FAWNL Division One North
Leeds United Women 5 (Rousseau 1’, 44’, 55’; Pizzarello 32’, Hughes 61’)
York City Ladies 1 (Holder 74’)
Leeds United: Simpson (GK), Smart (C), Dobson (Elliot 84’), Hughes, Danby, Price (Gibril-Keating 57’), Rousseau, Smith (Langstaff 85’), Waldron (Astle 68’), Turner, Pizzarello. Subs not used: Megeary (GK).
York City: Sidwell (GK), Jeffels, Collins, Brown (C), Cattle, Holder, Hardcastle (Hodgson 57’), Tinson (Lendhill 67’), Duffield (Nanga 57’), Ash (Garcia 49’), Rolandsen (Hemmings 63’).
Referee: Harry Organ
Booked: Hodgson (York)
Venue: Bannister Prentice Stadium, Garforth
Leeds United Women made a memorable return to action with a resounding 5-1 victory over York City Ladies, with striker Jess Rousseau grabbing a hattrick under the Garforth lights.
A well-taken Charlyann Pizzarello free kick and a thunderbolt from Alice Hughes added gloss to the scoreline for the Whites, as they look to use their games in hand to rise up the Division One North standings.
Before the match, head coach Simon Wood discussed the need to start well, with York having impressed in recent weeks under new manager Chris Holloway.
Forward Rousseau clearly got the memo, firing the Whites into the lead after just 30 seconds when her left-footed strike from a narrow angle sailed over Rebecca Sidwell and into the top corner!
Great work from Pizzarello had picked out the attacker in space on the left flank, who controlled the ball well, danced past a City defender and got the hosts off to a dream start.
The Whites looked on a mission from the off and were close to adding a quickfire second when Leoni Price tried her luck from range, only to be denied by a fine diving save by Sidwell, before captain Olivia Smart then fired wide from distance.
York, perhaps shellshocked from Leeds' blistering start, then began to see more of the ball with Elisha Hardcastle having the MinsterBelles first opportunity of the night.
The midfielder struck a free kick well from 30 yards out, but her effort bounced just wide of Carrie Simpson's far post.
Simpson was then needed to deny Nicola Brown's long-range drive, parrying it behind at full-stretch to her right.
After soaking up a spell of York pressure, the Whites doubled their lead when Gibraltar international Pizzarello stepped up and drilled a superb low free kick into the bottom corner.
Two became three moments before half time when Wood's side pressed the visitors brilliantly as they tried to play it out from the back.
After winning the ball, Kath Smith picked out Rousseau inside the area, who took a touch and lashed it home beyond the despairing dive of Sidwell!
HALF TIME: Leeds United Women 3-0 York City Ladies
Rousseau would go on to claim the match ball shortly after the restart, lifting the ball over the York goalkeeper from close range after wonderful build up play by Ruby Waldron.
The left-back first won possession back for the hosts on the halfway line, linked up nicely with Sarah Danby and whipped a superb cross into the path of Rousseau who needed no invitation to grab her third of the night.
Just after the hour mark, the Whites had a fifth when the ball fell invitingly for Hughes 25 yards from goal. The midfielder took a touch before unleashing a fierce effort into the roof of the net.
Substitute Katie Astle had a chance to make it six when she rose highest to meet Smart's enticing delivery from the left, but could only glance her header just wide of the far post.
Astle then thought she had put her name on the scoresheet when her left-footed effort looped over Sidwell, but the forward was adjudged to have been offside in the build-up.
Not to be deterred by the scoreline, York still caused problems for United and pulled a goal back late on through Jessica Holder's stunning long-range effort, which left Simpson rooted to the spot as it flew into the top corner.
FULL TIME: Leeds United Women 5-1 York City Ladies
How the action unfolded:
