Derby County Women suffered late heartbreak in the East Midlands Derby as Daisy Burt's first goal for the Ewes wasn't enough after a Nottingham Forest turnaround in added time at the Don Amott Arena on Sunday.
Burt's penalty gave the Ewes a deserved lead in the first half, but Forest fought back to take all three points in the FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division with Charlie Wellings netting a brace late on to secure a 2-1 win.
Derby were without injured centre-back Sarah Jackson, midfielder Becky May, strikers Kate Oakley and Chené Muir and long-term injured Becky Hogg and Megan Tinsley coming into the fixture against a table-topping Reds team.
Derby showed excellent resilience in the early stages of the game to thwart the visitors' early pressure and in the 11th, minute took advantage of the growing Forest confidence with a counter-attack led by Paris Dalton, who finished into the bottom corner, before the linesmen put up a late flag to deny Derby’s celebrations.
Just ten minutes after Dalton had the ball in the net, Forest’s Melissa Johnson rounded the resilient Ewes defence leaving an empty net to finish, but her effort was smashed into the side netting to keep the tie at deadlock.
The game remained competitive, and in the 40th minute, Kira Rai took the ball from the halfway line and drove at pace into the Forest box where she was hacked down and a penalty was awarded, Burt stepped up and calmly blasted it into the bottom corner to give Derby a 1-0 advantage going into half time.
The Ewes had a golden opportunity to double the lead in the 47th minute as Rai - who had caused the Forest backline no end of trouble - took it around the defender but took too long to take her chance, which was cleared away from danger.
Forest kept up the hunt for an equaliser, and in the 60th minute, a cross looped over the Derby defence and found Johnson isolated at the back post but her volleyed effort from very close range flew over the bar and the tie remained in the Ewes favour.
Forest finally found their equaliser in the 80th minute as a half-hearted ball into the box bounced over the defensive line and was volleyed by Wellings past Jones in goal.
Forest came back straight from kick-off, as Jones pulled off a great save to deny Domingo who had a free header at the back post, Katie Dungate followed up from close range but a heroic last-ditch effort from Millie Jenkins cleared the ball off the line.
The visitors claimed a penalty in the dying moments of the game as Hannah Ward was penalised for a handball in a crowded penalty box. Wellings, who had scored the equaliser, stepped up and made no mistake sealing the game for Forest.
The Ewes will look to regroup with a two-week break before they travel to Hull City in the league on Sunday 27th October (2pm kick-off).
Derby County Women: Jones (GK), Steggles, Hilliard, Wilson, Joyce (C), Ward, Jenkins, Burt (Skeldon 90+2), McGowan (Cotton 90+2), Rai (Meadows 80), Dalton (Miller 70).
Unused Substitutes: Morgan (GK), Shepherd.
Words: Max Stairs.
Images: Terri Lee.
