Regional Leagues Round-Up: Milton United win extended shoot-out

East Bergholt United celebrate their progress in the Eastern League Cup.
East Bergholt United celebrate their progress in the Eastern League Cup. (Photo: Sean Doyle)

A number of Regional League Cup ties were decided on penalties, with Milton United winning the longest shoot-out.

EASTERN – East Bergholt win on pens

Premier – Luton Town hit Harlow Town 8-1 for their eighth straight win, AFC Sudbury kept up the chase with the only goal at Bedford from Evie Creaton, likewise Needham Market in beating Bowers & Pitsea 4-2 aided by a Lois Balfour brace, Stevenage with a 2-0 win over Wroxham. Royston Town drew 1-1 with Haringey Borough, Colney Heath climbed above Kings Lynn Town on goal-difference when edging them 3-2 thanks to substitute Chloe Farrell’s dramatic hat-trick.

1 North – AFC Dunstable went level on points with leaders Biggleswade United but from a game more, after winning 3-1 at St Ives Town.

1 South – Cheshunt 1-5 Lawford’s Daisy Canny scored three times in a 5-1 victory at Cheshunt, AFC Sudbury Reserves’ Caitlyn Charles twice in a 3-3 tie with Grays Athletic.

League Cup 2nd Rd – Billericay Town Devs beat Biggleswade United 6-4 after extra-time, East Bergholt United went through 3-2 on pens after their tie at Newmarket Town was deadlocked at 1-1, Fakenham Town progressed 5-1 at Haverhill Rovers.

EAST MIDLANDS – Grimsby derby goalless

Premier – Notts County lead by four points following a 3-2 win at Basford United, Chesterfield and Mansfield Town were goalless in the meeting of third versus fourth. Oughtibridge WM were 3-0 winners at Arnold Eagles, Anstey Nomads were held 1-1 by Rotherham United.

1 Central – Ilkeston Town sub Ashleigh Evans got both goals at Notts County Devs that out her side top,  Nottingham Trent University are second after defeating Mansfield Hosiery Mills 5-2, combined with Dronfield Town and Asfordby Amateurs being held by Sherwood (0-0) and West Bridgford (1-1) respectively.

1 North – Grimsby Town dropped their first points in a goalless draw at home to Grimsby Borough, Gainsborough Trinity came from behind to win 2-1 with an Amy O’Brien decider at  Sleaford Town, SJR Worksop beat Lincoln United Devs 5-1.

1 South –  Kettering Town posted a 5-1 result over Roade aided by a Lauren Adams treble, Hollie Handisides also scored three as Leicester City LFC put seven past Peterborough United Devs who had Kacey Sharman sent-off on 62 minutes, while Dunton & Broughton United came away from Loughborough Foxes Vixens with a 4-2 win.

LONDON & SOUTH EAST – Leading quartet quash opposition

Premier – Wins for all the top four as Millwall Lionesses hit AFC Acorns for six, Worthing’s Rebecca Bell netted three times in an 8-1 result at New London Lionesses, Fulham defeated Dulwich Hamlet 3-0 and Saltdean United were 2-0 victors at Sutton United. Dartford are up to fifth after a narrow 2-1 win over bottom-of-the-table Aylesford aided by a goal from sub Emily Vaughan.

1 North – Brentford return to the top with a 4-0 win at Leatherhead where Demi Edwards notched a treble, Dorking Wanderers edged into second spot despite being held 0-0 at Whyteleafe. Sport London E Benfica and Dulwich Hamlet Reserves drew 1-1, Lily Hall got the only goal as Watford Devs defeated Richmond Park to leapfrog them into sixth position.

1 South – Hastings United and Ashford United extended their perfect starts, the former beating Bromley 4-0, the latter 2-1 winners over Welling United who had Olivia McGregor dismissed. Eastbourne United won 4-0 at Cray Valley, Herne Bay 3-1 at Bexhill United, Montpelier Villa’s Tara Barratt came off the bench to score in a 2-1 defeat of Newhaven, while Steyning Town drew 3-3 with Maidstone United.

League Cup 2nd Rd – Enfield Town’s 4-2 success against Clapton booked them a trip to Dorking in the last 16 at the end of January.

Enfield Town 4-2 Clapton
Enfield Town and Clapton battle for possession. (Photo: @MikeyTheTowner)

NORTH EAST – York RI edge 13-goal game

Premier – Chester le Street Town’s eight win on the spin came courtesy of a Nichole Havery effort against  Wakefield, Sunderland West End fought back from two down at the break to beat Hull United 3-2.

1 North – Wallsend BC Reserves jumped three places to first with a 3-1 win over Guisborough Town in which Amber Southern scored twice, Chester le Street United’s Neve Jackson grabbed an 89th-minute winner in a 3-2 result at Bishop Auckland.

