Middleton Park Ladies 1 – 5 Wetherby Athletic Reserves
West Riding County Women’s Football League – Division Two
Third placed Wetherby Athletic beat Middleton Park 5-1 away from home in a scrappy game played in awful conditions. The torrential rain and wind meant that both teams struggled to get the ball down and string passes together.
Wetherby had the first chance of the game when Emily Reynolds skied her shot over the bar following good play down the left-hand side and Reynolds went unchallenged in the box but couldn’t capitalise. Katie Grayson opened the scoring for the visitors shortly after, beating the offside trap and slotting her low shot under Anna Milde in the Middleton goal.
Wetherby doubled their lead when Marty Petrova smashed home.
Middleton had a great chance to get back into the game when Alice Molleworth ran at the Wetherby defence but her inviting cross couldn’t be tapped in by the incoming Middleton players. Just minutes later Molleworth grabbed Middleton’s only goal of the game with a superb free-kick from 25 yards out that floated over the Wetherby goal-keeper.
Wetherby extended their lead shortly before half-time when Gemma Hall scored the third.
Middleton had a great chance to get back into the game not long after half-time when Sophie Sterling skipped past two Wetherby defenders down the left-hand side and fired a teasing ball into the box. However none of the Middleton strikers slid in to tap the ball in and the chance went away.
That missed chance came back to haunt Middleton as Wetherby scored their fourth goal moments later.
Jade Harrison should have scored for the hosts after beating the offside trap, but she put her shot wide after being one-on-one with the keeper.
Petrova grabbed her second goal of the game and Wetherby fifth and final goal to seal all three points for Wetherby.
Middleton had a number of chances to get back into the game but couldn’t convert and in truth their performance deserved more than what the scoreline reflects.
Full-time: Middleton Park Ladies 1 – 5 Wetherby Athletic Reserves
