FAWNL Division One North

Norton & Stockton Ancients Ladies 3 (Owens 10’, 60’, 70’)

Leeds United Women 1 (Woodruff 85’)

Leeds: Handy (GK), Bass (C) (Robson 60’) Hamill, Hannon, Smart, Whitham, Danby, Smith (Underdown 60’), Ellis (Williams 78’), Woodruff, Brown: Subs not used: Price, Hindle.

Norton & Stockton: Moore (GK), Coyle, McGuire (C), Boyle (Johnson 78’), Burton, West, Tierney, Reed (Clark 84’), Owens, Thorns, Hockaday (Jackson 64’). Subs not used: McKewen, Clark.

Venue: Norton Sports Complex

Referee: Ben Brighton

Booked: Ellis, Smart (Leeds)

A disappointing afternoon in the North East saw Leeds United Women fall to a second away defeat of the season, as Norton and Stockton Ancients took all three points to remain as one of only two unbeaten sides in the league after five games.

The Whites did have the first shot of the game through Kathryn Smith but fell behind on ten minutes when Bianca Owens was gifted her fifth of the season and her third in her last four games against Leeds.

Leeds responded well to going behind and created a chance to level through Abbie Brown but she was denied by a brilliant last ditch challenge.

Brown was Leeds’ biggest threat in the first half and worked another half chance for herself, beating two Norton players before curling just past the post from 25 yards.

Leeds’ best chance of the half came right on the stroke of half time after more great work from Brown, she flashed a cross across the face of goal but Macey Ellis sliced wide at the back post.

HALF TIME: Norton & Stockton Ancients Ladies 1-0 Leeds United Women

Leeds continued to dominate the ball in the second half but struggled to create any clear cut chances, limited to shots from range. Smith and Olivia Smart both tried their luck from outside the box but didn’t trouble Kelsie Moore in the Norton & Stockton goal.

Ellis once again had Leeds’ best chance of the half, this time arriving at the back post to meet a cross from Smart, but failing to get a good connection on her header.

The game slipped out of Leeds' grasp when Owens double the hosts’ lead on the hour mark, punishing another mistake in the Leeds back line and slotting in her sixth of the season.

Owens then completed her hat-trick ten minutes later with a powerful header from a free-kick. Her seventh goal already this season from just five games, making her the early front-runner in the division’s goal-scoring charts.

Woodruff grabbed a consolation for the Whites on 85 minutes, converting from close range after Brown’s shot deflected into her path.

Leeds pushed until the end but had simply left themselves with too much to do and slipped to their second defeat of the season.

The Whites will be looking for a reaction next week as they travel to York City in the FAWNL Cup.

FULL TIME: Norton & Stockton Ancients Ladies 3-1 Leeds United Women