A quick guide to Tottenham Hotspur who compete in the Women's Super League. Tottenham Hotspur Website https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/teams/women/players/ Manager Rehanne Skinner - ENG Captain Shelina Zadorsky Tottenham Hotspur Ashleigh Neville Photographer: Edward Payne Becky Spencer Photographer: Girls on the Ball Tottenham Hotspur 1/7 Squad Player Position Number Nationality DOB Tinja-Riikka Korpela GK 1 FIN 05/05/1986 Becky Spencer GK 22 ENG/JAM 22/02/1991 Esther Morgan DF 2 WAL 28/08/2002 Shelina Zadorsky DF 3 CAN 24/10/1992 Kerys Harrop DF 6 ENG 03/12/1990 Ria Percival DF 12 NZL 07/12/1989 Asmita Ale DF 13 ENG 03/11/2001 Ashleigh Neville DF 29 ENG 29/04/1993 Josie Green MF 4 WAL 25/04/1993 Cho So-hyun MF 8 KOR 24/06/1988 Tang Jiali MF 9 CHN 16/03/1995 Maeva Clemoran MF 21 FRA 10/11/1992 Jessica Naz FW 7 ENG 24/09/2000 Rachel Williams FW 10 ENG 10/01/1988 Angela Addison FW 14 ENG 09/12/1999 Kit Graham FW 16 ENG 11/11/1995 Kyah Simon FW 17 AUS 25/06/1991 Chioma Ubogagu FW 18 ENG 10/09/1992 Rosella Ayane FW 23 ENG/MAR 16/03/1996 Ground The Hive Stadium, London HA8 6AG

Manchester City are off the mark earning a full three points and a clean sheet against West Ham Back Match Report Jill Roord is back in business in the WSL Manchester City are off the mark earning a full three points and a clean sheet against West Ham Ryan Asman 3 October 2023 By Paul Donegan Lauren Hemp and debutant Jill Roord scored goals early in the second half as Manchester City beat West Ham United 2-0 in the Women’s Super League on Sunday at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. The Hammers Mackenzie Arnold saved Chloe Kelly’s penalty between the goals. Leila Ouahabi was sent off for City later in the match. In her first match in charge of West Ham, Rehanne Skinner gave a debut to Japanese international forward Riko Ueki. She lined her side up in a 5-3-2 formation. Gareth Taylor was without the injured Bunny Shaw for Manchester City so Hemp started in the centre position with Mary Fowler and Kelly out wide. Taylor lined his side up in a 4-3-3 formation. Roord had the first shot at goal for the visitors in the 5th minute which went wide. Roord then dispossessed the home sides Honoka Hayashi before chipping the ball over from the edge of the area in the 15th minute. In the 21st minute, Kelly sent in a good cross from the right side that Fowler put over for City. For a lot of the first half, Manchester City had a lot of possession but didn’t create that many chances whilst West Ham looked at their most threatening on the break but didn’t force Khiara Keating to make any saves. The visitors next chance came in the 37th minute when Ouahabi effort from 20 yards straight at Arnold. A minute later, the assured Keating came out and claimed a West Ham cross. Fowler and Hemp swapped positions late in the first half, and it was Hemp coming in from the left side who had City’s next attempt three minutes before half time but put it over. Arnold stopped a Hemp header right on half time but the offside flag was up anyway. Ueki forced Keating into a diving save in the first 15 seconds of the second half with West Ham’s first, and only, shot on target in the match. Photo: Ryan Asman Manchester City went ahead in the 48th minute when Hemp received a pass from Laia Aleixandri and finished with a lovely curling effort from outside the area into the corner of the net. The visitors were awarded a penalty a minute later after Shannon Cooke handballed in the area. Kelly took the spot kick but Arnold dived to her right and made a fantastic save to keep it out. In the 55th minute, club record signing Roord doubled City’s lead when she got between two West Ham defenders and onto a pass from Aleixandri before finishing with a shot into the bottom corner from 10-yards. Denya Castellanos had the visitors next couple of chances with a half volley that Arnold saved a couple of minutes after their second goal, then a low shot straight at the Australian international goalkeeper in the 64th minute. Ouahabi was sent off for City after she brought down Emma Harries in the 71st minute. There was a slight delay before the free kick was given and another slight delay before the red card was shown whilst it looked like the referee was checking with some of the other officials. The Hammers Shannon Cooke curled