Wednesday Win it Just

Hepworth welcomed Sheffield Wednesday ladies first team to Far lane fot their North East Regional Womens League home debut and were very unlucky to go down 2-3. hepworth started the stronger and with just 7 minutes on the clock captain Jo forrest fired her effort just over the bar and Wednesday sighed a sigh of relief. The home side were forced to make an early change on 12 minutes due to injury as paige Green was replaced by Lisa Parry as Paige was feeling the after effects of a chest infectionshe had beed suffering with. Just 6 minutes later they were forced into another change as Kim Antonio suffered an eye injury so was replaced by Merita Prebrezova. the changes did not halt the onslaught as Hepworth pinned Wdnesday back deep in their own half for long periods. Their hard work and pressure finally paid off on 29 minutes as good work down the left from Renata Feherova saw her beat two players before firing her cross over for Kate Govan to slot home on her full league debut to make it 1-0. The opening goal was timely celebrated by an imeadiate fly past of seven geese(we couldnt afford the red arrows) hepworth made a further change on 30 minutes as another debutant Sophie Walsh was replaced by yet another in Laura Brown. Sophie playing her first game in two years gave a good performance and was unlucky not to have bagged a couple of goals herself all but for some desperate defending. It had been all Hepworth for the majority of the half yet the home side only had a goal to sit back on. Another debutant Emily Wrighjt was introduced on 41 minutes as Renata feherova was replaced following some hard work. Hepworth should have gone into the break two goals up but Kate Govan saw her shot come cross well intercepted by the Wednesday keeper on 43 minutes.
Hepworth swapped emily Holroyd for Claire Berry at half time in a like for like move. as they expected Sheffield to come out fighting and they did just that. Within two minutes they were level as laura Hirst was adjudged to have played the ball when shielding the ball which Harper picked up, from the indirect free kick Sheffield smashed home the equaliser. Hepworth replaced Kate Govan with Renata Feherova on 54 minutes but almost imeadiately fell behind as a weak back pass fell short and the Sheffield striker intercepted and rounded Harper in goal to score. Hep[worth kept up the pressure and teased Sheffield with some quality football, forcing a corner up stepped feherova and she fired the ball over un der the crossbar and the Wednesday keeper could only direct it into her own net to make it 2-2. Several more changes were made by Hepworth with Sophie Walsh replacing Laura Brown, Paige Green replacing Lisa Parry and Emily Holroyd replacing Jo Forrest as they looked to keep up the pressure. Kim Antonio went close with a free kick on 82 minutes as the keeper palmed the ball onto the post, Hepworth had several other great chances as Sheffield rocked under the pressure. Wednesday punted the ball forward at every opportunity
desperate to relieve the pressure and on 83 minutes hepworths defence was caught out of position and Sheffield stole a goal out of nothing to go 2-3 up. The visitors were given a further chance to extend the lead on 88 minutes as they were awarded a soft penalty whern their striker fell over having lost the ball, the spot kick was subsequently blazed high over the bar to keep the score 2-3. hepworth had one last chance to snatch a draw but Emily Wrights effort was fired straight at the keeper onin the 90th minute. A dissapointing result as Hepworth had been the better side throughout but were punished for three defensive errors. The player of the match award was awarded to Ophelia Donlon who just beat Rebecca Purchon and Rebecca Harper to the award, but there were many exceptional performances including the three debutants Emily wright, Sophie Walsh and laura Brown.