway.
The poor lass had to be carried around the pitch to the bench, in an undignified manner, by her manager and a 'self indulgent, bullshit blog' writer who lives just up t'road from Cannon Park, because she was in too much pain to put her right leg down.
I was told after the game, by her dad who's an old school mate of mine, that she's OK but has a big lump on her shin, which is good news. Well better news than it could've been anyway.
And on a personal note, though I obviously wouldn't wish any harm to come to Tara Gaskin, I'm glad it was her we had to carry off and not one of the bigger lasses.
No offence intended to anybody of course.
FT: United 1 v County 7
They scored 7 that day too, against an Appleby Frodingham side who hit the self destruct button at the back a few times.
This afternoon, Retford showed that County do have a few frailties in defence and put them on the back foot a few times, when they got in amongst them.
But though the Magpies Ladies are by no means a 'one woman team', they do have a prize asset up front, who will seemingly always be good for a few goals against any sort of opposition.
For the effort they put in, when a few of them were obviously completely knackered, Retford United Ladies didn't deserve to go down to such a heavy defeat.
But Notts County Ladies have a good spine quality players, who are capable of taking ruthless advantage on a day like today.
Next up: Tomorrow night, I'll be nipping over to Inkersall Road, to take in what promises to be a great game in the NMU19L Division 1, between Staveley Miners Welfare and league leaders Handsworth.
Get the kettle on Terrance!
