Derby County Women were beaten 2-0 by table-topping Nottingham Forest in a gritty FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division fixture on Sunday afternoon.
Two goals from Charlie Wellings either side of half-time were enough to defeat the Ewes at the City Ground.
The scoring was opened from the penalty spot in the 34th minute and the hosts' lead was extended from range ten minutes after the restart, with a dominant performance from the league leaders seeing Derby reduced to few chances despite a battling display.
Key Moments
Derby were without striker Chenè Muir, who was absent with an injury issue sustained in the week ahead of the match, while Sacha Lewis and Evie McCaffrey were away on international duty with England Under-17s.
Forest controlled the tempo of the first half, but Derby's strong defending kept the hosts quiet until the 33rd minute.
The first chance of the game fell to Forest’s Molly Green, who attempted a shot from range to the left of Lucy Jones’ goal, but the Ewes’ goalkeeper was able to claim comfortably.
Wellings came close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute with a close-range strike, but Jones again was able to parry away for Derby to clear.
Forest striker Melissa Johnson tested Jones twice in two minutes, with the latter attempt seeing the Jamaican international fire a shot as Jones rushed out to clear, but it deflected off the Ewes' goalkeeper, and Johnson’s strike rolled into the side netting, giving Derby a lucky break.
The next ten minutes remained quiet for both teams, with some strong defensive performances from the Ewes keeping Forest quiet.
The game turned in Forest’s favour in the 33rd minute when referee Charlotte Jacques-Smith awarded a penalty to the hosts, deeming Sarah Jackson to have handled the ball in the penalty area.
Wellings made no mistake from the spot and fired a powerful strike into the bottom right corner, sending Jones the wrong way and giving the hosts the lead in the East Midlands derby.
A flurry of chances fell to Forest in the 41st minute, and some strong defensive actions from Jones, Charlotte Steggles and Emily Joyce kept Derby in the game, with sliding tackles, headed clearances and bodies on the line keeping Forest out.
The remaining minutes of the first half saw Forest retain possession, but could not break down the Derby defence, and the whistle blew for half-time after five minutes of stoppage time.
The hosts looked to resume their dominant performance at the start of the second half, but strong defending from the Ewes in the opening minutes kept Forest out.
A fine sliding block from Steggles denied Wellings a cross at the edge of the Derby penalty area in the 52nd minute.
A break away on the counter saw Johnson regain possession for the hosts, who managed to play a through ball out wide to Wellings, and the Forest winger burst through on goal to score in the 56th minute.
Her shot from the edge of the penalty area was low and driven to the bottom left corner, with Jones unable to reach it, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead.
Substitute Becky Hogg opted for a strike from range in the 75th minute, but a deflection off a Forest defender gave Derby a corner. Kate Oakley came close to finding the back of the net, but her headed strike from the resulting corner in the 76th minute was wide, with Forest clearing away down the right flank.
Derby launched a spell of well-timed counter-attacks, but Forest were quick to close down and deny the Ewes sight of goal.
The best chance for Sam Griffiths’ side came in the last minute, with a ball played across the face of Forest’s penalty area by Hogg to Emelia Wilson at the far-post, but the Ewes midfielder was unable to reach, with the referee blowing for full-time only a few minutes later.
The Ewes return to action on the road against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday 30th March (2pm kick-off).
Team News
Derby County Women: Jones (GK); Jenkins, Steggles (Hogg 67), Jackson; Dalton (May 78), Meadows (Skeldon 67), Joyce (C), Wilson, Burt; Rai (Ward 67), Oakley (McGowan 78).
Substitutes Not Used: Morgan (GK), Hilliard.
Attendance
3,896.
Words: Reuben Clarke
Images: Terri Lee
