REPORT | Denbigh Town Ladies 2-3 Northop Hall Ladies

Denbigh Town Ladies suffered defeat at the hands of Northop Hall as their 12-week wait to return to Central Park was spoiled.

Despite goals from Beth Kell and Lucy Morris Town came unstuck with a brace from Brygida Gorecka and an effort from Daisy Allen.

Ellen Lawson named a host of changes as Carla Rizzi, Mali Thomas, Catrin Davies and Charlotte Cooper all made their way into the Starting XI. Meanwhile, Netty Young took the captain's armband for the first time,

It took seven minutes for the first chance of note and it fell to the visitors, as Amanda Murphy took flight from range but Young made a superb low stop.

Town’s first sight of goal came two minutes later when Thomas’ corner was met by the boot of Kell but her volley looped over on to the roof of the net.

Town began getting into the groove as some great play between Lucy Morris and Kell saw the latter fire towards goal but Bethan Hughes was on hand to make the stop.

Eventually the deadlock was broken on 15 minutes as the returning Catrin Davies, in her first game at Central Park since March 2022, crossed for Kell to drill home inside the box.

Northop looked to return the Town opener and applied plenty of pressure, with 23 minutes gone Hannah Williams struck a free-kick that was tipped over by Young.

After a real onslaught, the visitors restored parity, as a threaded ball forward found Gorecka to slide the ball past the goalkeeper with 36 gone.

Half-Time: Denbigh Town Ladies 1-1 Northop Hall Ladies

Within three minutes of the restart, Northop came inches from the lead. Williams, again stood over a free kick, launched the ball towards goal but only met the crossbar. They didn’t have to wait much longer to finally find the lead, as Gorecka ran through on goal and thumped the ball past Young for her and Northop’s second.

With twenty left to play she almost had her hatrick. Gorecka on the right tested Young again but the keeper did well to palm the ball on to the post. Less than two minutes later though the visitors found their third. Unable to clear their lines, Allen had sight of the ball in a crowded box and poked it home.

Now Denbigh had to respond quickly, Kell had a chance one one-on-one but fluffed her lines when blazing over. Denbigh did however give themselves a lifeline when a ball into the box wasn’t cleared, and on the floor, Lucy Morris managed to swivel her body and fire into the bottom corner.

However, Town didn’t find the leveller and suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time in the league this season. They now sit 4th in the table, nine points adrift of top spot and four off second with two games in hand.

They are next in action next Sunday at Central Park at home to Pwllheli in the Betty Pickering Cup Group C.

Denbigh Town Ladies: Young, Thomas, C.Morris, E.Morris, Duff, Rizzi, Dolan, Kell, Cooper, L.Morris, Davies

Subs: Lawson, Fryer, Bancroft

Referee: Levi Roberts

Attendance: 42