SSFC Women return to winning ways against York RI on Sunday

South Shields Women returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory against York RI Ladies at Harton Welfare on Sunday.

Annece Legg got The Mariners off to the perfect start with her early goal, though she had to come off soon after due to picking up a knock in the early stages of the game.

Sophie Greener got the other two Shields goals on an afternoon to remember for the forward, and she was unlucky not to bag a hat-trick, if only a few other chances had gone her way.

A mix-up at the back following a corner brought the visitors back into the fold just a few minutes into the second-half, but the lead previously amassed was ultimately too strong for York RI to make up. 

Alex Miller made a handful of changes to the side which drew against Sunderland West End Ladies last week, with the biggest inclusion being Jen Wootten, who started.

Josie Foster, Eve Gatens, Monica Innes and Becki McMahon were unavailable for varying reasons, but the team available on Sunday successfully did the job which was asked of them. 

Greener launched a corner in the fifth minute which eventually found Jaz Elliott-Wood, who laid it off to Legg to get her fourth goal of the season, in only the third game. 

Unfortunately her afternoon was ended mid-way through the first-half but she can keep her head held high, given that goal set the tone for the rest of the match.

The weather was turning torrential by this point and a seasoning of rain did little to improve matters on the pitch, as both teams continued to find their feet after Legg’s opener.

Elliott-Wood had given away a penalty for a challenge on Jodie Langstaff in the box, but Scarlett Gowans pulled off an incredible save to block Aimee Hickingbotham's penalty.

Eva McDonald did wonderfully to manoeuvre around Elisha Griffiths and Lucy Wainwright, before she knocked it through to find Greener.

She spun round and struck it with great composure, and her shot went in via the near post, past Erin Edgar. 

That move must have given her some confidence for later on, when Olivia Mole pinged a ball vertically across the pitch just before the half-time whistle.

Greener nailed her delivery, striking things low and calmly, and she almost found her hat-trick a minute later, but her attempt narrowly went wide.

York RI got back into things when a mishap at a corner led to Langstaff getting on the scoresheet, but the game itself settled from then-on and Shields worked their way to the win.

Shields were handed a penalty mid-way through the second-half, but Elliott-Wood was unlucky not to score, thanks to a fantastic stop by Edgar.

Next up for the lasses is an exciting Adobe Women’s FA Cup clash away against Ponteland United - the only team in the NERWFL Premier Division with a perfect record this season. 

South Shields Women: Gowans, Mole, May, Greener, Legg, White, Wootten, England, McDonald, Norton, Elliott-Wood. 

Substitutes: Naylor, Longstaff.  

Goals: Legg (‘5), Greener (‘29, ‘44). 

York RI Ladies: Edgar, Wainwright. Marsden, Vinton, Clague, Griffiths, Duckworth, Hickingbotham, White Gonzalez, Langstaff, Ashworth. 

Substitutes: Quinn, Thompson, Brown. 

Goals: Langstaff (‘47).