FA Women’s National League Division One North
Stockport County Ladies 3
Leeds United Women 2
Stockport: Bowness (GK), Lysons, Weston, Rawstron, Davies, Houghton (Howard 91’) Rathburn, Owen (C) (Unsworth 93’), Bentley (Ritchie 46’), Bradshaw, Figueiredo (Davison 46’). Subs not used: Mahaffey.
Leeds: Simpson (GK), Hindle (Soares-Martins 89’), Hamill, Smart (C), Thomas (Hannon 65’), Danby, Smith, Whitham, Ellis, Woodruff (Rousseau 74’), Brown. Subs not used: Price, Underdown.
Venue: Stockport Sports Village
Referee: Mr M. Merriman
Leeds United Women fell to their first league defeat since November, as Stockport County ran out 3-2 winners in an entertaining - but ultimately frustrating - game at Stockport Sports Village.
Rick Passmoor made six changes from the side that beat Yorkshire Amateurs in the County Cup on Sunday, including a debut for new signing Codie Thomas, who has arrived on loan from Manchester City Women's development team for the rest of the season.
Leeds would have been hoping for a repeat of when the two sides met in August at the So-Trak Stadium, a game which saw Passmoor's team run out 4-0 winners thanks to an Abbie Brown brace, plus goals from Laura Bartup and Macy Ellis.
Unfortunately that didn’t come to fruition for the Whites, with a much improved County side limiting Leeds to little possession and few chances on a frustrating night for Passmoor and his side.
The hosts started brightly and Levi Rathburn should have given them the lead on four minutes, arriving at the back post with the goal at her mercy, but failing to connect with the ball.
Rathburn tried her luck again on eight minutes, cutting inside from the left and unleashing a powerful drive which hit the side netting.
Stockport did take the lead just before the 10-minute mark when top scorer Maria Figueiredo added to her tally for the season, with an instinctive finish from six-yards out.
Leeds looked to be heading into half time frustrated and a goal down, but a gift from Stockport keeper Bowness gave them an equaliser on 40 minutes. Her pass ricocheted off Amy Woodruff and into the goal to level the score.
After a half where Leeds had not seen as much of the ball as they would’ve liked, they probably would have been happy to go into half time level, but it got one better for them on 44 minutes.
Woodruff turned provider this time, squaring for Abbie Brown to continue her hot streak in front of goal as she tapped home her eighth in her last four games across all competitions.
It could have been three before the break when Brown saw her effort well cleared on the line and from the resulting corner, Woodruff powered over a free header. Leeds will have been more than happy to go into the break in front after a half where, in truth, they had been below their recent standards.
HALF TIME: Stockport County Ladies 1-2 Leeds United Women
The away side couldn’t keep the momentum going into the second half as the hosts managed to turn the game around again. Stockport manager Steve O’Hara made two changes at the break which proved to be decisive.
It wasn’t without resistance from Carrie Simpson though, the Leeds stopper kept County out with a string of fine second-half saves.
The hosts equalised on 62 minutes as substitute Rachel Davison curled into the top corner on the rebound, after the impressive Simpson had saved a first attempt.
The Leeds goal was under siege but Simpson kept the visitors in the game with two saves in quick succession from the lively Rathburn, but it would be another County sub that produced a moment of quality to win the game.
Ella Ritchie curled a precise effort into the bottom corner, giving Simpson no chance. Her fourth goal in her last four games and enough to seal the three points for her side on this occasion.
Pushing to the end, Leeds might have grabbed a late equaliser had a yellow shirt gambled on Sandra Soares-Martins' delightful cross in added time, but they fell just short on this cold evening in Stockport.
Passmoor's side now turn their attention to Sunday’s FAWNL Plate Semi-Final at home to Southampton Women, to fight for a place in the final of competition at the So-Trak Stadium.
FULL TIME: Stockport County Ladies 3-2 Leeds United Women