an effort wide in the 84th minute. Two minutes later, Asseyi had a chance but put it wide as the home side looked to get a goal back. Filippa Angeldahl had the last chance of the match for the away side during stoppage time at the end of the second half but her shot was easily saved. Both sides are next in action again next Sunday in the WSL with West Ham travelling to Brighton, whilst Manchester City host champions Chelsea. Line ups West Ham United (5-3-2): Arnold (c), Evans, Shimizu, Cissoko, Cooke, Smith, Stringer (Denton 76’), Filis (Flannery 76’), Hayashi, Ueki (Harries 60’), Asseyi Unused substitutes: Walsh, Atkinson, Ziu, Ademiluyi Booked - Cissoko Manchester City (4-3-3): Keating, Aleixandri, Kennedy, Greenwood (c), Ouahabi, Castellanos (Blaksted 83’), Hasegawa, Roord (Angeldahl 89’), Kelly (Casparij 76’), Hemp, Fowler Unused substitutes: Roebuck, Houghton, Coombs, Morgan, Park, Mace Goals – Hemp 48’, Roord 55’ Booked – Castellanos Sent off – Ouahabi 71’ Referee – Abigail Byrne

The game that is waiting for the world to catch up. The Growing Game Wednesday, 28 October 2020 By Charlotte Stacey The game that is waiting for the world to catch up. via Google Images Women's football in England, and indeed worldwide, is beginning to move onto a bigger platform. What was once a somewhat taboo hobby for some, is now hurtling towards the limelight, and is on its way to taking centre stage. Awareness of the women's game is slowly but surely growing. Last year the Lionesses drew in an impressive 11.7 million viewers for their World Cup semi-final, the BBC's biggest live audience of the year. With this mighty feat, paired with increasingly regular attendance across all league games, it is clear that interest in the game is certainly on the rise. Historically, women's football has received very little in the way of funding. The FA finally took the game under its wing 26 years ago, yet the FA's Women's Super League did not turn fully professional until the 2018-2019 season. However, we are now starting to see a larger backing from the FA, as well as development in the way of outside investors. Sponsorship deals from several large, well-known brands for the English national side, together with Barclays sponsorship of the WSL, demonstrate the emergent marketability of the sport. Women's football in England, and indeed worldwide, is beginning to move onto a bigger platform. What was once a somewhat taboo hobby for some, is now hurtling towards the limelight, and is on its way to taking centre stage. Awareness of the women's game is slowly but surely growing. Last year the Lionesses drew in an impressive 11.7 million viewers for their World Cup semi-final, the BBC's biggest live audience of the year. With this mighty feat, paired with increasingly regular attendance across all league games, it is clear that interest in the game is certainly on the rise. Historically, women's football has received very little in the way of funding. The FA finally took the game under its wing 26 years ago, yet the FA's Women's Super League did not turn fully professional until the 2018-2019 season. However, we are now starting to see a larger backing from the FA, as well as development in the way of outside investors. Sponsorship deals from several large, well-known brands for the English national side, together with Barclays sponsorship of the WSL, demonstrate the emergent marketability of the sport. Encouragingly, players in the England squad are beginning to form deals with sponsors, and perhaps quite rightly so. It is, after all, these same players gathering momentum from the front, who are opening themselves up for the criticisms and opinions of the masses. It is important to remember that select partnership is not unusual in any walk of life, and the handful of Lionesses receiving sponsorship should not be alienated in light of this. Whichever way it may be presented, increased investment in the game is crucial for its growth. Yet, we do not underestimate the players championing the game across the leagues. Those who are just as dedicated, and who strengthen the game with as much passion and commitment as those at the top. Lead from the front, build from the back. Major overseas signings are elevating interest in the WSL, and this is subsequently leading to the demand for more league games to be