A busy midweek of FAWPL matches began with first wins of the league season for Cheltenham Town and Chester Le Street Town, while Morecambe extended their strong start.
Tuesday 19th September
FA WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE
NORTHERN DIVISION 1
Chester le Street Town 3-2 Newcastle United (Att: 90)
Chester le Street Town bagged their first points of the season, edging Newcastle United in the best of five goals to climb of the foot of Northern Division 1.
Grace Donnelly pulled off a couple of smart stops for Newcastle but the hosts were ahead on 21 minutes through Nichole Goundry-Havery.
Steph Ord saw her free-kick tipped over the Town bar by Anna Collin just before the break but Chester le Street doubled their lead by the interval with an own-goal.
Megan McKenzie forced a good save from the home keeper before Maddy Atkinson made the score 3-0 on 63 minutes.
Siobhan Jones pulled one back and fellow sub Beth Gardner made for a tense finish with United’s second on 88 minutes.
Chorley 0-1 Morecambe (Att: 20)
Unbeaten Morecambe went fourth in the table after victory at mid-table Chorley.
Emma Kay was on target with the only goal of the game with their Lancashire rivals.
SOUTH WEST DIVISION 1
Cheltenham Town 3-1 St Nicholas (Att: 42)
Cheltenham Town got off the mark at the fifth attempt, as they won the South West Division 1 basement battle with St Nicholas, to jump to seventh in the table.
St Nicholas lost goalkeeper Ellie Soper to injury after 25 minutes, with centre-back Sophie Sweet deputising.
Sally Butterfield broke the deadlock after a goalless first half and Ella Hitchcox then headed in the second from a cross by Sarah Walters.
Ria Salleh made it 3-0 afterwhich Butterfield struck the bar and St Nicholas got a late consolation.
Photo – Cheltenham Town pictured at Whaddon Road (@CTLadies)
