SSFC Women rise to 2-1 victory over promotion-hunting Cestrians

Annece Legg and Catalina Abusada netted for South Shields Women to inflict Chester-le-Street Town Ladies their first defeat in the NERWFL Premier Division this season.

Although the hosts pulled one back shortly after the break through Molly Wilcock, it wasn’t enough as the Mariners held out for a 2-1 win, returning them to winning ways in the league for the first time in five outings.

A handful of changes were made to the team which were defeated by table-toppers Ponteland United Women a fortnight ago, with a few big calls being made.

Goalscorer Abusada deputised well in midfield, supported by Natalie May and Asia Jota. 

The likes of Ellie White and Jen Wootten were shifted to the bench, while Becki McMahon returned to the starting 11 after being unavailable two weeks prior.

It was a bitter winter afternoon at Ford Hub, but the game had its fair share of excitement to make up for the increasingly inclement conditions. 

Shields arguably started the better of the two sides and the first chance fell for Eve Gatens after Legg, and then Sophie Greener, played her in near the edge of the 18-yard box. 

She shot with her right foot and guided it towards Cestrians’ ‘keeper, Ellie Jardine, who was able to catch the ball after a quick rebound off the floor.   

A minute later, McMahon tried her luck from the opposite side of the box with the same result. 

Legg did amazingly to turn round past Emma Hunt at one stage before aiming a through ball to Greener, but the keeper was able to collect it just before it got to her. 

Chester-le-Street’s first chance of the game came when Rhi Gray shot from long-range, but it was off-target. 

She struck on target moments later, however, which gave Scarlett Gowans her first save of the match.

Shields took the lead when Jess Spark played a marauding Gatens through, who was able to tuck inside and find Legg waiting in the box, in a one-on-one situation.

Josie Foster crossed lowly, anticipating Abusada near the goalmouth, but agonisingly her first-time strike sailed over the bar - she would later get her first goal for the club on the stroke of half-time to double the lasses’ advantage.

Gowans was taken off at the break and was replaced by Anna Yeakey, who made her first appearance for the team.

The second-half was about controlling and seeing out the game, although an early setback via Wilcock wasn’t the start they had anticipated.

Shields thought they may have squandered it just minutes from the whistle after the Cestrians were awarded a penalty for a challenge in the box on Daisy Cook by Jota. 

Gray couldn’t get her penalty on target and Shields, thankfully, saw out a nerve-biting affair. 

The lasses aren’t in action this upcoming week but they will be back at home a week later for a sequence of three consecutive fixtures, starting with Hull United Women.

Chester-le-Street Town Ladies: Jardine, Henderson, Greenwood, Hunt, Ward, Gray, Heckingbottom, Hopkinson, Wilcock, Ashton, Hockaday. 

Substitutes: Sutton, Jones, Cook, Third, West. 

Goals: Wilcock (49’). 

South Shields Women: Gowans, Innes, May, Greener, Legg, Gatens, McMahon, Spark, Abusada, Jota, Foster. 

Substitutes: Mole, White, Wootten, Norton, Yeakey (all played). 

Goals: Legg (21’), Abusada (44’).