broadcasted. Apps such as the FA player, and select matches chosen by the BBC and BT sport, has meant that there has been a gradual increase in transmission. This has opened the door to larger audiences. However, this coverage is not always reliable, nor transparent. Just recently the BBC advertised the broadcast of several FA Cup 4th round ties. Yet only one match was televised, much to the irritation of those unable to physically attend these games. What is more, many key games continue to be the victims of scheduling conflict. Most recently, the Continental Cup semi-finals took place as midweek fixtures. Whilst this alone is not a huge issue, it does significantly limit the number of fans able to travel. However, with both matches kicking-off at the same time, as well as them clashing with a men's Manchester derby, many viewers, most notably United and City supporters, were stuck between a rock and a hard place. It is scheduling mishaps such as these that hinder the organic growth of the game. Currently for many club fans, the men's game will always take precedence. The issue of equality is ever present in the women's game. Lewes FC's current campaign has succeeded in highlighting the pay gap between the men's and the women's game, identifying the huge difference in winnings. Favourably Lewes FC have found themselves in a position in which they are able to accommodate both their male and female players equally. Whilst this is certainly commendable, unfortunately for most clubs, it simply is not yet possible to sustain equal pay. This is especially true of larger clubs, in which the difference in revenue brought in by the male and female teams is vast. Luckily these players do not play football for money. They play for love of the game and with the respect and support of each other. It is perhaps these qualities that makes the women's game so endearing to watch, and so enjoyable to root for. But whilst Lewes FC's campaign may have a long way to go in achieving equal pay across the board, it has certainly drawn attention to the sheer disparity between the male and female game. Monetary value aside, equality embodies so much more than just pay. Equality encompasses respect, value and dignity; areas in which female players regularly tend to find themselves on the back foot. A recent report featured in the Daily Mail investigated the state of some of the women's facilities in the WSL. What was uncovered was bothersome, but perhaps not surprising. The report highlighted the squalor states many teams are subjected to when travelling, and the less than adequate catering arrangements, amongst other issues. It is here where issues of equality really hit home. What must be instilled is that both male and female players are a part of one club, and should be treated as such. Nevertheless, it is important to recognise that the women's game is not yet expecting the all singing, all dancing facilities harboured by the men's. But what is expected, are half decent amenities, as would be regulation for any other place of work. Or at the very least, a fridge. Criticisms of the women's game, more often than not, question the quality of play. This is then typically compared directly to the men's game. But players can only do so much with what is available to them. There is still much to be said about the condition of pitches and the standard of officiating, which with both cases, there are huge inconsistencies. Yet, despite these factors, there are certainly more than a few female players who would not look out of place in a men's match. Being a part of a sport that is growing is exciting, but also terribly frustrating. Waiting for the world to catch up can definitely be disheartening. The general consensus among governing bodies indicates that a rise in overall interest, including physical attendees and televised viewers, will lead to an increase in financial and promotional backing. Yet with unreliable coverage and continuous scheduling conflicts, we find ourselves in a catch-22 situation. But, with the continuous devotion of fans to raise awareness of the game, and to support their players, there is no reason as to why the game should not naturally flourish. Fans should not fret, there has been substantial growth, and there will continue to be. We are headed toward something special, just you wait and see.