1 South – Handsworth beat Ossett United 4-2 to regain the leadership from Barnsley Ladies, Millmoor’s 0-0 draw with Sheffield United Foundation was enough to move them up to third. York Railway Institute are fourth following an extraordinary 7-6 scoreline at Sheffield Wednesday, where there were hat-tricks for Owls’ Amy Broomhead and both Tamryn Dunlop and Jodie Langstaff for the visitors. Bradford Park Avenue banked their first points thanks to Melissa West getting all their goals in a 3-2 win at Farsley Celtic JFC.

NORTH WEST – Salford end FC United’s unbeaten start

Premier – Salford City Lionesses sent FC United of Manchester to their first defeat by the odd goal in nine to go level on points with them, third beat fourth as Cheadle Town Stingers edged Tranmere Rovers 2-1. Results elsewhere were; Blackburn CSC 3-2 Curzon Ashton, Crewe Alexandra 2-1 Fleetwood Town Wrens, Darwen 4-1 Mossley Hill Athletic.

1 North – Penrith pulled off an excellent 6-1 result at Blackpool, as the seasiders again lost top spot to Haslingden, 2-0 winners over Workington Reds. Bolton Wanderers won 3-0 at Carlisle United, Morecambe 2-1 at Chorley Devs, while it ended goalless between Preston North End and Accrington Stanley and 1-1 as Sir Tom Finney played Penwortham Town.

1 South – Bury AFC’s narrow 3-2 win over Warrington Wolves kept them in first place, Runcorn Linnets beat Wythenshawe Amateurs 5-0 to go second, as Poulton Vics were held 2-2 by Altrincham. Northwich Vixens posted a 6-2 result at Hindley, as did Chester at home to BRNESC.

Runcorn Linnets 5-0 Wythenshawe
Runcorn Linnets made it eight straight league wins against Wythenshawe. (Photo: Neil Thornton)

SOUTHERN – Milton win shoot-out 10-9

Premier – Abingdon United lead the table by four points after winning 3-0 at third-placed Bournemouth Sports, Wycombe Wanderers’ Katie Riddington was their hat-trick hero in a 4-3 win at Oxford City.

1 North – Eversley & California won the basement battle at Carterton 2-1 to go five points clear of them.

1 South – Rushmoor climbed above Woking into third place, when defeating them with a Becca Duncan goal.

League Cup 1st Rd – Milton United had sub Lily Norton sent off in a 10-9 penalties victory following a 4-4 deadlock with Chichester City, with more shoot-out drama as Abingdon Town beat Abbey Rangers 6-5 after being inseparable at 1-1. Eastleigh’s Sarah Bradshaw got the only goal at Penn & Tylers Green, Winchester City Flyers were 2-0 winners over Kidlington and Ascot United advanced with four unanswered goals against Woodley United.

SOUTH WEST – Gas Girls down Forest Green

Premier – Bristol Rovers sank leaders Forest Green Rovers 5-0 at home to go within two points of them, Sherborne Town also gained ground with a 3-0 result over Royal Wootton Bassett Town. Torquay United won by the same scoreline at Poole Town, Ilminster Town scored the sole goal at Bishops Lydeard.

1 East – Frome Town beat Stockwood Wanderers with a Koren Thorner-Atkinson goal to extend their lead to four points. Pucklechurch Sports are second after seeing off Weston Super Mare 4-3, despite a red card for Leigha Milkins, while Adele Hooper bagged a brace. Middlezoy moved up to eighth with a 2-0 win at Weymouth.

1 North – Downend Flyers first win came 1-0 at leaders Frampton Rangers, while Oldland Abbotonians shared the points 1-1 with visiting St Vallier.

1 West – Marine Academy Plymouth replaced Sticker at the top when sending hosts Activate to a 7-0 loss.

WEST MIDLANDS – Harriers hit summit

Premier – Kidderminster Harriers’ important 1-0 win over Lye Town put them top, as both Shrewsbury Town and Sutton Coldfield Town drew, the Shrews 2-2 at home to Worcester City, Sutton 1-1 at Burton Albion. Solihull Sporting’s Lauren Smith scored three of their four goals at Redditch United, Crusaders took the points 3-2 at    Coundon Court.

1 North – Coventry City’s 2-0 victory over Lichfield City Reserves lifted them to fourth and level on points with third-placed Port Vale.

1 South – Leamington Lions went fourth with a 3-2 result against Rugby Borough, Droitwich Spa’s 4-2 victory over Rugby Town featured a double by substitute Aimee Ward.

Div 1 League Cup 2nd Rd – Darlaston Town won 4-2 on penalties at Sedgley & Gornal United after they finished all square at 1-1, Walsall went through 1-0 at City of Stoke with a Saanya Najib goal. Shifnal Town’s Rebecca-Lee Bown netted three times in the 6-0 beating of Bewdley Town, Coventry Sphinx’s Anaya O’Brien and sub Kirsty Farnsworth did likewise in an 8-0 result at Westfields.

Upcoming Events

Would you like to read more women’s football news just like this? Sign up to receive the She Kicks Women’s Football newsletter