FA WNL Division One North
Leeds United Women 4 (Smith pen 4’, 23’; Rousseau 86’, 90’)
Durham Cestria 2 (Clarke 14’, Nicholson 37’)
Leeds: Simpson GK), Legge, Smart (C), Danby, Dobson, Rousseau, Smith, Drew Greene, Jakeman (Gibrill-Keating 72’), Woodruff, Darcie Greene. Subs not used: Dias, Waldron.
Durham: Mackain (GK), Mackie, Jordinson (Noble 46’), Winter (C), Brown, Soulsby, Gatt, Bell (Collinson 62’), Clarke, Gibbon (Doody 20’), Nicholson. Subs not used: Collins, LeForestier.
Venue: Bannister Prentice Stadium
Referee: Lucas McLaughlin
Booked: Danby (Leeds)
Leeds United Women roared back to winning ways in dramatic fashion, with two late goals from striker Jess Rousseau sealing an important three points over Durham Cestria.
Despite Kath Smith’s first half double, the sides went into the break level, before the Whites’ number 9 netted her first goals of the season in style as Simon Wood’s side won it at the death.
Leeds had gotten off to the dream start when Smith scored from the spot with just four minutes on the clock at the Bannister Prentice Stadium.
Amy Woodruff had raced through and was sent tumbling under a clumsy challenge from Brooke Mackain in the Durham goal, with the in-form Smith expertly firing into the top corner from 12 yards out!
Within moments, Woodruff was again involved, forcing Mackain into a fine diving save as she looked to extend her side’s early lead.
The visitors quickly launched an attack of their own on the break, with Erin Nicholson seeing her powerful strike cannon off the outside of the post and away from danger!
After a quarter of an hour, a marauding run from Cestria’s Rachel Bell saw the winger find Daisy Clarke in space, with the forward making no mistake as the curled into the far corner beyond the dive of Carrie Simpson to level proceedings.
Simon Wood’s side responded superbly to the set-back, retaking the lead shortly afterwards as Smith grabbed her second of the match.
Excellent play from Rousseau won back possession for United, before she slid a clever ball for Smith to race on to, with the midfielder finishing confidently past Mackain to net her fourth goal of the season!
Leeds thought they had extended their lead just before the half hour mark, as an in-swinging Olivia Smart corner caused the visitors all sorts of problems, eventually falling for Sarah Danby who lashed home, only for Lucas McLaughlin's whistle to sound for a foul on the Durham goalkeeper.
In the ascendency, the Whites drove forward once more as they won back possession inside the Cestria half, with Danby’s long distance effort sailing narrowly wide.
With just under 10 minutes of the first half remaining, Durham levelled once more thanks to a stunning strike from Erin Nicholson, curling a superb effort into the top corner from 30 yards out.
HALF TIME: Leeds United Women 2-2 Durham Cestria
The Whites started the second half strongly, with Woodruff playing a searching pass which Drew Greene raced onto down the right. Darting into the area, the winger shaped to shoot, only for a superb recovery challenge from Alex Gatt to divert the ball behind from a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Shauna Legge rose highest to meet Danby’s delivery, seeing her header ricochet around the area and eventually trickle agonisingly wide.
Wood’s side would have retaken the lead for a third time, if not superb last ditch defending from Erin Brown on the line for the opposition.
Danby’s swirling cross had landed the way of Ellie Dobson at the back post, with the versatile midfielder, today deployed in defence, heading back across Mackain and looking destined to score, before Brown hacked clear.
Heading into the final 10 minutes, United went close once more as Woodruff glanced wide from Smart’s in-swinging corner.
The hosts weren’t to be denied a richly deserved victory late on though, when Rousseau initially held the ball up superbly 30 yards from goal and evaded a challenge from a blue shirt.
Spinning into space, last campaign’s Player of the Season unleashed a thunderous left-footed strike that rifled past a helpless Mackain to put the Whites on course for the three points!
The win was sealed when Rousseau fired home her second in the dying moments, profiting on a bouncing ball inside the area and drilling low into the corner to cap off a stellar display!
FULL TIME: Leeds United Women 2-4 Durham Cestria