Chelsea book their place in the semi-finals of the Conti Cup after a convincing 3-1 win over Spurs Back Match Report Conti Cup: Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea Chelsea book their place in the semi-finals of the Conti Cup after a convincing 3-1 win over Spurs Chelsea FCW Twitter 27 January 2023 Paul Donegan Chelsea reached the Conti Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening at Brisbane Road. Sam Kerr scored twice (though the first might be an own goal from Molly Bartrip) and second half substitute Fran Kirby got the other. Former Chelsea player Drew Spence scored a late consolation goal for Spurs. The pitch had passed an afternoon inspection and it was not as cold as previous evenings, though it was raining heavily as the sides warmed but that got lighter during the match. The home side had won their Conti Cup group to reach this stage. Manu Iwabuchi made her debut for Spurs after joining on loan from Arsenal. Beth England also made her first home appearance against her former side. Rehanne Skinner’s Tottenham lined up with five across the back when defending with Celin Bizet and Kerys Harrop playing as wing backs. When attacking, their formation looked like it turned into 3-4-3. Chelsea were making their first appearance in the Conti Cup this season after not playing in the group stage due to being in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. They made one change from their abandoned game against Liverpool at the weekend with Lauren James coming in for Niamh Charles. Emma Hayes used a 4-2-3-1 formation with the full backs getting forward, especially Eve Perisset, to support. Tottenham had the first chance but a Eveliina Summanen free kick went straight at Zecira Musovic who easily caught it. Chelsea first opportunity came when a ball found Perisset who sent a low shot narrowly wide. Bizet had the next effort for Spurs but again the shot was straight at Musovic. The Chelsea fans were making a lot of noise, and they saw their side have the next chance when a nice move finished with James seeing her low shot saved by Tinja-Riikka Korpela. Korpela made another save when she caught Jelena Cankovic’s 20-yard effort. James had the visitors next opportunity but her low shot was deflected just wrong side of post. From the corner, James had another effort at goal but her powerful shot from 18-yards sailed over the crossbar. In the 38th minute, Chelsea took the lead when Cuthbert’s low cross shot found the back of net when Kerr (or maybe Bartrip, or combination of both) got a touch on it. The Blues had another chance before half time when Perisset’s cross found head of Kerr but the ball went into the keepers hands. The first chance for the second half went Tottenham’s way when Spence shot wide in the 49th minute. It was a fairly quiet start chance wise after the break with neither side having another attempt at goal until the midway point of it when the visitors made it 2-0. James received the ball and went past Harrop then passed to Kirby who finished first time from 12-yards to score Chelsea’s second in the 68th minute. Rosella Ayane saw her shot go wide for the home side a minute after they went two behind. Another nice Chelsea move in the 73rd minute finished with a Kerr shot being blocked. A Chelsea cross was headed narrowly wide of their own post by a Tottenham defender. From corner, a James shot from the edge of area was easily claimed by Korpela. Korpela made two saves in quick succession to stop Chelsea extending their lead when first she came out to block a shot, then seconds later saved another effort with her legs. Chelsea made it 3-0 in the 86th minute when they took a quick free kick which found Kerr who finished when she dinked the ball over Korpela. Five minutes of stoppage time were signalled and both sides had chances during that. A ball from a free kick found England but her low effort was saved for the home side. Chelsea went down the other end but James couldn’t get clean contact on a low cross across goal. Tottenham got a goal back in the fourth minute of added time when Drew Spence found the top corner of the net with a rocket of a shot from just outside the area. The win sees Chelsea through to the semi-finals of the Conti Cup for the sixth consecutive season, they will face West Ham United. Both Spurs and Chelsea start their FA Cup campaigns on Sunday with Tottenham at home to Championship leaders London City Lionesses whilst Chelsea are at home to fellow WSL side Liverpool. Line ups Tottenham Hotspur (5-4-1): Korpela, Bizet, Turner, Bartrip, Zadorsky (c), Harrop, Ayane, Summanen (James 82’), Spence, Iwabuchi (Ubogagu 59’), England Substitutes: Spencer, Naz, Karczewska, Ale Goal – Spence 90’+4 Booked – Ayane Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Musovic, Perisset (Charles 83’), Buchanan, Bright (c), Carter, Ingle (Fleming 61’), Cuthbert, James, Cankovic (Kirby 61’), Reiten (Kaneryd 76’), Kerr Substitutes: Berger, Svitkova, Eriksson, Mjelde, Abdullina Goals – Kerr 38’, 86’, Kirby 68’ Booked – Reiten, James Referee – Sunny Singh Gill

