FAWNL Division One North
Leeds United Women 0
Huddersfield Town Women 2 (Ibbotson 45’, Firth 90’)
Leeds: Simpson, Legge, Smart (C), Turner, Hughes (Dobson 53’), Danby, Rousseau, Smith (Elliott 73’), Greene, Woodruff, White. Subs not used: Oates (GK), Waldron, Gibril-Keating.
Huddersfield: Bolton-Woollam (GK), Stanfield (C), Ibbotson, Mallin (Firth 64’), Stuart, Embley, Fields, Montgomery (Beresford 89’), Duffield, Mason (McMahon 83’), Devins (Housley 89’). Subs not used: Joyce (GK).
Venue: Bannister Prentice Stadium
Referee: Jodie Hunter
Booked: Stanfield (Huddersfield)
Leeds United Women were narrowly beaten in their return to FAWNL Division One North action, with Huddersfield Town Women claiming the three points after a hard-fought encounter at the Bannister Prentice Stadium.
The Whites started brightly and went within inches of taking an early lead when Amy Woodruff did superbly to dispossess Terriers’ goalkeeper Kacey Bolton-Woollam, but with the angle against her, the striker’s effort crashed agonisingly into the side netting.
Bolton-Woollam had to be alert moments later as the early pressure continued from the hosts, punching away Sarah Danby’s dangerous set-piece delivery as Shauna Legge looked to pounce.
Kath Smith then went close for Simon Wood’s side from distance, profiting from a loose ball midway inside the visitors’ half and letting fly, only to see her fierce drive sail narrowly past the post.
After weathering the initial storm, Huddersfield then began to grow into the game and Caitlin Devins would have had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring as she raced into the box, if not for Lucy Turner’s superb last-ditch challenge as Leeds cleared their lines.
Just after the half-hour mark, an inventive corner kick routine from the Terriers resulted in captain Beth Stanfield’s flick finding Leah Embley inside the area, but under pressure from her opposite number Danby, the midfielder was unable to trouble Carrie Simpson in the Whites’ goal.
Ella Duffield was the next to go close for Huddersfield as they looked for the opener, heading Stanfield's cross over from close range, before Leeds skipper Olivia Smart made a vital interception to clear Ella Duffield’s goalbound strike.
The visitors weren’t to be denied the lead for long however, when Beth Ibbotson rose highest to power home from a corner on the stroke of half-time.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-1 Huddersfield Town
Keen to respond after the break, Danby played an incisive pass in-field to Ellie White, who in turn released Woodruff down the right flank.
The forward returned the favour, picking out the run of the onrushing midfielder inside the area but, at full-stretch, White was unable to guide her effort on target.
Desperate defending from Huddersfield's Ria Montgomery then saw the visitors survive the next Leeds attack, glancing Ellie Dobson's header off the line, after the substitute rose highest to meet a dangerous Danby corner.
The Whites’ pressure continued to mount and White went close once more, initially fizzing a fine pass into the feet of Woodruff. The forward held the ball up expertly and laid it off for the midfielder, who saw her low strike glance the outside of the post.
Still hunting for the leveller, forward Jess Rousseau then played new signing Drew Greene in behind the Terriers’ line with a clever pass, but the former Halifax player saw her well-struck effort fly narrowly over the bar.
Bolton-Woollam was called into action once more with just under five minutes remaining, as the Town stopper made a fine save to deny Dobson after the midfielder again attacked a set-piece from the right.
Despite the onslaught of United attacks, Glen Preston’s Huddersfield sealed proceedings deep into injury time, with substitute Molly Firth tapping home on the break, as Leeds had committed numbers forward in search of an equaliser.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 0-2 Huddersfield Town
