FAWNL Division One North
York City Ladies 1 (Holder 51')
Leeds United Women 1 (Brown 57')
York: Sidwell (GK), Cassidy (Smith 87’), Heald, Hughes, Hardcastle, Jones, Ash (Eustance 62’), Holder (Frederikson 90’), Brown (C), Cattle (Sorokan 68’), Jeffels. Unused sub: Patterson.
Leeds: Simpson (GK), Hindle, Hamill, Hannon (C) (Robson 68’), Smart, Whitham, Danby, Smith, Williams (Nolan 68’), Ellis (Price 87’), Brown. Unused subs: Handy (GK), Underdown.
Venue: LNER Community Stadium
Referee: Samuel Ross
Booked: Danby (Leeds)
Attendance: 2280
Leeds United Women were held to their first draw of the season at York City’s LNER Community Stadium.
After dominating the first half, the Whites conceded early in the second to Jessica Holder’s strike but responded well to level within minutes through Abbie Brown.
Coming into the game, the Whites were looking to make it three wins on the bounce for the first time this season after wins over Bradford and Chorley but knew they would be facing tough opposition after losing in the League Cup to York less than a month ago.
The Minsterbelles were also coming into this Yorkshire derby off the back of two consecutive wins. Adding to the occasion was the fact that it was a historic night for the hosts as they made their debut at the LNER Community Stadium.
It was Leeds who started the game on top, Rick Passmoor’s team dominated the opening half an hour. Kathryn Smith had the game’s first shot, firing just over with a half volley from the edge of the box on five minutes.
The visitors’ front three of Brown, Macey Ellis and Danielle Whitham were causing York problems in the early stages.
Brown saw a difficult header drift wide before Whitham almost found Ellis with a low cross, York defender Jess Heald cut it out but in doing so almost put through her own goal, Rebecca Sidwell sparing her blushes with a brave stop.
There was no rest for the York stopper as she was called into action again less than a minute later, diving to her left and palming away a cross-come-shot from Brown which was destined for the top corner.
Brown then had the best chance of the half, a neat move down the right saw Whitham played in, she flashed a ball across the face of goal, Brown did well to get in front of her marker but flicked her shot wide of the near post.
York began to grow in the game from there, earning a series of set-pieces high up the pitch but Leeds dealt with them well. The best York could muster up were two shots from range from Holder and Milly Ash.
Leeds came close again on the stroke of half time through an Olivia Smart free-kick which Sidwell tipped over.
HALF TIME: York City Ladies 0-0 Leeds United Women
The second half started brightly but this time it was the hosts on top. Holder had a great opening less than two minutes in but curled a weak effort that was saved by Carrie Simpson.
Holder would make the next one count though, clinically finding the bottom corner to make it 1-0 to the hosts on 51 minutes after a York counter attack.
Leeds responded brilliantly though and got themselves back on terms through Brown’s fourth goal of the season. From a tight angle, Brown managed to find the slightest of gaps to fire home into the roof of the net, Sidwell got fingertips to it but was beaten by the power.
Neither side really managed to establish their dominance from there on in, although the hosts did finish strongly, Cath Hamill made a couple of crucial blocks and interceptions but Simpson was largely untested.
A point a fair result in the end, Leeds are back in action on Sunday as they travel to South Shields in the FA Cup.
FULL TIME: York City Ladies 1-1 Leeds United Women