Ground Guide Coventry United By Paul Donegan This guide is from when I went to the Butts Park Arena to watch Coventry United play Crystal Palace on Sunday 10th October in the FA Women’s Championship. Things might be different from this guide of course if you decide to visit this ground. Address Butts Park Arena, Butts Rd, Coventry, CV1 3GE Location and Ground History Butts Park Arena is located fairly centrally in Coventry, about a 20/25 minute walk from the city centre. I arrived in Coventry a bit early so went and had a look around the ruins of the old cathedral and the new one next door. The stadium opened in 2004 as the new home of the Coventry rugby union side with the rugby league side, Coventry Bears joining them there shortly afterwards. Both still play at the stadium now. Coventry United (both men’s and women’s sides) started playing there in 2017 (according to Wikipedia). I didn’t notice much saying that the football sides play there outside or inside the ground. Getting There Coventry station is about a 15 minute walk from the ground and is served by trains from London (Euston), Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford, Reading and lots of other places in between those. There is a car park at the ground but it is pay and display. There are a number of buses that run along Butts Road which goes past the ground. Tickets I bought my ticket online and received a confirmation email which I printed off and took to the match and this was okay to use to get in. It cost me £10 but check the link below for all the prices and if you want to buy tickets for a Coventry United home match. You can pay on the day at the turnstile by cash or card and it is the same prices. Buy Tickets https://culfc-media.co.uk/matchtickets/ The Stadium The turnstiles are in one corner of the ground by the car park. There weren’t any bag searches. There is a big covered seated stand along one side of the pitch whilst the rest of the ground is uncovered standing. The far end of the ground from the entrance was not open for supporters as well as part of the side opposite the stand where the managers and subs are. Above this area there is a scoreboard but this wasn’t working for this match. There are toilets at either end of the seated stand, by the turnstiles and in the entrance area to the bar at the far end. Food and Drink The bar is under the seated stand with the entrance to it being at the far end from the entrance. You can take all drinks outside if you wish and it is card payment only for them. A bit of a lack of food though with the only thing being available to eat were crisps from the bar which cost £1 a packet (Walkers basic flavours). There is a Burger King near the station plus some shops/takeaways and a pub on the walk from station to ground and of course there are lots of places to eat and drink in the city centre. Merchandise Didn’t see any merchandise when I was at the ground but there is a section on the website where you can have a look at things that are available to buy. The programme is only available online.

Lotte Wubben-Moy Position Centre Back D.O.B 11/01/1999 Club Arsenal via The FA

Arsenal v Everton Photographer Adam Mitten A Saturday afternoon in the sun at Meadow Park saw Arsenal inch a win over visitors Everton thanks to Beth Mead's half time goal. Arsenal 2 -1 Everton

A quick guide to Manchester City who compete in the Women's Super League. Manchester City Website https://www.mancity.com/players/womens Manager Gareth Taylor - WAL Captain Steph Houghton MBE Squad Manchester City Captain Steph Houghton Photographer: Girls on the Ball Manchester City Celebrating Photograph via @ManCityWomen (Twitter) Manchester City 1/6 Player Position Number Nationality DOB Karen Bardsley GK 1 ENG 14/10/1984 Ellie Roebuck GK 26 ENG 23/09/1999 Karima Benameur-Taieb GK 34 FRA 13/04/1989 Demi Stokes DF 3 ENG 12/12/1991 Alex Greenwood DF 5 ENG 07/09/1993 Steph Houghton DF 6 ENG 23/04/1988 Esme Morgan DF 14 ENG 18/10/2000 Lucy Bronze DF 20 ENG 28/10/1991 Alanna Kennedy DF 33 AUS 21/01/1995 Laura Coombs MF 7 ENG 29/01/1991 Jill Scott MF 8 ENG 02/02/1987 Hayley Raso MF 13 AUS 05/09/1994 Vicky Losada MF 17 ESP 05/03/1991 Caroline Weir MF 19 SCO 20/06/1995 Keira Walsh MF 24 ENG 08/04/1997 Ruby Mace MF 30 ENG 05/09/2003 Chloe Kelly FW 9 ENG 15/01/1998 Georgia Stanway FW 10 ENG 03/01/1999 Janine Beckie FW 11 CAN 20/08/1994 Lauren Hemp FW 15 ENG 07/08/2000 Jess Park FW 16 ENG 21/10/2001 Ellen White FW 18 ENG 09/05/1989 Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw FW 21 JAM 31/01/1997 Ground Academy Stadium, Manchester, M11 4QT

