FAWNL Division One North

Hull City Ladies 3 (Bartup 65’, 76’, Knight 84’)

Leeds United Women 5 (Brown 16’, 32’, Hamill 26’, Rousseau 40’, Danby 57’)

Hull: Wallace (GK), Jackman, Oxley (Wilson 45’), Bott, Ackroyd, Dawson (Brierley 45’), Bartup, Lynskey, Pollock, Knight, Watters (Smith 45’). Subs not used: Crawshaw. 

Leeds: Simpson (GK), Smart, Hamill, Hannon, Elliott (Beacock 80’), Danby, Underdown, Williams (Price 90’), Smith, Brown, Rousseau (Astle 90’). 

Venue: Easy Buy Stadium 

Booked: Lynskey (Hull) Smith (Leeds)

Leeds United Women travelled to East Yorkshire, to take on local rivals Hull City Ladies in this FA Women’s National League Division One North clash, bringing home an excellent three points in a thrilling eight-goal Yorkshire derby. 

Both teams had to settle for a point last time out in the league, with each side drawing their previous matches 2-2, against Middlesbrough and Newcastle United respectively. 

Under the lights of the Easy Buy Stadium on the banks of the river Humber, Leeds began positively as they ran all over their East Yorkshire opponents in the opening 45 minutes, with a clinical showing in front of goal. 

Despite a slow first 10 minutes, the game burst into life when Abbie Brown shot just over before Bridie Hannon forced a good save from a header off an Olivia Smart corner.

However, Leeds weren’t to be denied an opener for long, as top-scorer Abbie Brown found the back of the net. Paige Williams created the chance and Brown collected the ball at the back of the box, before smashing it in off the post to put her side a goal ahead.  

One became two quickly as Leeds then ran riot in front of goal. Another excellent corner from Smart found a Leeds head, and this time it went into the back of the net, as Cath Hamill powered it home. 

The third arrived six minutes later, as Brown got her second. This time it was Jess Rousseau with the low cross to the back of the box and the striker was alert again to comfortably fire in. 

Leeds weren’t done and with instruction from Rick Passmoor on the sideline, they searched for more. After creating the last one, Rousseau was unlucky when she saw Ellie Jackman clear her goal bound effort off the line. 

Moments later though, Rousseau wouldn’t be denied. She was alert and battled hard, charging down the goalkeeper and blocking the clearance, before running in on goal and smashing into the back of the net for a fourth before the interval. 

HALF TIME: Hull City Ladies 0-4 Leeds United Women

After the break, the home side came out looking for a way back into the match and made a triple change. Leeds were looking to do more of the same as what they had done in the first 45 minutes. 

The scoring did continue for the Whites, as they brilliantly went five goals up! Pressing high up the pitch, Leeds won a free-kick 25-yards from goal. Up stepped Sarah Danby to hit an unstoppable strike into the top corner to further increase the advantage.

Hull rallied after that goal and found a way back into the match. Former United striker Laura Bartup was predictably busy in and around the area, and she turned home a header to reduce the deficit for the hosts. 

Bartup wasn’t down there and with 15 minutes or so remaining, she got another. Hull had a free-kick of their own which she stepped up for, striking home into top corner to get her and the Tigresses’ second. 

Frustratingly for Passmoor, who continued to offer instruction from the touchline, the second half had seen a strong response from the hosts and they then got a third in the final 10 minutes. This time it was Hope Knight who slotted home inside the area. 

Changes came with Molly Beacock, Katie Astle and Leoni Price all entering the match for the final few moments to see the game out, which worked, as the Whites held on for an important three points. 

That moves them up to fifth in the table and still with a number of games in hand on the teams above them, next up is a trip north to face league leaders Durham Cestria this coming Sunday. 

FULL TIME: Hull City Ladies 3-5 Leeds United Women