SSFC Women win 3-2 against Sunderland West End on final day

An Ellie White brace and an Eve Gatens strike was enough to give South Shields Women something to smile about heading into the summer, with a 3-2 victory against Sunderland West End Ladies.

It was a bittersweet occasion at Wearmouth CW on Wednesday knowing that promotion was off the cards but Shields played for pride, and duly delivered with a result that reflected the team’s desire throughout the season.

They had to dig deep for it at times, with West End taking the lead twice through Alex Ross, but in the end it wasn’t enough for the hosts and Shields went away happy.

Head coach Alex Miller made two changes from Sunday's lineup, with Sophie Greener and Josie Foster starting in place of White and Olivia Mole.

The match started, as they tend to do, with Jaz Elliott-Wood trying her luck from a set piece. This free kick came close and forced keeper Summer Sawyer into making a save.

It would be fair to say affairs were cagey in the first half, with Elliott-Wood’s free kick being the closest thing amounting to a chance before the hosts took the lead.

It came part way through the half, when a West End throw-in found Siobhan Jones, who managed to dance her way through the Shields defence. 

Goalscorer Jones picked up things afterwards and was allowed to scoop it up when Layla Huskisson cut inside and charged her ball into the six yard box. 

Gatens was on the line ready to make a last-ditch clearance, but to no avail.

However, she would be the one to instigate Shields’ equaliser only five minutes later. Elliott-Wood pinged a through ball leftways and Gatens was there to collect the ball.

She launched her effort into the far-right corner not too long after, and there was no stopping that! 

West End’s second goal, once again scored by Ross, took everybody by surprise. It was a sensational strike from range - the ball had just come in following a throw-in and there was hardly any time to react! 

Nevertheless, White proved herself to be the hero for the Mariners once again, with her two goals turning the game on its head. 

Sophie Curle was heading towards the goalmouth and, since she was unable to shoot herself with two defenders standing in her way, laid it off to White to net her first of the evening.

The second goal came only a handful of minutes later, straight off a Gatens corner. Trademark.

Three points for Shields means they are in with a shout at securing a top three spot for the first time in five years.

Results elsewhere will dictate whether they come third, fourth or potentially fifth in the NERWFL Premier Division standings.

Sunderland West End Ladies: Sawyer, Smith, Minnis, Elliott, Huskisson, Anderson, Hutchinson, Kaur, Curtis, Ross, S. Jones. 

Substitutes: M. Jones, O’Hara, Whitfield, O’Leary. 

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

Substitutes: Ali, Dixon, White, Mole, Longstaff. 

Featured image credit: @ideventphoto