Coventry United hang on to their place in the Championship through last minute wonder kick Back Match Report FAWC: Watford v Coventry United Coventry United hang on to their place in the Championship through last minute wonder kick Coventry United Twitter 4 May 2022 By Paul Donegan Coventry United pulled off the great escape with a 1-0 win thanks to Mollie Green’s stunning long range free kick in the seventh minute of injury time. The result sees Watford relegated with one of the last kicks of the season. Watford knew that a win for them or a draw would be enough to stay up, but it was Coventry, knowing they had to win, who started the more brightly of the two. They had the first effort at goal in the 6th minute but Green’s shot from distance went over. Coventry came close to taking the lead in the 11th minute but Natalie Haigh saw her header blocked the on the line. Another Haigh header in the 18th minute was comfortably caught by the Watford goalkeeper Georgia Ferguson. Watford’s first real attack came in the 26th minute which saw a Gemma Davison cross headed clear by the Coventry defence. It was back down the other end two minutes later when a cross was met by Olivia Fergusson but she didn’t seem to get clean contact on her shot and it was easily saved by Ferguson. In the 31st minute, Green sent a free kick wide of goal. Watford had their first attempt at goal in the 37th minute when Davison run forward but her shot was saved by Lucy Thomas. Coventry had the last couple of chances of the half when in the 41st minute Natalie Johnson’s cross was missed by everyone and just went wide then two minutes later Katy Morris headed over. Watford started the second half well and in the first minute of it, Corinne Henson saw her low cross claimed by Thomas. In the 54th minute, it was Coventry on the attack again when Fergusson saw her low cross saved, and four minutes later Katie Wilkinson’s low free kick was again saved by Ferguson. Watford’s Anne Meiwald met a free kick with her head but it went over in the 63rd minute. Wilkinson had Coventry’s next attempt but her long-range shot was easily saved in the 71st minute and then Green saw her free kick blocked by the Watford wall four minutes later. There was a scramble and Watford appealing for a penalty which the referee waved away in the 78th minute with Emma Beckett, who had just come on as a substitute, then seeing her shot saved. A dangerous Coventry United cross was headed clear in the 82nd minute. Five minutes later they again came close to scoring when Wilkinson saw her header cleared from off the line. Seven minutes of added time were signalled, and two minutes into that Coventry came so close to getting that vital goal but Grace Riglar saw her header hit the post. Watford had a chance to take the lead themselves but Flo Fyfe sent her shot into the side netting. Into the seventh minute of additional time and Coventry were awarded a free kick about 35 yards out. Up stepped Mollie Green and she hit it right footed into the top corner of the net to give Coventry the lead and spark mad celebrations on the pitch with some of the coaching staff and substitutes running on to join in. There was still time for a long-range Watford free kick to bounce through everyone in the penalty area and hit the top of the crossbar before going behind. The final whistle went seconds after that and Coventry could celebrate staying up after their 1-0 win whilst it was heartbreak for Watford who finished bottom of the league by a point and will be relegated back to the FA Women’s National League after one season in the Championship. This really was a great escape for Coventry United who were minutes away from going out of business in January before being saved by Lewis Taylor, then after having 10 points deducted they caught Watford up and to stay up by scoring such a spectacular goal with seconds of the season remaining is really fairy tale stuff! Line ups Watford: Ferguson, Henson, Stobbs, Chandler (Humes 87’), Meiwald, Kmita, Legg (Beckett 78’), Georgiou, Ali, Davison (Fyfe 78’), Ward (Fatuga-Dada 57’) Unused substitutes: Smith, Vyso, Hector, Rogers, Adebowale-Arimoro Booked – Ali, Georgiou, Beckett Coventry United: L. Thomas, N’Dow, Haigh, Hartley, Johnson (Toussaint 74’), Green, Morris, Estcourt, F. Thomas (Riglar 83’), Wilkinson, Fergusson (Orthodoxou 90’+9) Unused substitutes@ Clark, Whiteman, McGrother, Colville, Mann Goal – Green 90’+7 Referee – Georgia Ball Attendance – 1.451

Aston Villa v Bristol City Photographer Ryan Asman Bristol City took a big point for the road as they drew 2-2 with Aston Villa. The Villans took the lead twice throughout the match and largely had the run of play, yet some big saves from Shae Yanez meant they only managed to net two of their numerous chances. Jordan Nobbs opened the scoring for Villa with a screamer of a strike before Amalie Thestrup equalised a couple of minutes later. The second half saw Adriana Leon hit the back of the net on the hour mark but the Villans couldn't do enough to keep the Robins at bay and Carrie Jones leveled it again in the 75th minute. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the Bristol City supporter who collapsed at the match and later sadly passed away.

