FAWNL Division One North

Leeds United Women 4 (Brown 12’, 47’, Bartup 27’, Ellis 78’)

Stockport County Ladies 0

Leeds: Handy (GK), Bass (C), Hamill, Elliott, Danby, Brown (Soares Martins) Smith, Hannon, Bartup, Whitham, Ellis. Subs not used: Pomfret, Price, Robson, Underdown.

Stockport: Bolland (GK), Jein (Howard 45’), Weston, Davies, Carrington, Houghton, Rathburn (Bradshaw 45’), Owen, Battle , Bentley (Forrester 45’), Figueiredo. Subs not used: Howard, Bradshaw, Wild, Ritchie, Forrester.

Venue: So-Trak Stadium

Referee: J. Smith

An emotional night at the So-Trak Stadium in Tadcaster saw Leeds United Women net four unanswered goals, as they bounced back to winning ways in the FA Women’s National League Division One North.

Both teams paid tribute to Chris Bennett before kick-off, showing their respects to the 71-year-old Chairman of Leeds United Women, who very sadly passed away earlier this week.

When matters on the pitch began, Rick Passmoor had made five changes from the side that lost at the weekend and the team gave him exactly the reaction that he would’ve wanted, starting brightly and putting Stockport to bed in the first half.

Macy Ellis had the first chance of the game but couldn’t quite make a good enough connection Danielle Whitham’s cross.

The hosts deservedly took the lead on 12 minutes when Abbie Brown arrived at the back post to coolly volley home from Whitham’s superbly placed ball into the box.

Leeds stayed on top after going in front, Brown and Laura Bartup both saw efforts go just wide before Leeds did make it two on 27 minutes. Last season’s top-scorer, Bartup, headed in her first of the new campaign after some superb build-up play and another brilliant cross from Whitham.

A momentary lapse from Leeds gave Jess Battle the chance to halve the deficit but the striker fired wide when clean through and Stockport would rue that missed chance, as Brown smartly volleyed in her second to make it 3-0 on the stroke of half time and all but secure the points.

HALF TIME: Leeds United 3-0 Stockport County      

Stockport made four changes at half time and looked to up the tempo at the start of the second half, but Leeds weathered a brief storm and came close to making it four when Whitham flashed a shot just wide from 20 yards out.

To Stockport’s credit, they kept plugging away and were unlucky not to get a goal back when Abbie Carrington's header crashed off the crossbar.

Leeds regained control of the game after that, Bartup came close with a lob before Macy Ellis grabbed the Whites’ fourth. Ellis raced clear and fired home superbly, a goal that her performance deserved.

Emily Bradshaw came within inches of making it 4-1 with a free kick from the edge of area and Leeds then could have made it five with substitute Sandra Soares-Martins seeing two left-footed shots saved by Charlie Bolland, in the County goal.

A well-deserved three points were confirmed upon the referee’s final whistle, making it back-to-back home successes for Passmoor’s side, who will now play at home again on Sunday when they take on Middlesbrough.

Full time: Leeds United 4-0 Stockport County