SSFC Women outclassed by Moors at The Brewery Field

South Shields Women were outclassed on Sunday as Spennymoor Town Ladies ran riot with an 8-2 victory at The Brewery Field. 

Sophie Curle and Jaz Elliott-Wood grabbed the goals for the Mariners on an otherwise disappointing afternoon where not a lot went their way.

Spennymoor in their credit were sharp, and they had the perfect start when Hannah Knox tucked away a free-kick on the edge of the box. It had deflected off the crossbar and hit Shields keeper Scarlett Gowans’ back before crossing the line.

Curle brought things level with a well-worked run around Sophie Miller before she struck it in.

Set pieces were Shields’ big weakness and that showed when the Moors found their second. Courtney Mole launched her corner which found eventual hat-trick hero Katy Hemmingway who made no mistake.

Hemmingway scored her second after Jen Wootten failed to clear Caitlin Bates’ through ball - it took two tries for the Spennymoor forward to finish but nonetheless their advantage was stretched. 

And set pieces cost Shields yet again just before the break. A second Knox free-kick went over Gowans which brought to an end a deflating first half for the visitors. 

The Mariners started the second half somewhat brightly but they were stopped in their tracks when the Moors scored number five of the afternoon.

Abi Kisby hit a rocket from far out - Gowans had little chance to react or reach that. 

Less than five minutes later, five became six when Mole and Neve Jackson combined well for a corner; another set-piece conceded for Shields. 

Elliott-Wood managed to take things in her own hands and score a screamer from range, mirroring what Spennymoor had tried and succeeded earlier, and grabbed one back for Shields. 

However the goal-fest continued. The Moors quickly responded, and it was another corner, when Autumn Colledge nodded in a header. 

Curle was left one-on-one with Miller but she was unable to guide her attempt past the goalkeeper. She was unlucky not to score her second with possibly the Mariners’ best chance all half.

Shannon Reed’s ball through the middle met Hemmingway who looped it over Gowans to net her third of the afternoon.

It was a downbeat affair all-round for Shields who will be looking to swiftly move on when they take on Hartlepool United Women next time. More information will be shared on the club’s social media channels closer to matchday.

Spennymoor Town Ladies: Miller, N. Jackson, McIntosh, C. Mole, Reed, Colledge, Bates, Knox, Hemmingway, Saunders, Kisby.

Substitutes: Enguita, Middleton, L. Jackson, Drinkald, Seymour. 

South Shields Women: Gowans, Innes, May, Greener, Legg, Gatens, Curle, Wootten, Norton, Elliott-Wood, Foster. 

Substitutes: Ali, Emery, Taylor, White, O. Mole.