Super subs Rachel Williams’ 87th-minute winner takes the Red Devils to the top of the WSL. Back Match Report WSL: Reading v Manchester United Super subs Rachel Williams’ 87th-minute winner takes the Red Devils to the top of the WSL. Ryan Asman 23 January 2023 By Rosa Maitland With many games in the WSL being postponed, the result now sees United move up to first, level on points with Chelsea, but with a superior goal difference. Reading remain tenth, four points above bottom-placed Leicester. United boss, Marc Skinner, named an unchanged side to the one that comfortably beat Liverpool 6-0 last weekend. Reading boss, Kelly Chambers named her 150th Reading line-up, making four changes to her team’s 3-2 loss last weekend. Defender Diane Caldwell came into the side to face her old team with Lily Woodham and Rachel Rowe also returning. In front of a record crowd, at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, it was the visitors who dominated early on. Lucia Garcia picked up the ball and drove down the right-hand-side before picking out Katie Zelem, on the edge of the box, who saw her effort comfortably saved by Jackie Burns. After soaking up a large amount of pressure from the visitors early on, Reading began to settle and show their attacking ability. Reading’s first chance came from a cleaver improvised flick on by Sanne Troelsgaard which found Emma Harries, whose rushed effort was gathered by Mary Earps. The home side had another chance a moment later when Justine Vanhaevermaet tried an audacious effort from the halfway line which left Earps backpedalling before watching the ball land on the roof of the net. Despite some Reading chances, United continued to show their ability all over the pitch and dominated most of the possession but Reading’s defence stood compact and organised. The visitors had a golden chance to break the deadlock moments before halftime, as they were given a penalty when Caldwell brought down Alessia Russo in the box. Zelem saw her shot saved by keeper Burns who got down low to make a great save. Half-time: Reading 0-0 Manchester United After a frustrating first half for United, they started the second half with clear attacking intent, but equal were Reading to the challenge, who defended well and continued to frustrate the visitors. United were clearly trying to attack down the wings and a nice bit of play by Nikita Parris and Garcia nearly resulted in a tap-in for Russo, who arrived late into the box. United were creating chances but were missing the final product and ultimately had nothing to show for it. Emma Mukandi's last-ditch block prevented Ella Toone from scoring her fourth league goal of the season after a dummy from teammate Russo. Both managers turned to the bench for inspiration as Tia Primmer replaced Troelsgaard for the home side and Martha Thomas replaced Nikita Parris for the visitors. Earps was made to work for her record-breaking 50th WSL clean sheet. Woodham delivered in a great freekick which was met by the head of Vanhaevermaet who rose highest, but the England international did well to react quickly and put it behind for a corner. As United pushed for the breakthrough Skinner replaced Garcia with Rachel Williams Williams made an instant impact, with three minutes to go, she picked up the ball and cleverly rode the challenges of Reading defenders before smashing the ball into the roof of the net to send United top of the WSL. Full-time: Reading 0-1 Manchester United Line-Ups Reading: Burns, Mukandi (C), Evans, Wellings (Bryson 90’), Eikeland, Harries (Dowie 90’), Caldwell, Rowe (Wade 85’), Vanhaevermaet, Woodham, Troelsgaard (64’) Unused Subs: Moloney, Poulter, Jane Manchester United: Earps, Batlle, Blundell, Toone, Zelem (C), Ladd, Le Tissier, Garcia (Williams 83’), Turner, Parris (Thomas 64’), Russo Unused Subs: Baggaley, Mannion, Thorisdottir, Tounkara, Boe Risa, Leon Goal: Williams (87’) Attendance – 5,108

Reaching 200 appearances for Pride Park, Tash Allderidge is as passionate today as the day she made her debut Tash Allderidge: Pride Park's experienced icon Monday, 4 March 2024 By Ben Gilby Reaching 200 appearances for Pride Park, Tash Allderidge is as passionate today as the day she made her debut Shaun Hardwick Pride Park are a female only club with a major footprint in community football. The first team are currently in second place of the tier seven Derbyshire Ladies League Division One, and run a large number of teams for girls. Someone who has been part of the journey from the very first season 18 years ago is Tash Allderidge who made her 200th appearance for the club at the start of February. In her period at ‘The Pride’, Allderidge has scored 79 goals since making her senior debut against Belper Town nine years ago. The club icon joined the club during their first season at the age of 10, and takes up the story of her journey with the Derby based outfit. Photo: Shaun Hardwick “I joined Pride Park in December 2006. Since then, the club has evolved and is now exclusively for women and girls, with eight teams currently, and recreational football for women as well as Wildcats for girls. Originally, our teams played and trained at various sites across