FA WNL Division One North
Leeds United Women 4 (Smith 6’, 52’; Legge 44’, Woodruff 76’)
Chorley Women 1 (Stanhope 59’)
Leeds: Simpson (GK), Legge (C), Turner, Hughes, Dobson, Rousseau (Danby 66’), Smith (Williams 90’), Drew Greene, Woodruff, Darcie Greene, White (Gibrill-Keating 87’).
Chorley: Finch (GK), Parish (Derbyshire 83’), Searson (C), Cook (Wade 83’), Wood (Gunn 46’), Parker (Ritchie 60’), Newhouse, Worthington, Unsworth, Stanhope, Binks (Coward 75’).
Venue: Bannister Prentice Stadium, Garforth
Referee: Lee Hurst
Booked: Coward (Chorley)
On their final home game of the FA WNL Division One North campaign, Leeds United Women put in an impressive display to power past Chorley Women 4-1.
A Kath Smith brace, a first in club colours for defender Shauna Legge and a Goal of the Season contender from Amy Woodruff made it back-to-back victories for the Whites.
Simon Wood’s side began on the front foot in Garforth when Legge drove forward and found Drew Greene on the edge of the area with an incisive pass. The forward twisted one way and then another, before forcing a good save from Mollie Finch in the Chorley goal with a left-footed strike.
The Whites would reap the rewards of their bright start just moments later, when great tenacity from midfielder Smith saw her profit on a mistake from Finch and bundle home an early opener!
One almost became two in quick succession when Jess Rousseau had the ball in the back of the net, only for the assistant’s flag to be raised on the far side.
The striker initially played Drew Greene through with an inventive chip down the right flank, before the winger raced to the edge of the area, cutting it back for the forward who found the back of the net, only to be adjudged to have been in an offside position.
Drew Greene was enjoying the freedom of the right-hand side and again caused issues for the away side, crossing dangerously with Woodruff well placed yards from goal but, diving down low, Finch gathered well under pressure.
Keen to establish a footing in what had been one-way traffic, Safron Newhouse charged into the area for Chorley and looked to find the bottom corner, though a vital challenge from Ellie Dobson deflected the ball kindly into Carrie Simpson’s path who did well to react.
The Whites had dominated the first half however and again threatened a second when Rousseau intercepted a loose clearance on the edge of the opposition’s penalty area, threading a pass through for Woodruff who stung the palms of the busy Finch with a rasping drive.
Approaching the break and Leeds continued to hunt for a second; a dangerous Ellie White corner almost cannoned off a red shirt and into the top corner, deflecting agonisingly wide of the upright.
The pressure finally told and a White delivery was again crucial for the hosts. The creative midfielder whipped in a superb set piece from deep which somehow evaded everyone inside the area and struck the foot of the post. Luckily for United, Legge was on hand from point blank range to convert the rebound!
HALF TIME: Leeds United Women 2-0 Chorley Women
Wood’s side emerged for the second half unchanged, as remained the momentum with Leeds deservedly extending their lead further just seven minutes after the break.
Excellent tenacity from Drew Greene and Alice Hughes allowed the Whites to win back possession on the halfway line. Smith then picked out the run of Rousseau down the right who returned the favour in the middle, allowing the midfielder to fire beyond Finch and into the back of the net!
Not to be deterred by the scoreline, however, Chorley responded moments before the hour mark when Faye Stanhope bundled home Newhouse’s cross at the back post, despite the best efforts of the retreating Drew Greene on the line.
United almost restored their three-goal cushion immediately when a marauding run from skipper Legge saw the defender find space inside the area. Crossing low, her dangerous delivery was smothered by a red shirt before White, well placed in the middle, also had an effort charged down by a visiting defender.
A first change then came from the hosts’ dugout with Sarah Danby replacing the hardworking Rousseau in an alteration to the system, with White moved into a more advanced attacking role.
The Whites pressed on and duly grabbed a fourth and in style! Woodruff controlled a throw-in superbly, spun and from a narrow angle, unleashed a thunderbolt that arrowed into the top corner from distance!
Further changes followed with Sian Gibrill-Keating replacing White, before Paige Williams made her long-awaited return from injury, coming on for Smith.
Wood’s side saw the game out professionally in their final encounter on home soil this campaign, in front of a bumper crowd at the Bannister Prentice Stadium!
FULL TIME: Leeds United Women 4-1 Chorley Women