the city and on different days, but since 2018 we have all trained on the same night at the same venue, where our first team and u18s play their matches, which has brought a feeling of togetherness to the club. “I had trained at a local football group for quite a few years as the only girl. Coming to Pride Park, it was really nice to join a proper team and play football with a really friendly group of girls. The club has always had the philosophy of fairness and playing for enjoyment and I feel like I’ve seen that through all my years at the club.” Whilst women’s football has never had as much exposure and finance at the highest levels, tier seven is somewhat different. Allderidge outlined what life is like in that respect at Pride Park. “Our players pay to play - although the club try to make it as affordable as possible to keep it accessible but subscriptions only cover the essentials and costs, particularly for venue hire, keep rising. Ultimately, we have to be self-financing although we’ve been quite fortunate as a club with grants and as a team the support of our sponsors is invaluable. We do quite a bit of fund-raising as a team to help fund additional items, such as off field kit, filming matches, supplementary training sessions etc.” Allderidge describes herself as a player who “brings a lot of energy to the team, playing as a box to box midfielder doing a lot of running, and am always getting stuck in with winning headers in the middle of the park. This season, a particular strength of mine has been my set pieces, after scoring some important goals from free kicks and a number of assists from my corner kicks.” Playing for the same club for 18 seasons is some achievement, particularly being part of that club’s entire history. Allderidge outlined that the main reason for keeping her in the light and dark blue of Pride Park. “I’ve always enjoyed playing for Pride Park because of the friendly team environment, whilst also being really competitive in the league. When playing for Pride Park Girls U18s, I did also play for Burton Albion Ladies for a season, helping them gain promotion to the Regional League. I did have the opportunity to continue playing for Burton Albion at the higher level, however I made the decision to continue playing for the enjoyment and stay with Pride Park as we began a senior team.” Photo: Shaun Hardwick Pride Park are currently having a superb season, with promotion to regional level football in tier six a distinct possibility. The club icon believes that unity and belief have been the main reasons for this success so far. “We’ve had some really good team performances this season, and it’s been pleasing to see how all the players have been playing for each other. We need to make sure that we keep consistent with our performances, particularly because we have some really important matches coming up against teams around us in the league. We can’t afford to drop many points the rest of this season and these are the games which will ultimately determine whether we can finish top this year. “In previous years, we’ve always had quite a slow start to the season and been disappointed with our performance and results at that early stage of the campaign. However, it was really pleasing that this season, we managed to break that cycle and hit the ground running with some good performances in a few particularly hard fixtures, which had put us in a strong position for the rest of the season.” The strong team ethic that exists in the team has been a major component in their league success this season – successes that have achieved despite a crippling injury list. “The most challenging part of this season has to be the number of injuries we’ve had. At times, we’ve been low on numbers for matches due to a large number of injuries in the squad - some of which have been quite severe and put players out for the remainder of the season. We’ve been fortunate to be able to recruit some more players throughout the season, to fill in gaps due to injuries, but it’s definitely been a big challenge this year.” Photo: Shaun Hardwick In terms of some of Pride Park’s closest challengers for potential promotion this season, Allderidge recognises the overall strength of the Derbyshire Ladies League’s top tier. “The league has been competitive again this season, especially towards the top of the table where it’s close on points between a number of teams. Wirksworth (the reigning league champions) have impressed again this season with one of the best defences in the league. They have made it hard for teams to break them down and score against them, proven by the small number of goals they’ve conceded so far this season.” With the season approaching its home straight, the Pride Park player outlined her aims for the weeks ahead. “Personally, I would love to add to my goal and assist tally throughout the rest of the games this season. We are currently still in two cup competitions so it would be great to make a cup final this year. However, as a team, our main priority would be pushing to win the league, and possibly promotion, so we need to ensure we’re being consistent in our performances for the rest of the season.”